Some time passed, and one day when I came back from work, I found Zoya and Shura in an unusual state of excitement. From one glance at their faces I immediately guessed that something very special had happened.
"Who do you think came to see us? Molokov! Molokov was at our school!"—they both shouted at once before I could say anything. "Molokov, you know, the one who rescued the Chelyuskin men! He saved more people than anyone else!"
At last Shura began to tell the story more clearly.
"Well, at first he was on the platform and everything was very solemn…but somehow not quite right…And then he came down, and we all got round him, and it was wonderful! His talk was so plain and simple! You know what he said? 'A lot of people address their letters to MoIokov of the Arctic. But I'm not from the Arctic at all, I live in Irininskoye Village, and I only flew to the Arctic for the Chelyuskin men."
"And after that he said: 'You think there is some special kind of air heroes, different from everybody else. We're all plain folk. Look at me—is there anything special about me?' And it's true, he's just an ordinary man…And unusual, at the same time!" Shura concluded unexpectedly, adding in awed wonder, "Well, I have seen Molokov!"
So did Shura's fondest dream come true.
Next: A Trip to Wonderland