1

Done.

I’m born. The labor is behind, the umbilical cord is cut and you are taking me into your arms for the first time.

I’m cute, aren’t I? Such a nice little baby, hard to take your eyes off of! One can admire me forever: these chubby wrists, a button nose, and doll-like fingers. I am the fruit of your efforts, from my scented crown concealed by dark fur, to my tiny pink heels.

What are you waiting for then? You must immediately introduce me to the world! How could such a bland world possibly survive without such a Treasure up to now?

What do you mean it’s night outside?! Well, come on, I can’t wait any longer!

And you don’t keep me waiting until morning.

2

“Well, well… why’s his right ear sticking out like that?”

“Where? Nothing’s sticking out. Get lost.”

“I will, but he’s also bow-legged. And he’s got two left hands. I think you’ve got your hands full with this one.”

“What do you mean by two left hands? How come? I’ve already checked everything and looked at him from all sides. It all seemed fine…”

You frantically flip me around in your hands. I have a huge head as if I’m suffering from hydrocephalus. One of my hands has four fingers and the other one has six. And it seems there’s something wrong with the gender…

In horror, you realize that you’ve created a freak. A boring, hideous freak. There might be something special about him, but it’s not immediately obvious due to all the many “vices”. To find it, you need to look closely, but who would want to deal with somebody else’s ugly baby?

How could this have happened? How!? Didn’t you see me when I was born?

You did. And yet… you didn’t.

I make faces and cackle wickedly in your face.

Well, you gave me life, so you can...

3

There. The ear was pinned back. The legs were straightened. The hand was changed. A double check verifies that both hands have the same number of fingers. The head no longer looks like an airship. The nose isn’t upturned.

Stop.

But what about his sexual identity? What about his genital organs?

Oh, well…

Checking for the three hundred eighty-sixth time.

Everything seems to be in order now.

Or maybe...

Never mind. Everything’s good.

“Oh, wow, that is so much better.”

“Wonderful! Such a cute little boy!”

“Let me have a look. Hmm, it’s actually not that bad.”

“He’s turned out to be a really nice kid!”

You are finally happy. I am like I should be.

4

But the time passes by and you gradually grow cold towards me.

I am now an old chapter of your life.

Soon you feel the next “treasure” kicking away in your belly with its tiny heels.

Well, everything is all over again. Pregnancy. Childbirth. And finally… him.

A baby.

A beautiful child.

A perfect child.

Cheeks, a bottom… everything’s in the right place. It’s time to show him, but for some reason you’re in no hurry. Having turned a child around in your hands who needed such obvious “developmental defects” corrected, you put this new “treasure”... into the quarantine.

“Hey! What are you doing? It’s me! Your own blood! The world needs to see me right now! Have you forgotten?” the newborn center of everything screams, trying to make his way to the audience.

“The fact of the matter is I haven’t. Well, buddy, a day or two in the quarantine will do you good.”

“The quarantine! Have you gone out of your mind? What difference is it supposed to make? I was who I was, and I’ll always be like that!”

“Hush, hush. No worries. Let an expert take a look at you. He’s sure to find something I haven’t been able to see myself.”

Don’t be sad.

5

“Hello?”

“Oh, hi! It’s been a long time since you called.”

“Yeah, a long time. How is it?

“Everything’s good. And you?”

“I’m good, too. Hey, Yuri, did you check your mail?”

“Not yet. What’s there?”

“Last night I wrote a story and sent it to you. Can you take a look at it with a clear mind and analyze it for me?”

“No problem. Is it urgent?”

“Wellll… I don’t really know...”

“Gotcha. I’ll try to take a look before the evening. By the way, I also have a story that needs a critic.”

“Send it my way. We’ll destroy them.”

“Okay, thanks.”

“Thank you, too. Let’s get at it then.”

“Yep, let’s get at it.”