Three Sisters
Anton Chekhov
Irina
When I woke up this morning, I got out of bed, I washed my face and all of a sudden everything became clear and I knew how to live. I know everything now. The only thing that matters is work - hard, sweaty, back-breaking work - and everybody - doesn’t matter who they are - has to got to work. It’s the only thing that gives life and meaning, and purpose, and chance of happiness. How incredible it must be to be a road worker - to get up before it’s even light and go break rocks by a road - or a farmer in a field - or a teacher teaching little children - or what? - a train driver - my God, imagine not even being human anymore but some kind of animal - an ox - no, a horse - a plain, old horse - anything instead of a useless young woman who sleeps in until noon, drinks coffee in bed then takes hours to get dressed. God, it’s disgusting. You know when it’s hot - really hot - and all you want is an ice-cold drink? Well, that’s how much I want to work. And if I don’t start getting up early to work - to really work - promise me you’ll stop being my friend.