Why don't I pretend anymore?

I have always been told that there is no place in Moscow for kind and sympathetic people. It is believed that this city is very cruel, kindness here is perceived as weakness, and many people should not be trusted at all. But is this really so? I'll tell you a story that may make you look at this thesis with different eyes.

When I first moved to Moscow, it was very difficult to get used to a new place of life, make new friends, and get into the energetic pace of life. I was 22 years old, I got a job in a restaurant, and I really wanted to quickly make friends with the new team. My mentor was a girl named Nina, she told me about the internal routine and introduced me to the work areas one by one. I listened to all her stories with the usual enthusiasm, and a smile appeared on my face as always. "You will be eaten and swallowed if you always act like a good simpleton. Trust me, I have lived here for 7 years." - she concluded at the end. I stood with my mouth open in bewilderment, not understanding why she suddenly spoke out so rarely. “Be angrier, don’t show anyone your weaknesses, they will only take advantage of you, everyone in this team will take advantage of you.” - Nina answered again.

After the internship day, I went home, upset, not having the slightest idea how to adapt to the new working conditions. Nina sounded very convincing, and I decided to take her words seriously, so the next day I came to work with an indifferent face expressing seriousness and slight disdain.

"Hello! My name is Kirill! You must be Nadya? Well, are you ready to go?" - my new colleague asked me when I entered the hall. “I’m Nadya. , Nina told me about work, we will communicate only on work matters.” - I blurted out in a working manner and immediately went to the bar. He didn’t come to me anymore, apparently Nina was right. Everyone here is indifferent and distant, this is Moscow.

So a week passed, and then another. At work, I never made friends with anyone, sometimes we talked with Nina, she asked if I was on time with orders and if everything was clear to me at work. Slowly I got used to the new area, got used to the metro and even restored my sleep pattern. On one of the quiet autumn days, when there were very few guests, I was left to work alone with Kirill. He constantly tried to talk to me, but I pretended that I was not interested or that I urgently needed to leave. At the end of the evening, I saw Kirill, and he literally had no face. "What happened? Are you okay?" - I could no longer hide myself and my nature. “My dog Dumbo...I got a call from the veterinary clinic...” he answered quietly. “Talk to me, I understand that this is not easy, but in moments of sadness it is better to share it with someone.” - I said. We headed towards the metro together, I treated Kirill to coffee, told him my stories, and he even smiled a couple of times. “Why are you hiding your nature? It doesn’t suit you at all, you’re a completely different person.” - Kirill suddenly asked. I told him about everything that Nina told me: about the city, about the people, about my experience. My colleague was silent, and then suddenly said with a smile: “Bullshit. Moscow may really be a difficult city, but there are kind and good people here too. Try to communicate with our team: Vasya is a blood donor and one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met.” I know. Lena is a volunteer, and she also brings us homemade cake on weekends. The bartender Egor gives us a ride home when he arrives by car... Nina is one of those people with whom few people communicate. And she built this wall herself. Listen, people attract the people they are." His words echoed in my head, I understood one main truth - it’s not about the city, it’s not about the place, it’s about you.

After this incident, I decided to take off the mask of indifference and secrecy from my face, and, as Kirill said, I talked more closely with our Staff. Indeed, what pleasant and cheerful young people they are! Nina soon stopped communicating with me, but I, perhaps, was not even upset about this fact. Several years have passed, but I will never forget this restaurant, these guys, because this was my first Moscow “family”. And, of course, I will never forget what this lesson taught me - never stop being yourself, places and circumstances can change many times in life, but if your soul is bright and full of good intentions, you will always attract the same people to you . The world does not consist only of villains or only good-natured people, everything is the same, but only you yourself determine which side to remain on.