Why is protective gear crucial for children’s safety during outdoor activities. How can parents choose the right helmet for their child. What are the key safety tips for bicycling, in-line skating, and skateboarding.
The Importance of Protective Gear for Children’s Outdoor Activities
Outdoor activities like cycling, in-line skating, and skateboarding are popular among children, providing excellent exercise and fun. However, these activities can pose significant risks without proper protective gear. According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, bicycles injure more children aged 5-14 than any other consumer product, second only to motor vehicle-related injuries.
Head trauma is the most common and severe injury in accidents involving bikes, in-line skates, skateboards, and scooters. It’s also the leading cause of death and disability in these types of crashes. This alarming statistic underscores the critical importance of protective gear, especially helmets, in safeguarding children during these activities.
The Life-Saving Potential of Helmets
Helmets are a crucial piece of safety equipment that can significantly reduce the risk of head injuries. How effective are helmets in preventing injuries? According to SAFE KIDS, bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent. This remarkable statistic highlights the potential life-saving impact of this simple piece of equipment.
Despite the clear benefits, approximately 55 percent of children don’t always wear a helmet while bicycling. This gap in safety practices presents an opportunity for parents and caregivers to instill the importance of consistent helmet use in children.
Selecting the Right Helmet
Choosing the appropriate helmet is crucial for ensuring maximum protection. What should parents look for when purchasing a helmet for their child?
- Look for helmets approved by recognized safety organizations such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Snell Foundation, or the American Society for Testing and Materials.
- Ensure the helmet fits comfortably and snugly, sitting level on the head without rocking side to side.
- Check for a secure chin strap and buckle to keep the helmet in place.
- Opt for helmets with a hard outer shell and an absorbing liner at least one-half inch thick.
Remember, a properly fitting helmet is key to its effectiveness. It should be worn consistently during every ride, regardless of the distance or perceived risk.
Comprehensive Protective Gear for Various Activities
While helmets are essential, other protective gear is also crucial for comprehensive safety. What additional protective equipment should children use for activities like in-line skating and skateboarding?
- Elbow pads and knee pads to protect joints from impacts and abrasions
- Wrist guards to prevent wrist injuries during falls
- Gloves for added hand protection
For in-line skating, the National Safety Council (NSC) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommend wearing all of these protective items in addition to a helmet. This comprehensive approach to safety gear can significantly reduce the risk of injuries across various parts of the body.
Bicycle Safety: Beyond Protective Gear
While protective gear is crucial, safe cycling practices are equally important. What are some key safety tips for children when riding bicycles?
- Ensure the bicycle is the right size. A child should be able to straddle the bike and stand with both feet flat on the ground.
- Younger children may benefit from training wheels as they learn to balance.
- Teach children proper hand signals for turning and stopping.
- Children under 10 or 11 years old should ride on sidewalks rather than streets.
- Instruct children to look left, right, and left again before entering traffic from a sidewalk, driveway, or parking lot.
- When riding on the street, children should ride in a straight line near the curb and be alert for car doors opening into traffic lanes.
- Avoid riding at dusk or night, as this is when most fatal accidents occur.
- Ensure the bike has safety reflectors on the front, rear, and wheel spokes.
These practices, combined with proper protective gear, can significantly enhance a child’s safety while cycling.
In-line Skating Safety: Mastering the Basics
In-line skating requires specific safety considerations. How can children practice safe in-line skating?
- Always wear full protective gear, including helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards, and gloves.
- Choose durable skates with proper ankle support to prevent injuries.
- Warm up muscles before skating by starting slowly for at least 5 minutes.
- Maintain balance by skating with knees slightly bent.
- Practice proper stopping techniques to avoid losing balance.
- Always skate on the right side of sidewalks or paths.
By following these guidelines, children can enjoy the benefits of in-line skating while minimizing the risk of injuries.
Skateboarding Safety: Techniques and Precautions
Skateboarding, while exciting, requires specific safety measures. What precautions should young skateboarders take?
- Always wear a helmet, wrist guards, and knee and elbow pads.
- Choose a skateboard appropriate for the child’s size and skill level.
- Practice on smooth, dry surfaces away from traffic.
- Learn how to stop safely by dragging the foot that’s not on the board.
- Avoid skateboarding on irregular surfaces or in wet conditions.
- Never hold onto moving vehicles while skateboarding (known as “skitching”).
These safety measures can help prevent common skateboarding injuries and ensure a more enjoyable experience for young enthusiasts.
The Role of Parents in Promoting Safety
Parents play a crucial role in ensuring their children’s safety during outdoor activities. How can parents effectively promote safety practices?
- Lead by example: Always wear protective gear when participating in these activities yourself.
- Make safety gear fun: Allow children to personalize their helmets and pads with stickers or designs.
- Educate children about the importance of safety gear and practices.
- Regularly inspect and maintain equipment to ensure it’s in good condition.
- Supervise younger children during activities and gradually increase independence as they demonstrate responsible behavior.
- Enroll children in safety courses or workshops to learn proper techniques and rules.
By actively promoting safety, parents can help instill lifelong habits that protect their children during these enjoyable outdoor activities.
The Impact of Safety Measures: A Positive Trend
The implementation of safety measures and increased awareness has had a significant impact on reducing injuries. How effective have these efforts been? Since 1999, there has been a 54 percent reduction in the number of bike-related deaths. This encouraging statistic demonstrates the positive impact of safety initiatives and the importance of continuing to prioritize protective measures.
Despite this progress, there’s still work to be done to ensure all children are adequately protected during outdoor activities. Continued education, enforcement of safety rules, and promotion of protective gear use are crucial in further reducing injuries and fatalities.
Overcoming Resistance to Protective Gear
Many children (and even some adults) resist wearing protective gear, particularly helmets. How can parents overcome this resistance?
- Emphasize that professional athletes wear protective gear for their safety.
- Allow children to choose their own gear within safety parameters to increase their sense of ownership.
- Make wearing protective gear a non-negotiable rule for participating in the activity.
- Explain the consequences of not wearing protective gear in age-appropriate terms.
- Praise children when they wear their protective gear consistently.
By addressing resistance proactively and positively, parents can help make wearing protective gear a natural and accepted part of outdoor activities.
Adapting Safety Measures as Children Grow
As children grow and develop, their safety needs and the appropriate protective gear may change. How should safety measures evolve as children get older?
- Regularly check the fit of protective gear and replace as needed.
- Adjust bicycle seat height and handlebar position as children grow.
- Introduce more advanced safety concepts and rules as children’s understanding and skills improve.
- Gradually increase the range and complexity of allowed activities as children demonstrate responsible behavior and skill mastery.
- Continue to reinforce the importance of safety measures, even as children become more independent.
By adapting safety measures to match children’s growth and development, parents can ensure continued protection while fostering independence and skill advancement.
The Broader Impact of Safety Education
Teaching children about safety in cycling, skating, and skateboarding has benefits that extend beyond these specific activities. How does this safety education impact other areas of a child’s life?
- Develops a general awareness of personal safety and risk assessment
- Encourages responsibility and decision-making skills
- Fosters respect for rules and understanding of their importance
- Promotes physical health through safe engagement in outdoor activities
- Builds confidence as children master new skills safely
By instilling these safety principles early, parents and educators contribute to children’s overall development and prepare them for making responsible choices in various aspects of their lives.
Community Involvement in Promoting Safety
Safety education and promotion can be more effective when it involves the broader community. How can communities contribute to children’s safety in outdoor activities?
- Organize community safety events or workshops focused on bicycle, skating, and skateboarding safety
- Implement and maintain safe infrastructure such as bike lanes and skate parks
- Support school-based safety education programs
- Encourage local businesses to offer discounts on safety gear
- Promote awareness through local media and community newsletters
Community involvement can reinforce safety messages and create an environment that prioritizes and supports safe outdoor activities for children.
Technological Advancements in Protective Gear
As technology advances, so does the design and effectiveness of protective gear. What are some recent innovations in safety equipment for cycling, skating, and skateboarding?
- Smart helmets with built-in lights, turn signals, and impact sensors
- Airbag systems that deploy upon impact to provide additional protection
- Improved materials that offer better impact absorption while remaining lightweight
- Reflective and high-visibility gear for enhanced visibility in low-light conditions
- Customizable fit systems for more precise and comfortable helmet sizing
These technological advancements offer exciting possibilities for enhancing safety in outdoor activities. However, it’s important to remember that even the most advanced gear is only effective when used consistently and correctly.
Balancing Safety and Enjoyment
While safety is paramount, it’s also important to ensure that protective measures don’t diminish the enjoyment of outdoor activities. How can parents strike a balance between safety and fun?
- Involve children in the process of choosing their protective gear
- Emphasize the freedom and confidence that comes with being well-protected
- Incorporate safety practices into games or challenges to make them more engaging
- Celebrate achievements in both skill development and consistent safety practices
- Lead by example, showing enthusiasm for both the activity and proper safety measures
By presenting safety as an integral and positive part of the activity, parents can help children embrace protective measures without feeling restricted or discouraged.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Children’s Outdoor Safety
As we continue to prioritize children’s safety in outdoor activities, what might the future hold? Several trends and possibilities are emerging:
- Integration of safety education into school curricula from an early age
- Development of virtual reality training programs for safe cycling, skating, and skateboarding
- Increased use of data and analytics to identify high-risk areas and behaviors
- Expansion of safe infrastructure like dedicated bike lanes and skateparks
- Continued technological innovations in protective gear design and materials
These potential developments offer hope for even greater reductions in injuries and fatalities associated with children’s outdoor activities. However, the foundation of safety will always rely on education, consistent use of protective gear, and responsible behavior.
In conclusion, protecting children during outdoor activities like cycling, skating, and skateboarding requires a multifaceted approach. By combining proper protective gear, safety education, community involvement, and evolving safety measures, we can create an environment where children can enjoy these activities while minimizing risks. As we look to the future, continued focus on safety innovations and education will be key to further reducing injuries and ensuring that children can fully enjoy the benefits of these popular outdoor activities.
For Parents: Bicycle, In-Line Skating, Skateboard and Scooter Safety
Safety Statistics for Bicycles, In-line Skating, Skateboards, and Scooters
Over 70 percent of children between the ages of 5 and 14 ride bicycles. In-line skating and skateboarding are also very popular among this age group. Although a great form of exercise, riding a bike, in-line skating, or skateboarding without protective gear can be dangerous. Next to motor vehicle-related injuries, bicycles injure more children than any other consumer product, according to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign.
Head trauma is the most common injury in accidents involving bikes, in-line skates, skateboards and scooters. Head injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in these types of crashes. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of death or injury and reduce the severity of the injury in the event of a crash. However, even with aggressive bicycle helmet programs and laws, approximately 55 percent of children don’t always wear a helmet while bicycling.
Wearing a helmet whenever riding a bicycle, in-line skates, or a skateboard should be an automatic habit. Helmets should fit properly on your child’s head and also be fastened correctly. A properly-fastened and fitting helmet does not move around on the head.
Teaching your children bicycle, in-line skating, and skateboarding safety could save lives.
The Importance of Helmets
Bicycling is very popular–in fact, it is estimated that 80 million Americans ride bikes of many different types. To participate in safe and enjoyable bicycling, cyclists of all ages should follow safe riding habits. Children and adults should always wear helmets when riding bicycles:
According to SAFE KIDS, bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent.
There has been a 54 percent reduction in the number of bike-related deaths since 1999.
Which Helmet to Purchase
Here are suggestions for purchasing a helmet:
Helmets should be approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Snell Foundation, or the American Society for Testing and Materials.
The helmet should fit comfortably and snugly. It should sit on your (or your child’s) head in a level position and not rock from side to side.
The helmet should have a chin strap and buckle to keep the helmet in place.
The helmet should be made out of a hard outer shell and an absorbing liner at least one-half inch thick.
Many children (and adults) resist wearing a helmet. Point out that athletes wear helmets for their protection, and, for children, suggest ways the helmet could be decorated to personalize it.
Protecting Children and Adults from Bicycle Injuries
Suggestions for preventing bicycle injuries:
You can’t control a bicycle that is too large. You should be able to straddle the bike and stand with both feet flat on the ground.
Younger children may need to ride a bicycle with training wheels.
A child must be able to stop the bike by using the brakes.
Learn the proper hand signals for left turns, right turns, and stopping. Make certain you understand and observe all traffic signals and signs. Children who aren’t yet coordinated enough to use hand signals and still maintain control of their bike should not ride in the street.
Children should ride on sidewalks until they are at least 10 or 11 years old.
Look left, right, and left again, before riding into traffic from a sidewalk, driveway, or parking lot.
When riding on the street, children should be in a straight line near the curb, and be alert for car doors opening into traffic lanes. Both children and adults should ride with rather than against traffic.
Children should not ride a bike at dusk or at night as this is when most fatal accidents happen. If a child is still outside when it turns dark, the bicycle light must be turned on and the child should be wearing light or reflective clothing.
Make certain the bike has safety reflectors. All bikes should have reflectors on the front, rear, and wheel spokes.
In-line Skates
The following recommendations are from the National Safety Council (NSC) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
Always wear protective gear, such as elbow and kneepads, gloves, helmets, and wrist guards.
Buy durable skates with proper ankle support.
Always warm up your muscles before skating by skating slowly for 5 minutes or more.
Skate with knees slightly bent to maintain balance.
Practice stopping properly without losing balance.
Always skate on the right side of sidewalks and other paths.
Pass on the left and warn others that you are passing.
Don’t skate in the street, especially where there is a lot of traffic.
Look for and avoid uneven pavement or other surface problems.
Check your skates regularly for wear and tear. Make sure the wheels are tightened.
Obey all traffic rules.
Skateboards
Skateboards are very popular among children ages 5 to 14. Skateboards should never be used on surface streets. Even experienced skateboarders can fall, so learning how to fall safely can help reduce the risk of severe injuries. The following are recommendations from the NSC regarding how to fall correctly:
When losing your balance, crouch down on the skateboard so you have a shorter distance to fall.
Try to land on fleshy parts of your body when falling.
Try to roll as you fall, which prevents your arms from absorbing all the force.
Try to relax, rather than remaining stiff when falling.
Other safety precautions to take when skateboarding include the following:
Wear protective gear, such as helmets, padding for wrists, elbows and knees, and closed-toe and slip-resistant shoes.
Frequently check the skateboard for wear and tear.
Only allow one person per skateboard.
Don’t hang onto bicycles, cars, or other vehicles while skateboarding.
Carefully practice tricks in designated skateboarding areas.
Don’t skateboard in the street.
Scooters
Although scooters have been around since the 1950s, the popular new scooters are often made of lightweight aluminum, weighing less than 10 pounds. They have quickly risen in popularity and are the cause of more and more emergency room visits. Health officials have seen a dramatic increase in scooter-related accidents and injuries.
Most of the injuries happen among boys under the age of 15. The most common injuries are fractures or dislocations to the arm or hand, followed by cuts, bruises, strains, and sprains. Almost half of all injuries tend to happen to the arm or hand, while about one-fourth are to the head and another fourth to the leg or foot. Deaths directly related to scooter accidents have also happened.
The CDC recommends the same precautions for scooters as for bicycling and in-line skating. It is thought that many injuries might be prevented or reduced in severity if protective equipment is worn. Helmets can prevent 85 percent of head injuries, elbow pads can prevent 82 percent of elbow injuries, and knee pads can prevent 32 percent of knee injuries. Although wrist guards are effective in preventing injuries among in-line skaters, the protection they provide against injury for scooter riders is unknown, as wrist guards may make it hard to grip the scooter handle and steer it.
Based on evidence of injury prevention effectiveness for other related activities, the following recommendations may help to prevent scooter-related injuries:
Wear an approved helmet that meets safety standards.
Use knee and elbow pads.
Ride scooters on smooth, paved surfaces without traffic. Don’t ride on streets and surfaces with water, sand, gravel, or dirt.
Don’t ride scooters at night.
Young children should not use scooters without close supervision.
187 Killer Pads Protective Gear Knee, Elbow Wrist, Helmet, Bags – 187killerpads
Skip to Content
Featured Products
STEVE CABALLERO PAD SIX PACK
Steve Caballero’s legendary Dragon graphic on our industry-leading Six Pack Pads! We worked directly with Cab throughout the whole process – starting with Steve hand-drawing the custom dragon artwork. We’re so stoked on this collab with one of the most…
from $64.
99
1 color
Cab Dragon
WRIST GUARD
Our wrist guard is the optimum solution for wrist protection. Its design encases the wrist to provide safety from certain injuries related to skating and other action sports. FEATURES – Angled design conforms to hand for excellent fit – Reinforced…
from $24.99
3 colors
Black
Moxi Leopard
Rainbow
LIZZIE ARMANTO PAD SIX PACK
“I’m so stoked on my new helmet and pads from 187.
The whole collection was fun to create and came out even better than expected!” – Lizzie Armanto CHECK OUT LIZZIE’S HELMET HERE Our Pad Packs are the industry leader for…
from $64.99
1 color
Blood Orange/Cream
Standard Issue Backpack
COMIC & OTHER COLORS AVAILABLE IN: COMBO PACKS – CLICK HERE KIDS SIX PACKS – CLICK HERE 187 Killer Bags MADE AS TOUGH AS OUR PADS Built from our 20 year heritage making skateboard pads for the world’s top pros. Everything we…
$69.99
4 colors
Comic
Black
Camo
Rainbow
PRO KNEE PAD – Black/White with White Caps
The Pro Knee is the ultimate in kneepad protection.
It is the preferred choice for environments where heavy protection is a must. Providing unmatched safety through proven technologies and superior materials, the Pro Knee is the trusted choice of professional…
$109.99
1 color
Black/White with White Caps
SIX PACK PAD SET – Black
Our Pad Packs are the industry leader for safety and protection. Design and craftsmanship proven in our Pro Series is used to optimize the fit, comfort, and durability of this pad set. 187 Killer Pads® is the brand trusted by…
from $59.99
1 color
Black
SIX PACK PAD SET – Hibiscus
Our Pad Packs are the industry leader for safety and protection.
Design and craftsmanship proven in our Pro Series is used to optimize the fit, comfort, and durability of this pad set. 187 Killer Pads® is the brand trusted by…
from $64.99
1 color
Hibiscus
@187killerpads
Melting boat. Karaganda Tale — Snob
Every week Ilya Danishevsky selects the most interesting from the current literature for Snob. Today we are publishing a fragment of the story by Elena Seifert (published in the Volga magazine). Luke Siegfried comes with his family to Russia by sea from Lübeck, ends up in Oranienbaum, then goes through Moscow to the Volga region in a wagon train
Image: Chicago History Museum/Getty Images
Part 1.
Changer
* * *
1769.
Jesus, you sent us boats the color of water.
Are you born baby?
The crane of the well is worried. What about him? Luke dreams of a fire outside the window. Sleeping, in tight swaddling oblivion, he is glad that this is just a dream. But now the ears of the awakened Luke sharply listen to the night on the street, his nose breathes. The fire is loud, the smoke eater. Look out the window – the house of Christian August is on fire!
The whole village is here. The house is on fire, like a painful scarlet scar. The evil sun breaks from inside the dwelling.
– Christian August! Bruhder, mei Bruhder! Luca screams loudly. – Allmächtliche, Antwort, wo pist Tu? 1
Neighbors carry buckets of water, they have been here for a long time. How did Luke sleep so criminally! He feels bad, he imagines that Paul is returning, even his mouth is hot from grief – trouble came to his brother – and joy – to hug his son.
But where does Paula come from? His grave is on the very outskirts of Glarus, the boy cannot get out of his native land that has not become. Luca’s tiny nephew, two-month-old Kaspar, with a mole on his forehead, lies in a shaky garden – his parents managed to carry him out of the house, and they themselves returned to save the utensils. Luke loudly calls his wife Hannah, who, screaming in fear, and then purring over the child, takes him, sleeping, to their home.
A barn and barn are attached to the house, the whole longhouse is on fire. We must drive out the cattle, open the doors to the barn as soon as possible. But the thought of a brother drives Luke home. The heart feels that Christian August is there. Oh, a brand new house of five walls, chopped into a corner, five windows, five windows blinded by red color and wooden nails – you are all stuck in the throat of Christian Augustus, the mute blast furnace of his throat is red-hot, a boat, a boat the color of fire. Do you remember, Jesus, you sent us boats the color of water, and in them, invisible, babies were sitting, and there was food, and our hands were there, the stubborn hands of the colonists, and in each of them rested a handful of fat Russian soil.
Russian craftsmen built houses for us, covered them with bast, reeds and straw, and we immediately sawed out a dormer window, took care of the stairs to the roof, put shutters on the doors. And ovens, hot ovens were laid only by our masters.
Rye straw covered the roof in tight sheaves, and it flared up to heaven. With a huge beating heart in his chest, Luke rushes into the burning house, hears his brother’s voice in the round cellar, and calls him stunned into the street. But Christian August and his wife Efa became deaf. Their main treasure hastily says goodbye to them, and they hear only his voice now. The house is already squatting down, screaming screaming. How not to hear it? Luke grabs his brother by the shoulders and tries to pull him out of the cellar. Christian August does not resist – and the cellar is already shallow, full of saved things. Having seated his brother on a bench in the kitchen, Luka rushes into the bedroom – Efa is bustling about there, putting clothes and bedding in bags, her eyes are crazy.
Beams begin to collapse. With burnt hair, Luka runs out of the house and lies on the ground, howling in helplessness and fear. Woe to lose a son, grief to lose a brother, who, who next from his family will fall into the gluttonous Glarus?
A picture of Christian August’s house flashes for a moment in Luka’s memory – the façade is painted with blue oil paint, carved flowers on the gate – and shrinks, diminishes, disappears. Riga and a dryer near a collapsed house made of ashes. Don’t breathe, wind, let’s pray to the big oven in the backyard, the pig feed was charred on it, and the pigs themselves never got out of the door, in which there are two halves, upper and lower, no cattle can get out, no poultry can get inside . Strong, strong doors of ashes.
And in Luca’s house baby Kaspar smiles, frightened Hannah and the girls kiss his heels. “Mamaje, er is den Paul soh ähnlich, des is soh?” 2 – the girls’ eyes are burning, they reflect the house on fire, the dead house, the murderer.
Are you born baby? It’s not yet what you are, there are still many good hands stretched out to me. I will be born when I am completely alone.
* * *
1941.
Mark Felix was shrinking, swallowing himself into a somersault.
In a howling language, he spoke to beings more humane than humans.
Mark Felix’s tongue grew and flowed. Before the birth of the word, the back of his tongue licked the palate, and for the German it was unusual and painful, because the tip of the tongue rested on the lower teeth instead of the expected upper ones, bowed, was humiliated. Mark Felix was shrinking, swallowing himself into a somersault, hugging his knees forcefully. In the labor army, he stopped eating even the meager food that was given, howled loudly, lowering his head low to his knees. In this position, he was thrown into the back of a car and taken to work in the mine. They tried to foist tools on him, and he maimed himself and others with them.
The drift of his vision narrowed, Mark Felix began to scream heart-rendingly, gradually losing his strength, losing consciousness. The scream turned into a howl.
No, sometimes he tried to sing too, but the song slowly trickled down his throat and stomach, into the melting boat of his being. Howling for him became sweeter than singing, in the language of howling, Mark Felix spoke with creatures more humane than people and heard their intelligible answers.
His ears were flooded with the resin of someone else’s human malice. Recovering himself, he rolled on the ground, shouting loudly, when the guards tried to calm him down, he rushed to the blows of their boots, exposing his stomach, ribs, cheeks. His beard grew out of patches of earth.
It was a miracle that he was not killed. Vitality permeated the cells of his body with invulnerability. Did he himself realize that he was ready to become a freak, a madman, a dead man, just not to accept the conditions of the unhealthy game that his contemporaries started with him and his relatives? They broke his bones and knocked out his teeth, until they spared him – they took him, barely alive, to die in the outskirts of the Karaganda village Transport shop.
They threw me out of the truck and left without looking back, because they could only look forward.
Mark Felix was breathing. He was surrounded by the many-faced mountain of his tongue, it swelled and was equal to the world without Mark Felix. The tongue melted in the mouth like an apple, becoming a barely perceptible aura of the angel of growth and pain, living inside the seed and breaking through the iron skin of the fetus with strong hands.
The sun was warming over the Karaganda land, on the horizon a two-humped camel was grazing on the waste heaps.
An hour later Mark Felix was found by Mariyka. His language instantly weakened, became shallow, and then exposed a dry channel, and her childish German speech remained the only light for the man.
* * *
1942.
His eyelashes are now the color of his lips, the color of his tongue.
If you bury the church in the ground, you can walk across the sky and bow your head to it in a bow.
Now even in summer this steppe chills the inner November frozen in its stubborn crawl. Mark Felix digs a hole in it with his hands, among the dead, among those who have lost their speech. In the spring, their relatives and friends tore off the sod from the ground in order to build their own dwellings. The dead, no longer surprised by anything, hid deeper. Karaganda does not become a home for everyone. But would the Volga forest be more hospitable?
Mark Felix, warming, blows on his fingers, in the earth and blood, he feels his face with them in search of himself, his eyelashes are now the color of lips, the color of his tongue … Hardened fingers slowly reach his hair, it seems to him, a Soviet German, that on a hood on the head, and on the crown itself there is a precious cross, from which an energetic river runs, bubbling, the eternal flickering of its legs … Mark Felix carefully removes his headdress. No, this is a one-domed church, gray-gold, it quickly decreases in size and becomes like a thimble.
Mark Felix barely touches the tiny bell in the wall of her belfry, brings the church to his ear, closes his eyes, waiting for the silence. However, the ringers, buried in the ground, tirelessly swing the bell tongues invisible to Mark Felix.
He takes out of his pocket the rag in which Father Sebastian wrapped some bread for him in the morning, puts a piece in his mouth, chews without swallowing, takes the bread out of his mouth and plugs the holes in the belfry with the crumb.
If you bury the little church in the ground, you can walk across the sky and bow your head to it in a bow.
The dry Karaganda steppe is glossy with a greasy side, preparing to bury temples that don’t exist, to deprive the bells of silence. It is transparent, it contains dead fish carcasses, shriveled seeds, wild roots. Mark Felix gets up from his knees, without taking his eyes off the church in his palms, looks around, groans, mutters a prayer in German.
Fear drives him away from here, into a small garden near a house that looks like a temple.
He wants to run, but he only walks slowly, and he imagines that he is running. The little house on Lower Street in sunny fingers, in patches. Mark Felix enters the yard with a frightened face, a huge one, kneels like a sack in front of short Sebastian, puts the little church on his skullcap, and suddenly joyfully realizes that this little church is gone, and the light from it shines.
Sunrise, Piero Lucano, 1910
Photo: DeAgostini/Getty Images
Part 2. The ball of the moon
* * *
1943.
A newborn calf tries to stand on its feet.
All become an ear.
Sebastian looks back sharply at the night knock on the door, in the hands of his note. Friedrich exhales a greeting in chiselled, memorized Russian, shyly, approaches the table, on which stands a wide empty wooden bowl. With his only hand, he tries to shake the gifts to Sebastian into a bowl from a handkerchief, muttering something in German with annoyance – boiled potatoes, pieces of bread and dried cottage cheese.
He gets embarrassed and comes to the rescue.
No icons anywhere. The house is damp. In the corner is a low wooden bucket filled with sand. A knock on the floor is heard from the next room – maybe a newborn calf is trying to stand on its feet, but it slips and falls. Someone is trying to help him, a gentle chest voice is heard.
Friedrich lowers his head.
Are you German? Do you speak Russian? – on the head of Sebastian, a skullcap, his voice is saturated.
– I am a Soviet German. I’m talking! He graduated from the German school in Makeevka. At the flight school he was trained in Russian. Got out of there in thirty-fifth.
– What is your name?
“Fyodor,” Friedrich says unexpectedly.
Sebastian’s small hands carefully pick up food from the table and put it in a bowl. His eyelashes seem to be golden in the light. He takes a rough pewter plate and a wooden spoon from the windowsill into one narrow plank. Friedrich watches him spellbound.
There is a plate and a spoon on the table. Batiushka brings a pot from the stove and pours still warm soup into a bowl. Generously cuts bread, inviting the guest to the table.
– Sit down. You are hungry. You yourself are malnourished, but you brought food here. Sebastian pauses, looking at the tall but emaciated guest.
A pause hangs like a gray apple.
– Did you fly, Fedor?
– Yes, I flew before the war, and for almost a month during the war. I was taken to Karaganda from the front line.
– Where did you lose your arm?
– In the camp. I was brought here healthy.
Sebastian comes so close to the tall Friedrich, as if asking him to bend down and show two tongues in his mouth. Touches his empty sleeve, and the void is filled with power. No, a new hand does not grow. But the fear of being one-armed disappears, the muscles of a healthy left laugh. Friedrich kisses Sebastian’s hand.
– Father, I would like to be baptized. – The German does not know what to do, kneel down or sit on a stool, to which Sebastian’s hand calls.
Friedrich closes his eyes. In the darkness, Lydia walks between him and Mark Felix. “Wie schweer is des mich, unner eich Taitsche auszuwähle. Tu, Offizier, is mei Vater ähnlich, un tu, schejner Mann – mei Bruhder 3 ,” her eyes are lowered.
He hears it within himself. Become an ear, she says. Get me off the hook. So shouted the commander at the flight school – feel the angles of attack with your body, lamb! Become your body at last! All become an ear! The plane takes off and goes to land at an angle, each pilot has familiar angles. Strain, strain your innate balancing act, sing. This inedible mercury ball in the mint throat, what are its rolls, delicious?! How it rinses in the throat! Throw me to hell, take me, Lydia screams. At what angle of attack is your plane going, unrestrained prisoner?.. Where is your home now? Hasn’t the cow got loose, haven’t the lashes of the mad driver too strong?
Nobody sleeps in the middle of the night.
– I perform the rites.
Come through the night. Sleep tomorrow night. Sebastian seats the guest at the table.
A quarter of an hour later Friedrich descends from the porch and in the dark stumbles over the lying Mark Felix. He jumps up.
– Hej, Friedrich 4 , – Mark Felix hisses cautiously.
Friedrich is silent. Between them the throat and female fingers fight. Mark Felix throws up his hands, as if straightening his gypsy hair. And suddenly inflicts several strong blows on Friedrich’s eyes, nose and throat. A second later, Mark Felix is already on the ground. The first phalanxes of Frederick’s fist took on all of his weight.
– Tes is mei Fraa 5 – Mark Felix grits his teeth.
There is an astonished smile on his face. Deaf innocent stars look from the sky. The angel walks with a wide step across Karaganda – one of his legs is in Mikhailovka, and the other is already in Tikhonovka.
* * *
1997.
The air is sweet in the nostrils of a cow.
Anna slowly jumps into the sky.
Arched gate – wood in red brick, parted lips that are not there. Transparent, squat like a crab, patio 6 clings to the ground from the rain. The ruler of the space between the old houses, he is just air. Sweet is the air in the nostrils of a cow and the bells of her ears! The girl Engels was crying, lamenting: O boy of Karaganda, go down to the mine for a precious stone, bring me a piece of treasure, a salty round quitrent. He rushed with all his might, and the thrushes in the forest turned into singing stones 7 , and a piece of bread in his mouth turned into coal. Draw, lepers, the horns of a crescent-moon cow; although her sides are thin, but her head, with black lips and the light of a spacious forehead, is still heavy. Can you see it? So pull out the barbed wire from her hands and pink feet, from everything human that itches, tears and bleeds in her, give her colostrum, let there be a wide steppe and a black crow.
Pieces of meat, flour, sugar are flying through Anna, sunflower oil is pouring, the girl is burrowing into her round knees like apples, avoiding the beatings of the past, silently shaking her fist at him. The mill beats with broken wings, strides heavily, throwing forward its parts – a log house, a log beam, greedy millstones, a box with grain, a funnel-shaped box, similar to the trajectory of a falling leaf. The mill gear and the small wheel are like the sun and the earth, like the sun and the earth. For a long fifty-six years the mill has been going from the Volga region to Karaganda, a giant without joints; two disks are planted on the shaft, they are held by rods, forged rings, iron gloves. Falling on her hands, the windmill touches Anna with her breath, the golden threads of her hair. The girl gets to her feet.
She slowly jumps into the sky, into the ripening air, takes off high time after time, raising her long legs in long woolen yellow stockings to her stomach; two brown stripes on their piping wrap around her slender thigh, a short sun skirt, a black sun, soars around, revealing and again hiding her stomach over black closed panties; belly milk pours into male lips.
He just looks. Trembling with impatience, he sometimes goes forward – two or three steps, but this is not enough; his legs are springy, his voice is warming: he is a hunter and fascinated by her, flexible, fine, smelling of pine needles. Ah, the beast, how much juice, how winding her banks are. Her long red hair takes off and falls again on her forehead, cheeks, shoulders, her round, not laughing eyes. Orpheus, your silence is older than sound, sweeter than a harp. Shout, Orpheus, oh sounder, shout for yourself, take care of her and yourself. The ground is plowed up with the feet of football players, sprinkled with male sweat. Gutta-percha, the girl in front of his eyes passes through a loose field with a wheel, her hands and feet are in the mud, her face is smeared with spring earth. She turns over in the air, the sun rushes into her mouth, and he remains without the sun, although he runs after her at full speed, losing her, regretting everything in the world.
The sea, the gentle sea of flour, fills the field with powders; Grandma Rosa is wiping the millstone of the moon with a rag, Anna notices – a rag from an old grandmother’s blue skirt.
A wet flap glides over the round side of the fruit of paradise.
* * *
1943. 1998.
He moans as if Johanna is scratching a wound in his mouth.
Not Johanna, but Germany keeps Julian in the teeth.
The queue reaches Nurshat. Shy and smiling, the Kazakh woman takes Rudy in her arms from her neighbor, takes Elsa aside and whispers hotly:
– I can take you and your children with me, if you want? My family is small, three small children and a husband at the front. And the house requires hands. If Lydia releases Mariyka…
It seems that fate has decided and there will be shelter, but Elsa is scared. She is frightened by everything, everything – both by the hot, as if conspiratorial whisper of an unfamiliar woman, and the possible intention of Lydia.
– But how can she not let my daughter go to her living mother? – Elsa’s hands are closed on her chest crosswise, her voice is quiet and hoarse, but the Russian words were suddenly found immediately.
– I don’t know. Your Germans, those who speak Russian, were indignant – Lydia adopted Mariyka.
With yellow spots in her eyes, Elsa approaches Lydia and looks at her head on. Mariyka’s two mothers are like two doves with bloody eyes. Elsa’s shirt used to have flirtatious gathers at the neck, but now in their place is dirty tatters of fringe; cropped hair gray at the temples.
Marijka is mei Tochter, vorsuhch nohr nochemal zuh se komme, vorsuhch s nohr! 8
Lydia is silent, but even her unfriendly neighbors, huddled around, now begin to condemn Elsa.
– Calm down, woman, Lydia fed your girl, took her in. Find gratitude in yourself.
But Elsa has no face, and Mariyka herself looks with horror at her grimaces. Nurshat, holding the screaming Rudy under his arm, gently strokes Elsa’s elbow with the other hand, leading her away from trouble, hold on, hold on, dear, we are your new family. “How beautiful she is, this Kazakh woman,” Elsa is distracted from her rage for a second, responding to the movement of her hands.
With a nod of her head, Nurshat shows Mariyka to follow them.
Stunned by this quick muffled event, Lydia suddenly screams wildly, by sheer force of will she is kept on her feet. She looks like a shadow. Gloomy, Friedrich looks accusingly at Lydia, her pale face, downcast eyes. He doesn’t take a step towards her. No one approaches her at all, women, like talkative birds, fly home. Only Mark Felix wants to help the woman, to support her, but Friedrich grabs him at the wrist with the iron grip of his only hand. The spherical moon froze in the sky, the fire burned out. The only summer holiday burned to the ground.
… The ball of the moon rolls over Johanna’s stomach, it belongs to her and Julian at the same time. She is sick and sweet. Julian’s white hair is on her face, she lies in his arms, in his strong envelope. He moans as if Johanna is scratching a wound in his mouth. Her bitterness became wine, the world grows from his breath.
The sculptor’s slipped chisel is more real than nature, since this boy embraces her again, pushing his body into a hole without depth.
Firing, firing awaits Johanna! The quietest, she cries, and the potter is already eating poppy from the red womb. Julian is full of delight, he breathes loudly, inside him is a bridge on which horsemen have climbed, or a bell; the man’s wet skin vibrates. Sweat drips from the golden dome of the bell, a weight is tied to the silver tongue.
Johanna mentally prays, her lips dry with internal heat as Julian’s fingers search for the sweet red. “What are you singing about?” his muscles scream. “About the top of your head,” she replies, kissing the top of his head. Oh, hold still, do you hear how the woodwinds compete with the brass? The length of the cor anglais grows into the long notes of the French horn, its wide breathing interrupting its reed exoticism. Johanna bends over, getting rid of her thin shirt, Julian kisses her throat, a tongue solo sounds.
They lost each other for a long time. She walked along the bridge inside him, dismounting from a regal white horse, and he jumped on one leg with delight, but lowered his head.
Not Johanna, but Germany holds him in her teeth.
Julian is trembling, wet stars are taken out of the well. The ridges of the constellations turn white. Lunar lunacy. The world has become one language and two bellies. The girl sits up in bed, presses her sugar knees to her chin. Julian prayerfully looks past.
Johanna looks like her grandmother Mariyka: her chiseled crystal face is broken into small figured fragments, there are many of them in Julian’s bins, these fragments, their mass is pecked by doves with bloody eyes, and the eggs of these birds, red, look like the heels of a newborn.
Luka, Luka, Lüka – a baby tries on the name of an ancestor, but it rolls down from his forehead like a round stone, until a gentle family nickname lets the name into his mature carriage.
_________________
1 Christian August! Brother, my brother! Lord, tell me, where are you? (translated from German in the second half of the 18th century)
2 Mommy, he looks like Paul, doesn’t he? (translated from German in the second half of the 18th century)
3 How difficult it is for me to choose between you Germans.
You, officer, look like my father, and you, handsome man, look like my brother (translated from the dialect of the Volga Germans).
4 Hey, Friedrich (translated from the Volga German dialect).
5 This is my woman (translated from the Volga German dialect).
6 Red brick arched gates and a patio between the buildings are typical of Engels and other cities along the Volga.
7 A young man who went to the mine for a precious stone and thrushes refer to the lyrics of the expressionist Georg Trakl.
8 Mariyka is my daughter, just come to her again, dare to approach her! (translated from the dialect of the Volga Germans).
people performing acrobat, gymnastics, men, performance, floor, exercise, split, fitness, strength
man performing acrobat, gymnastics, males, performance, floor, exercise, split, fitness, strength Public Domain
Free for commercial use, DMCA
Select resolution and download this photo
Mobile(iPhone, Android):
- 320×480
- 640×960
- 640×1136
- 750×1334
- 1242×2208
- 1125×2436
- 1242×2688
- 828×1792
- 720×1280
- 1080×1920
- 480×854
- 480×800
- 540×960
- 600×1024
- 800×1280
- 1440×2560
- 320×480
Tablet(iPad, Android):
- 1024×768
- 2048×1536
- 2224×1668
- 2388×1668
- 2732×2048
- 2736×1824
- 2048×1536
- 1024×600
- 1600×1200
- 2160×1440
Related royalty free pictures
org/ImageGallery”>Fitness couple, work, exercise, gym, fitness, couple, working out, people, fit, health
public domain
people, dashing, running, track, run, race, sports, game, venue, sport
public domain
one, armed, push-up exercise, young, african, outdoors, 25-30 years old, adult, fit, one person
public domain
american football, people, sport, competition, helmet, american football – sport, american football – ball, two people, headgear, american football player
public domain
Closeup photo, swimmers, competing, daytime, people, man, guy, swimming, sports, race
public domain
org/ImageObject”>3000x2000px
american football player, sports, athlete, competition, sports team, american football – sport, stadium, american football – ball, sports equipment, headgear
public domain
man, climbing, rock, climber, guy, adventure, rope, gear, landscape, outdoors
public domain
men’s wall, mountaineering, harnesses, waist, people, man, downhill, adventure, sport, physical
public domain
young, african, dressed, cap, push up exercise, 25-30 years old, adult, africa, fit, floor
public domain
athletics, tracksuit, sprint, fitness, dash, headband, girl, woman, sport, sportswoman
public domain
org/ImageObject”>3000x2000px
young, bearded, caucasian, wearing, boxing gloves, 20-25 years old, adult, fit, indoors, portrait
public domain
two, man, boxing fight, people, boxing, sport, game, fitness, exercise, fight
public domain
sport, field, crowd, audience, helmet, fitness, spike, footwear, yellow, nike
public domain
dirt bike racing, motocross, race, sport, game, motorcycle, vehicle, outdoors, people, sport race
public domain
man, swing, tennis racket, outside, tennis court, attendant, area, people, sport, tennis
public domain
org/ImageObject”>5184x3456px
group, people, watching, american football game, sport, run, field, crowd, audience, helmet
public domain
people, riding, bikes, daytime, bike, cyclist, bikers, racing, athletes, competition
public domain
sports cyclist, peoplesport, cycling, sport, adult, competition, athlete, headgear, random people, foreground focus
public domain
clap hands, push ups, young, african man, 25-30 years old, adult, africa, fit, floor, one person
public domain
woman, mountaineering, rock formation, rock, equipment, abseiling, adventure, rope, travel, people
public domain
org/ImageObject”>2658x4000px
woman, holding, rope, gym, exercise, fit, healthy, person, workout, exercises
public domain
american football game, action, american football, football game, various, crowd, people, field, sport, stadium
public domain
one, armed, push up, young, african, 25-30 years old, adult, africa, fit, one person
public domain
girl, woman, fitness, workout, gym, muscles, people, back, health, athlete
public domain
run, people, man, exercise, health, fitness, shoes, marathon, track, athlete
public domain
org/ImageObject”>2400x3000px
men playing volleyball, volleyball, high school, game, competition, team, athlete, teenager, match, ball
public domain
group, woman, playing, socerre, people, team, athletes, black and white, monochrome, grayscale
public domain
hit, road, -, man, prepares, run, active, activity, adult, asphalt
public domain
group, people, wearing, running, shoes, road, sport, fit, fitness, running
public domain
people play football, football, court, game, play, hobby, sport, uniform, american football – sport, helmet
public domain
org/ImageObject”>5472x3648px
woman, wear, black, crew neck, pants, sport, fitness, workout, sporty, motion
public domain
swim, sport, miscellaneous, competition, swimming, water, pool, athlete, swim lane marker, definition
public domain
woman, pool, raising, right hand, white, net, photography, swimmer, people, girl
public domain
man workout, people, exercise, fit, fitness, muscle, working out, workout, one person, lifestyle
public domain
man, run, green, grass, petite, focus, photography, boy, grey, shirt
public domain
org/ImageObject”>5184x3456px
man, wear, white, nike, long sleeved, dress shirt, black, gym shorts, field, men
public domain
man, running, road, fast, speed, black, concrete, yellow, line, health
public domain
young, african man, push ups, bars, beach, 25-30 years old, adult, africa, fit, one person
public domain
grayscale photo, athletes, running, field, blur, start, la, stadium, jogging, games
public domain
group, people, riding, assorted color road bikes, usage, road, bikes, cycling, cyclists, race
public domain
org/ImageObject”>5291x3527px
rugby, playing, wet, field, daytime, people, outdoors, nature, sport, game
public domain
person, wear, blue, yellow, superman buck, top, bodybuilder, weight, workout, stress
public domain
man, basketball court, holding, black, basketball nike kevin duran, people, ball, nike, guy, player
public domain
athletes, run, road, daytime, men, marathon, race, sprint, exercise, fitness
public domain
yoga class, people, exercise, fit, fitness, gym, health, healthy, woman, yoga
public domain
org/ImageObject”>5553x3124px
man, push up, using, dumbbells, people, exercise, fitness, health, gym, workout
public domain
young, beauty, ready, yoga, adult, women, middle part, clothing, one person, exercising
public domain
track, fielder, ready, event, race, athletics, running, sport, sprint, olympic games
public domain
people, woman, yoga, mat, meditation, physical, fitness, healthy, lifestyle, stretching
public domain
two, men, boxing ring, MMA, mixed martial arts, japan, maza, maza fight, shuto, martial arts
public domain
org/ImageObject”>2088x1392px
woman, running, daytime, people, lady, jogger, athlete, shades, sport, fitness
public domain
sporty, man, run, track, field, rio 2016 olympics, action, adult, athlete, champion
public domain
bearded, young, african man, dressed up, tank top, cap, exercise, workout bars, 25-30 years old
public domain
person, creation, face, sitting, gang chair, beside, sleep, face sitting, gang, chair
public domain
man, looking, backyard, people, guy, alone, hoodie, jacket, cap, dark
public domain
org/ImageObject”>2100x1400px
two, men, game, wrestling, inside, ring, wrestlers, college, sportsmen, match
public domain
woman kiss, fist, glove, people, girl, boxing, gloves, fitness, exercise, workout
public domain
men’s, male leg, resting, skateboard, man, leg, people, feet, shoes, sport
public domain
boy playing basketball, man, black, jersey, tank, top, short, basketball, court, rim
public domain
leonel messi, running, poster, lionel, messi, barcelona, 2017, sport, men, jumping
public domain
org/ImageObject”>1797x1110px
pair, black and red eternal boxing gloves, box, boxing match, uppercut, ricardo dominguez, rafael ortiz, hook, fists, boxer
public domain
cricket bowler, sportsDifferent, cricket, sports, athlete, leisure, men, people, competition, day
public domain
women, run, transfer, relay race, athletics, sport, sports race, competition, treadmill, athlete
public domain
Selective, focus photography, standing, man, guy, suspender, people, male, tie, beard
public domain
kickboxing, fighting, fighters, sports, champion, ring, jump ropes, black and white, athletes, gym
public domain
