The MediaKniga studio is releasing an audio version of Nikolai Alexandrovich Leykin’s work, “On the Side Hustle. A Novel from the Life of Female Laborers,” one of the most famous and widely read Russian authors.
The book is voiced by theater and film actor Mikhail Roslyakov.
“– As for washing floors, there seems to be work coming up. It’s the pre-holiday season now: people are tidying up their apartments — scrubbing floors and washing windows. This morning they were already coming by to make arrangements. Several women — about five of them — went out for day work, but I can’t, I can’t, dear, crawl around on the floor: my legs are chilled. One more floor, if I strain myself, I can wash — here and there—but to spend the whole day from morning till evening bent over, rubbing the floors with a rag — I can’t stand that.
– Well then, Arisha, let’s go wash floors… — Akulina spoke to Arina again.
– Wherever you say, Akulinushka. I agree to any work.
– Then let’s go. To earn half a ruble a day is a good thing. A twenty-kopeck coin for food, a five-kopeck coin for lodging, a five-kopeck coin — and enough for tea too, and the twenty-kopeck coin will still remain in hand.”