One day Ivan, a second-year student of a medical university, as usual, went out and headed for the bus stop. He wandered, whistling his beloved song. His overgrown dark hair waved in the cool wind. He wanted spring very much. The sun did not fry, as in the summer, but only affectionately, gently warmed. Ruffled sparrows bathed in puddles and twittered, infecting people with their unrestrained fun. Continuing to go, Ivan threw his head back, enjoying the first warm. He even closed his eyes with pleasure. Suddenly he stumbled and stretched to full length on the wet land.
Probably, the guy lost consciousness for a while, when he woke up, the world around him has totally changed. High-rise gray concrete buildings disappeared, cars, too. Wooden and red brick buildings with facades and pilasters surrounded him. Women with hats of different models and color and in gorgeous dresses to the floor with numerous ruffles and frills passed by Ivan. Men in dark frocks and high hats rushed for their business, waving their elegant canes. Carriages harnessed by horses racked on the cobblestone pavement, and horses under riders clattered. Ivan, petrified with amazement, realized that he had fallen in the past. But what was the country and the century?
The young man judged that the most reasonable would be to go into the tavern on the opposite side of the street and listen to conversations to understand exactly where he was.
The hall was very noisy. The breakfast time. Ivan looked around. Two men in cotton shirts ate fried eggs with toasted ham with an appetite, washing it down with freshly brewed fragrant coffee.
At the next table, three friends had pancakes with maple syrup. And a group of local residents in the corner discussed loudly yesterday's news, from time to time raising their mugs with cider.
` Ivan settled not far from that company and listened to the conversation. Visitors laughed at the coward escape of the local governor on British ships because of the scandalous case with illegal gunpowder’s exportation. There was an English speech. Noting terse remarks about the Foggy Albion natives, having studied the menu and watching the people’s clothes, Ivan guessed, that he found himself in America of the nineteenth century.
