On September 12, 1715, Tsar Peter issued a rather curious decree. This document is quite original and perhaps now, nearly three centuries later, it could be of some use to us. It might shed some light on the process of integrating state and private interests.
The decree was as such: “so that from now on the staples and nails that were used to fasten soles to men and women’s boots not be sold or in one’s possession. And it someone is found to be with boots or clogs thus soled, they will be severely fined, and those of the merchants that hold such staples and nails will be exiled into penal servitude…”
You shouldn’t think that this decree was signed by the tsar the morning after some major bash. The document has a very sober, i.e., clear, basis. Back in 1710, a project was undertaken to lay down cobblestone on the roads. But the roads and sidewalks remained largely covered with wooden planks. It was cheap this way and customary for the ordinary Russian.
Peter was very attentive to the problems concerning the living situation in St. Petersburg. And he decided that residents of the city wouldn’t go away if forced to go without soled shoes, and this way the wooden street surfaces would not be damaged by pedestrians. The planks won’t be slashed, and dashed, and scarred by boot soles. The people dubbed this the Shoe Decree.
As a devoted guardian of the state coffers, one can understand Peter’s approach. Besides, the opinions of one’s subjects were rarely taking into account in the 18th century.
Today, of course, Russia has no sovereign and no subjects. There is democracy and citizens. But has much else changed with regard to our living situation?
Journalists, just like actors, also love to do comedy sketches. Only we do not do them in the form of variety revues, but rather as parody news report or clippings. And sometimes this involves entire newspapers dedicated to some internal occasion.
One such occasion was a major birthday of the editor in chief of our newspaper, for whom we put out a newspaper full of humorous publications. One such publication was the announcement of a new law enforcement position – the sidewalk cop. This sidewalk cop was to be tasked with ensuring orderly movement of citizens according to the rules of the… sidewalk.
Then is seemed a jolly good joke. But who would have guessed then that, two decades later, the author of this little announcement had apparently gazed into the future. Joking aside. The reason is simple: winter is coming and no one knows what will happen to the recently bricked-over sidewalks, which were laid by not the most qualified of workers. The quality of life in Russia is such that not every woman can afford to buy several pairs of new shoes at any given moment. And many women, particularly the younger generation, prefer to wear heals.
They (these women) are already having a difficult time on these brick sidewalks, falling from time to time. I have seen it myself. What will happen once winter arrives? Several years back the sidewalks of Tyumen and St. Petersburg were tiled over. And the women of these two cities have much to say on this matter. I’ve heard it myself.
So maybe the time has come for sidewalk cops! They could escort to parking lots or bus stops those who aren’t so confident in their ability to navigate the sidewalk. They help pick up those who hadn’t found assistance in time. They could fill out the insurance protocols to ensure compensation for broken heals and scratched leather. They could even help wrap up sprained ankles and broken bones.
But don’t think I’m all against this new initiative of mayors throughout all of Russia. Nothing of the sort. As soon as they started getting rid of the asphalt, I was among the first to praise the effort.
Such tiles and bricks truly do beautify a city. That is, when done right. It is more environmentally friendly and more longevous – I’m no expert here, but I have a gut feeling. Furthermore, the experts are all for it. After all, Europe’s main cities are not filled with idiots. London’s sidewalks are made of stone, as is the case in Berlin, and in Milan… Paris remains a little cautious in this area. Parisians remember how sidewalk tiles were used during the student protests of 1968.
So there are many factors in favor of tiles and bricks. But along other lines, things are not so unequivocal. Why are women getting tripped up? What kind of layer of ice will there be atop these bricks during the winter months? Where did all these well-tanned, dark-haired brick-laying specialists come from this past summer? We don’t have any polytechnic universities that teach mastery of this skill. And there aren’t any in Central Asia.
In St. Petersburg, the brick sidewalk project began back when Yakovlev was governor. Palace Square and several streets in the center were tiles over. In some places the job had to be redone due to poor workmanship, but in some places the original work remains in place.
It’s a good thing that they didn’t try to redo the entire city. They experimented a little and now are not in any particular hurry to continue. But here, in Moscow, they bricked over thousands of square meters in one sitting. And without asking anyone’s thoughts on the matter. Just as Tsar Peter proceeded to with his subjects three centuries back.
So now I, a Moscovite by birth, want to ask: how many sidewalk cops are we going to need?
Mikhail Bykov
