Russian Lessons: Time Schedule

(13) 
And how long were you on the waiting list after that?
(14) 
8 years. 
(15) And all these years had your family been living in one room?, 
(16) Naturally. 
(17) No, it is not natural at all. Where did you wash, cook dinner, eat, and 
sleep? Where did your children study? 
(18) 
We had a "normal" communal flat. In such a flat the kitchen, 
bathroom and toilet were called places of common use. And, indeed, they 
were common for all families living in the same flat. Each family had only 
one room of their own, where people were eating, sleeping, raising 
children, having parties, quarrelling and making peace afterwards, 
preparing for exams and watching television - in a word, they lived. 
(19) How many families lived in your communal flat? 
(20) 
Our flat was a small one - only three families. Many people lived in much 
larger flats. Once I was invited to a flat where the door-plate listed fifteen 

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surnames! And against each name, it recorded a door-bell code, e.g. to call 
Ivanov, press the button 5 times: 2 short and 3 long rings; and to call Petrov, also 
press the button 5 times, but in this case the other way round: 3 short and 2 long 
rings. 
(21) 
But what would have happened if you made a mistake and pressed the 
button, say, only four times - and all the rings were short? 
(22) 
In that case the door would have been opened not by Ivanov and not by 
Petrov but, let's say, by Sidorov. And it is possible this Sidorov had just returned 
from his evening shift and was very tired. He was lying on the bed, counting your 
rings. Your mistake made him get up, get dressed, and leave his room to open 
the door. And after all this do you really imagine he would be polite with you? 
Especially if he could not stand both Ivanov and Petrov.