▁dot ing ▁on ▁( and ▁always ▁expressed ▁his ▁desire ▁to ▁be ▁' use ful ' ▁to ), ▁haven ' t ▁turned ▁a ▁bit ▁too ▁p rag m atic ▁for ▁his ▁lik ing , ▁by ▁invent ing ▁for ▁him ▁such ▁a ▁peculiar ▁' use '. ▁ ▁Char acters ▁▁ ▁Uncle ▁M ika , ▁Mik h ail ▁Ar sen ye v ich ▁Y as ve in , ▁a ▁journalist , ▁known ▁among ▁his ▁young ▁friends ▁as ▁" the ▁man ▁who ▁lost ▁all ▁interest ▁in ▁life ." ▁ ▁Hy pp olit ▁Vas ily ev ich ▁V oz h z hin , ▁an ▁engineer , ▁Uncle ▁M ika ' s ▁friend ▁and ▁flat mate ▁ ▁El ena ▁Ivan ov na , ▁V oz h z hin ' ▁ex - w ife ▁ ▁Anna ▁D mit ri ye v na ▁Leb ede va , ▁V oz h z hin ' s ▁close ▁friend , ▁living ▁next ▁door ▁▁ ▁S ery oz ha , ▁her ▁son , ▁the ▁g ymnasium ▁student ▁ ▁F ino ch ka ▁( F ina , ▁Sof ina ), ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁V oz h z hin ▁and ▁El ena ▁Ivan ov na , ▁who ▁lives ▁with ▁her ▁mother ▁in ▁Sar at ov ▁ ▁Rus ya , ▁the ▁g ymnasium ▁student , ▁Uncle ▁M ika ' s ▁nie ce ▁ ▁N ike , ▁her ▁brother ▁ ▁Val ery an , ▁P ety a , ▁L ida , ▁V era , ▁And rey ▁and ▁several ▁others , ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Green ▁Ring ▁ ▁Math y