Albert Veselovsky (Alberto Veselovsky) and (y) Methodius Ponebatko (Metodio Ponebatko) were (ser) childhood friends (amigos de la infancia), as well as (así como) in (en) literature (literatura).
I must (deber..) say (decir) that (que) they looked like (juntos parecerse.. a) Pat and Patachon together (-) – Albert was (ser) excessively thin and tall (excesivamente delgado y alto), and Methodius, on the contrary (por el contrario), was (ser) short and fat (bajo y gordo).
Once (una vez) at the beginning (al comienzo) of (de) summer (verano), the friends (… amigos) decided (decidir):
– It is enough (ser.. suficiente) for (para) our families (nuestras familias) to live (vivir) and undermine their health (socavar su salud) in (en) a gas-polluted city (… ciudad contaminada con gas),
we must (deber..) move (mudarse..) to (a) the country