MOSCOW, October 16, 2007 -- It’s finally official – maybe: Igor is arriving Wednesday. He called last Thursday and asked for $ 150 to get home, but the Western Union communication network wasn’t working in Kamrat, Moldova, on Friday, so he wasn’t able to get the money till Monday.
But he called Monday morning and said he’s coming home by bus as he did the last time (Chapt. 260, Igor returns to play, but Zhorik keeps top spot) and will be here sometime in the early hours Wednesday.
In the meantime, Zhorik went AWOL Saturday night, he said in an SMS Sunday.
“And nobody knew?” I queried.
“They found out today. Now I’m in trouble.”
“I don’t want you doing anything that’s going to jeopardize your future,” I wrote.
“Everything will be all right,” he assured in response.
But Monday morning, I sent him an SMS: “What happened?” I asked. “Are you sitting in jail?”
“Not yet,” he replied. “Can you call me tonight? I’ve got a problem.”
“Yes, I can.”
Then a little later: “I need 12,000 rubles. That’s my problem.”
“That’s a joke, right?”
I never heard from him until the evening when he SMS’d asking if I were free.
Yes, I told him.
“I am too,” he wrote. “How’s your mood?”
“It depends on what you want from me.”
“That means your mood is bad.”
“What happened?”
“I busted a wall. I tried to hit a lieutenant and he ducked and I hit the wall.”
“Why did you try to hit a lieutenant?”
“They were provoking me, and I was really mad. He hit me in the face and I tried to hit him back.”
“Is that because you went AWOL?”
“No, it’s because I refused to work on the computer.”
“But that’s your job, right?”
“Yes, but I’m fed up with it all.”
“You’re in the army, remember? Do you think you can just do what you want?
“Okay, Dane, I don’t want to talk about it now. I’m in a bad mood.”
“What’s your situation now?” I persisted. “What do you want from me?”
“My situation is bad. I don’t want to spoil your mood.”
“Zhorik,” I continued, “you remember that I told you I didn’t want you doing anything that would jeopardize your future. But I’m afraid you have.”
“Yes, maybe I have,” he agreed.
Andrei and I called him. “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” Andrei asked.
Nothing serious, Zhorik answered.
I took the phone. What’s going to happen to you?”
“Nothing. Everything’s okay.”
“I love you, Zhorik, and I worry about you.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that.”
“When can you come to me?” he asked.
“Honey, only on New Year’s.”
“What’s happening?” I asked today, Tuesday.
“Everything’s bad,” he answered.
“What has happened?”
“I have to fix the wall. And there’s more punishment.”
“What more punishment?”
“I don’t know. I’ll find out today. They yelled at me.”
“When do you have to fix the wall?”
“By the end of this week, by Sunday.”
“Is that possible?”
“I’ll need some money.”
“How much?” I asked, as if I didn’t know.
“In all, I’ll need 12,000 rubles ($ 500).
“What will happen if you don’t get the money?”
“I don’t know. But I got 500 rubles pay today, so I only need 11,500, and I can sell my mobile phone.”
“Don’t sell your mobile phone,” I replied. “I’ll send you the 11,500, but I won’t send you 500 rubles a week for food anymore. It’s winter time and they should be feeding you better.”
At that rate, it will take 24 weeks – virtually the entire time he has remaining in the army, to repay his “debt.” But at least he will have to make some sacrifice of his own.
“Do you agree with this plan?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“But Zhorik,” I warned. “Let this be the last time.”
“I just lost my temper. I just couldn’t tolerate the bastards any more.”
“You have to tolerate them. You’re in the army. They’re you masters and you’re their slave. That’s the reality. You have to put up with it for another eight months. Expenses like this don’t help our plan to buy an apartment next June.”
“I know.”
So that’s the way it stands. My gentle sweet Zhorik apparently has a temper like his brother Andrei’s, despite his promise to me last week that he “wasn’t that kind of guy.”
Will he last another eight months without getting thrown in the brig – or worse?
Stay tuned.
The Red Queen’s schedule has been just too crammed to attend to her regal duties, for which she begs your kind indulgence. For the next two weeks I’ve got a break in my Potemkin U. schedule, so I think I’ll have more time to keep you a – breast? Well, up to date.
See also related pages:
Chapt. #270 - Kremlin clans battle over rights to smuggle, launder bucksi
Chapt. #268 - Beautiful students lighten heavy class load
Chapt. #260 - Igor returns to play, but Zhorik keeps top spot
