30 March 2007

Happy Endings

I'm pleased to report that the Bolshoi Lenin has been safely delivered in the U.S., after a somewhat roundabout journey from Moscow to Sweden to Kentucky, and finally to the East Coast of the U.S. Not sure what he was doing in Kentucky, but I'll ask him when I get home next week.

Ironically, I was sitting down to a plate of tvorog just now when my host mother said to me, "Rima said you sent a big box somewhere. Was it books?"

Ah, Rima! You sold me out! Rima is host mom's college friend who was coming in the door as Bolshoi Lenin was going out with the UPS man. I thought she'd keep quiet (she didn't ask what was inside, and I didn't offer to tell), but I guess old women gossip about everything. Like I said, my host mother is a bit nosy.

"OK, I'll tell you, but you have to let me tell the whole story. It's a large bust of Lenin. You see, I have this friend in America..."

3 comments:

Sean Guillory said...

Love the Bolshoi Lenin. If you're looking for a place to put it, I suggest on the toilet. I tend to put all my important icons on the head. Right now I have a hologram Jesus always on hand to give a blessing. Or perhaps you already have your own Lenin corner? Anyway, I hope that the fact you're homeward bound doesn't mean the end of Darkness at Noon? Say it ain't so.

Rubashov said...

Sean, you must be working with a Bolshoi Tualet, as my regular-sized one is too small to handle the might of the Bolshoi Lenin. But maybe we can put him in front of it, though I expect the wife's "no Lenins in the bedroom" rule extends to the bathroom as well. As such, he'll probably be consigned to the study (commonly known as "the Lenin Room" with his comrades.

And not to worry, I'm just heading home for a couple of weeks. There's plenty more Darkness at Noon on the way!

Sean Guillory said...

No Lenins in the bedroom! Ack! Smells like meshchanstvo to me!