THE BEAUTIFUL ONE~Volume One

DAY FIVE (cont.)

"Oh, that just means I've been taking things a day at a time, and seeing what I feel like doing in the moment" replied Michael, to which I replied "Ah...then that is what we will do. Play it by ear. Starting first with visit to art museum, and maybe later lunch or dinner, and then movie...How does that sound?" I asked Michael, as I crossed over to and opened the door to my front entry closet from which I retrieved the black leather coat had been wearing when he arrived, and handed it to him while saying "You may want this...for later...Might get snow...Or at least rain...Will be colder later anyway." I continued, as I also retrieved for myself a warm grey poncho I intended to wrap myself in, should the need arise but for now just pulled the garment over my head, allowing the soft woolen blend material to hang loosely over and around my body, while Michael slipped on his water-resistant, black leather, calf-length trench coat which he allowed to hang loose and unbuttoned for the time being.-A choice, which (when worn in combination with his selected clothing items)reminded one of photos taken from the pages of "GQ", and other popular men's fashion magazines.

'Ah...I thought so." I commented a few minutes later outside my flat, as Michael and I emerged, and waited while I found the appropriate key, and secured my flat against any burglars who may just happen to come along. "Is cooler than this morning when I went to buy groceries." I continued, as I looked skyward, while simultaneously pulling the front door to my flat closed, and turned the key in the lock, before removing the key from the lock, and storing the key(along with the other keys on my key ring) in one of the little pockets on the inside of my handbag. "Weather people said it would be clear and cold today." I continued, as I grasped the door knob-an unsuccessful twist of which indicated (to my satisfaction) the securely locked state of my front door. "Is actually unusual weather for October." I commented to Michael, as we proceeded on our way to the nearest tram stop, and to the art museum(our first destination of choice for the day. "Here in Moscow, we usually have cool weather and rain starting late in August but winter does not begin coming until December." I continued. 'Perhaps it is 'global warming" that your former vice president created lecture series about." I continued to Michael , making reference to former American vice president Al Gore, and the highly informative American-made movie "AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH"-a film I just happened to come across recently on a Russian-language television station while spending a quiet day alone at home, idly channel surfing. "Or perhaps is part of change to climate the ancient Mayans predicted would happen at the beginning of their new calendar cycle...Either way, these things are good to know...especially if you are farmer..." I concluded as Michael and I boarded the tram, paid our fares, and found seats in the coach which we noted was less crowded than it had been the past couple of days or so.

A few minutes later, the coach on which we were presently riding took an unexpected detour in an easterly direction, continuing down the street, heading toward the Kremlin and the Moscow National Library-which also happened to be two short blocks away from the art museum. As we rode past the Kremlin, I couldn't help but be attracted to the vacantness of the walkway outside of the massive structure. The same walkway which, a couple of days ago, Michael had requested we avoid because of a crowd which had gathered out front (a crowd my beautiful visitor seemed to be certain would not be there today).

"He was right...there is no crowd out there today." My inner thoughts expressed, as I turned my head slightly to keep the Kremlin in sight to the last possible second. "I wonder how he knew?" my thoughts continued, as I turned and glanced at Michael as he sat beside me in the tram. "And I wonder who that was he was talking to on his cell phone in my flat a few minutes ago?" my inner thoughts inquired, as I sat quietly observing Michael and admiring how handsome his clothing choices made him look, while simultaneously reaching for, and pulling on the cord to signal the tram driver to stop at the tram stop nearest the art gallery. "Perhaps it was friend he waved to when we walked past crowd on way to library the other day", my thoughts reasoned, as Michael and I reached our destination of choice, and each thanked the coach driver (myself in Russian, and Michael in English) before disembarking the tram a short distance away from the art gallery which we approached and entered a short time later, and spent the next several minutes observing and admiring the many priceless works of art and sculpture the gallery had to offer (many of which Michael indicated an interest in purchasing for the ranch he'd earlier mentioned he owned but then remembered he no longer kept residence in.)