THE BEAUTIFUL ONE~Volume One

DAY FIVE (cont.)

"Ah...you have made new friend", came the comment of one Michael and I soon recognized as Martina, the pleasant young Russian woman we'd met the previous weekend, and who'd invited Michael and me to participate with Katerina and her classmates during their playtime. "Hello." Martina continued with a smile, "Is good to see you again..." Martina continued pleasantly, as little by little Katerina's classmates-the same children from the playdate in the park-came scurrying over to their teacher and their classmates, as Michael soon relinquished custody of Katerina to her teacher, who held the little girl in her arms for a moment before setting her gently down on her feet amongst her classmates now being gently but firmly controlled by the team of adults we recognized as Martina's teaching assistants. "We have just completed our field trip." Martina continued pleasantly volunteering the explanation for the presence of the children at the zoo. "We will now return to classroom to discuss our favorite animals, and make pictures of them...You are just arriving...yes?" Martina inquired to which Michael and I both answered –in turn-"yes".

"Is good day to be at zoo...Lot's of activity in cages." Martina added with a smile. "Animals are most interesting when wide awake and moving", she continued, as she silently acknowledged the signal of one of her assistants that all the students were present and accounted for, and were waiting (as patiently and quietly as preschoolers are capable of waiting) their teacher's next instruction.

"Is good to see you again", Martina added pleasantly to Michael and me, as with a nod of approval at seeing her little three and four year olds in a rare period of quiet well behavedness, she made a notation on her clipboard before signaling to her assistants to have the youngsters join hands in readiness to leave the area, after which the lead assistant proceeded to guide the children off zoo property back toward the busy Moscow street, as Martina continued politely to me and Michael "Enjoy your day", before heading off to rejoin her students and assistants.

It wasn't long after Martina left the area with her students that she turned back around, and returned to where Michael and I were still standing.

"I remember you from park the other weekend." Martina exclaimed with a grin to Michael and myself. "How well you played with the children...You re teachers...no?" she inquired, to which Michael and I both found ourselves reluctantly having to answer 'no', to which Martina continued enthusiastically "But you have rapport with them...You are sure you're not teachers?" Martina inquired again, to which I replied "No. I'm a farmer...I sell produce at Prost Market", to which Martina replied with a smile, and an 'Ah...yes....Yuri and Helena Prost...My husband and I buy from them all the time...Better than from large government run corporation...Carrots and tomatoes better without chemicals like they add in processing plant." Martina continued, leading me to sense her disdain toward anything other than small organizations like Prost Market.

'And you are farmer too, Commerade?", Martina asked Michael with a smile, to which Michael replied "No...I'm on vacation", a reply which lead Martina to reply with mild disappointment in her voice "Ah, then you are visitor...you are not citizen...A shame...You would have made good volunteer at my school...Children like you...Especially little Katerina...You have just passport, and visa for travel yes?" Martina inquired, to which Michael answered in the affirmative, to which Martina continued "Ah", as one of her students happened to break away from the assistants in charge, and come scurrying over with an inquiring look on his little face...an inquiry Martina answered pleasantly but firmly in Russian, "Return to group, Gregor...We return to school shortly', to which the well-behaved youngster complied, and ran back over to his classmates, as Michael asked me in an aside: "How long does it take to become a citizen?", to which I replied "Is long process, Michael...Must live here many years...Pay taxes of Russia." I continued, as Martina added simultaneously "Of course, if you had visa for work, you could volunteer."