You can't tell anyone what I'm going to tell you. It'll be our little secret, or what passes for one when you post on the internet. It's just too much too really think about all the little rules and all, but if you want to be in the game, you got to play by their rules. It is after all their ball and they will take it back to... with them no matter who suffers.
After I quit working for Marcus I thought it would be a long time before I went to Ct. much less Danbury, so it was with an ironic feeling that I took my first two and went to a Bridge of Hope gathering up on Federal lane in Danbury yesterday. All day long I felt like I was just a car length away for him, my former boss Tom. He cast that long of a shadow over me while I was there.
The girls and I arrived at the Quality Inn down from the Ford dealership where Marcus got me my company car five years ago about nine-thirty in the morning and I felt a little silly when I went to the desk and asked for the Russians. The person behnd the desk knew exactly who I wanted and told me to go throught two sets of doors and go outside at the doors near the pool.
Through the doors there were maybe forty or so people. Kids playing and Adults talking in little groups. A group of boys were out on the lawn kicking around a soccer ball. One skinny kid with brown hair and no shirt would be one of the two kids I came to see. The other, slightly shorter very thin with long dark hair and very quiet reminded me of Elena. Like Elena a bathing suit would just hang off her this first year.
The first person we meet, Patrice has a cane and later she explains how she is trying to avoid knee surgery. There are many familar faces among the group, Terry and Liz who both always seem to be there at all the important functions and always give so much.
We first are introducted to the girl, a very sweet faced girl who you just want to wrap up in your arms and hug here like you hug your first two, but I fear she would break she is so thin. Her brother is waved to come from the field and he comes up a bit reluctantly it seems. Mustering all his sixteen year he looks me in the eye and gives me a firm hand shake and impresses me all over again. His letter being the first time. You can't help but love him. We all stand around ackward in the silence for a little while before people being to wander off. I find Nastia a little while later making a connection over jump rope with Annya.
A little after ten we form a convoy and head over to Chuckie Cheese for some fun. I remember the places from years ago for little kids. It was fun for all ages. Everyone, all the kids got a handful of tokens and went out into the game room to explore. I bought fifteen dollars more of tokens and walked around giving them to the four kids as it seemed necessary. The first time I tried to give some to Leonid he waved his hand no, not to give him any. He was trying not to accept anything from anyone. I think to avoid being a burden. I just dump a few coins in his cup , smile and walk away. The next time he doesn't protest. I split up the coins between the four and some are wasted on games that require a pull of a lever to dispense tickets, games that make me crazy when they are played because it makes the coins disappear too quickly with very little fun.
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| much fun was had by most |
Everyone ate a little pizza and about one PM we took a half hour ride to Monroe CT. On the way there Nastia and Elena talk to one of the translators, Angela Cesarz about what an english word is in russian both girls were able to remember more then I expected. About twenty mile north of Danbury we arrive at the home of two more very giving and nice people Charles and Kathleen Hickey. They opened their house to a bunch of strangers and a large group of kids where anything could happen, thank you.
There is a large pool a very nice home and plenty of food and drink. It's warm and sunny a great day for swimming. Teri shows up a little after two in the afternoon and we hang around until about six-seven in the evening when we help bring the kids back to the hotel. It is the first time the girls and I get to spend time with the kids and of course the girls are asking silly questions using pigeon russian to ask. I finally have to tell them to stop. We drop them off at the hotel and get home a little after nine and remember there is more for us to do for the next day when we pick them up to bring them home. Sometime after midnight Teri gets to bed.
