Elia`s Mom
When we met with Elia`s mom I couldnt belive what I saw. How come that clamsy big boy was that tiny woman`s son it was hard to believe. Tiny as look as fragile woman with black charcoal hairs and under the thick dark eyebrows shiny kid eyes. That smal strong charecteristic face gives some hints about her Jewish heitage.
She was not beatiful but there was something special with this atractive face.
After a short intruduction we jump to main subject suddendly. When I try to explain about why I decide to write this book and how I observed bunch of greencard lottory winners how suffered and struggled in their new starsts she suddenly interrupted me:
-We didnt come with lottary,we are political assylums.
It was necessary to decide and move in three days. There is a huge library in Moscow but I didnt have any time to make a research or anything. It wasnt obvious where we would come till last minute.
She begin..
I jumped and inturupted her:
-Who was organizing all?
-Jewish Center..she said.
-Ohh I heard that they help Jews alot.
She smiled..
-Its not like that actually I can say that they didnt have any serious support.Ofcouse they picked us from airport and droped an apartment but
at the beginning I was fighting with that lady.Our luggaged was lost. We put all these two luggage all of our lifes and they send them somewhere else. When I was tring to find them she was complain that she would be late to home.
I came here with my sick mom and Elia that he was 6 years old during that time. Our all treasure was that luggages and we woud be able to reach them after two months. Imagine our situation when we arrive an empty apartment. Some odd reason they were not expecting us till next week.3 day we slept on the floor in that empty apartment because it was weekend and there was nobody to take care of us.There was nothing to eat and I just have $3 in my pocket.
She was telling so fast, I began to have problem to falow it I didnt want to interrupt her to pull out my tape recorder. But when she begin to talk with a passion it was hard to understand her heavy accent.
-#rd day they came and pick me up to work. It was a cleaning job. You know big rich mentions,5 bedrooms,4 bathrooms jacusees and such.
First month my salary didnt enough for rent and welfare didnt arrive in time.. Our land lord was a gromy man and I couldnt explain him with my broken english..He yelled at me hours and hours. Still I have goosebumps when I passed from front of that apartment.
She stopped and took a deep breath.
-We are from Moscow.Not from suburbs or slums real moscow. I m a doctor I was working at medical researches. Now I m thinking about that if it was possible to go back what I would do? There was no way to live same things again. That kind of things can live just once. If I know all that I would ever came in here.
-Did they accept your diploma in here?
-Ofcouse after years and years work. I tried to find a job on research area first but they were not paying enough and I gave up.
I was responsible with a little boy and my sick mom. Immigration is not easy.
In Russia life was more stable and slow and in here life is just running one place to another or working. We are just living for work. There is no time for anything else. I still couldnt adopt it still there is no time.
- Did you know anybody in here?
- No we didnt have anybody.
- How did you decide to apply as a refugee.
She smiled again,
-This wasnt my idea it was Elia`s fathers idea. Actually his family applied first years and years ago. But they stock with burocracy and paper work.
When Gorbachov came to goverment country begin to change travelling out of Russia begin to be more easy.
During that period my institude send me Paris for a conferance I stayed there three months. From the first day I fell in love with that city still time to time I m dreaming to live there. My colliges offered me to applied as an assylum but there was a rule at least 8 months I wouldnt go out from france border. I asked my mom to took Elia and join me but she resisted and I wouldnt stay.
After that I lost my job.When I was unemployed I begin to work on that American immigration application.It was kind a fun it gave me a reason to wear somethingand go out to do something. This begin like this as a game.. In that days country begin to be messy.Streets was scary now,
there was tanks on the streets and we were waking up with gun shots. It was obvious things getting worste and it was look like just beginning.
When our immigration application acceted I didnt had any choise I really didnt want to do that but there was no other option. With this way this game wise thing turn to reality.
Came here without thinking or planning. Still time to time I m thinking did I do good or what..
We were Carribu Caffe at the bid leaather sofa near by. When I first arrive I set near by her. Charley was at the other arm chair half sleeeping I dont thing he heard our conversation. Evening crawd at the coffee shop was mostly teenagers. Outside was dark now. It was first day of a new year. There is a new year a new stage was beginning.
Our conversation is interruped when boys come. With his dark cap and glasses intellectuel looking Elia and with long dark flaying hairs and with his pointy type walking arthistic Max. These to always made a nice contrast and now they were passionatly argueeing something again. They both have perfect english and it was almost impossible to recognise that they didnt born in this country.
Both of us turn to them and watched for a while. I m sure I had the same smile on my face when I was watching boys as hers.
I said
- But look it worked for them to come over here. They both Americans now.
- Right..she said
-But sometimes I am thinking is it a good thing or not.Elia even dont want to here name of Russia and he totally forgat to read and write.Although he learned reading and writing in russian when he was 4 years old.
-Max never join Turks at the school ..I said
That was our argument also. Connection with an old countries like us is not important for the kids and actually it was bothering them. Almost all of them trying to escape for that origin when they are trying to be an American.
- I belive that they will look for their roots after awhile and then they will interest it with Old Country.
- -Hope so. She said but she didnt look to belive.
I turned Charley and try to take him in to conversation.
-When did your German ancessed came?
He was sick these last two days and he was almost sleeping in hic chair. I know he pushed him self to came with me.
He moved his leather chair ..
- My grand father..he said.
- He came after worl war 1.
Etta continued..
-I been in Germany also.It was a beatiful country but may be my Jewish origin it was not like here.
People are so prejudice there to foreigners. In here we dont have that.
At least on the paper but still I would not feel my self belong to here.
- How long ago you came here?
- 12 years,but still like yesterday.
- Did your mom adopted in here.
- Ohh its another disaster.She didnt fit a bit.She didnt accept anything.
-We have a big Russian Community here didn’t she join them?
-There are bunch of ethnic and social groups in Russia, as you know most of them even don’t talk Russian. They have their own languages. My mom was a snob she didn’t like any of them. And now she has health problems also.
I didn’t want to ask more questions. Kids showed up around us again and we begin to talk about their schools and their friends.
All that tension when we first met was gone all of us was laughing and joking now. I asked Etta to met again before we move out from town. Her eyes shined again. Suddenly she begins to look for a pen and paper and gave me her phone numbers.
- Please call me again I would enjoy seeing you gain.
Yes it was same for me too I really enjoyed knowing that woman.
With her tiny silluette she looks so small near Elia.
When I say “Nice to meet you.” I was really mean it in this case It would be hard to forget that fragile strong Russian woman.
MK
