I wait for Evgenii. My phone says he arrived at 8:03. It is now 9:15 and he is not here. Did he creep up from the back? Millie would have barked. And Millie is definitely at peace, on the front porch waiting with me.
I'm about to give up. It's going to be a scorcher -- 97F/36C. If that is the temperature of our bodies (on the low side to be sure), why do we feel so hot outside?
I'm about to give up on Evgenii, when I see a car pull up and a young man -- can't be more than 25 -- gets out, nimbly, quickly. You must be Evgenii... you're late. He gives the slightest nod, but says nothing. He's standing there with a shoulder bag and a tablet. Finally he says -- I follow you. In those few words, I here the Russian accent. I want to ask him -- why are you so young? Why did you leave Russia? But I can tell my questions would not be welcome. Evgenii is a man of few words. And when he speaks, you can hardly hear him.
Millie, on the other hand, is barking inside, furious that I did not set her loose on this newcomer. She does not recognize enemy nation states. She would have made friends! I ask him -- can I go in now? Again, a quick nod.
I snuggle with Millie. It's okay puppy, it's okay.
I'm wondering if Evgenii ever killed anyone. War is war. You do as you're told, no? Hold on, do I detect the return of my childhood distrust of neighbors to the east and west of Poland? As for Evgenii, he's clearly a skilled computer guy. Would he be at the Ukrainian front were he still in Russia? I think so. But he is here, and he is using his skills to service the internet cable that we'd dug out yesterday. And he does service it, and he comes back to my front door, says -- "done," and then he leaves. No eye contact, no nod to the mesmerized by him Millie.
Evgenii would make a good spy. Or assassin. Or, have I been reading to many crime novels?
Millie's latest game? Undoing the velcro to the snuggle pup and taking out the little beating heart that's inside. She used to sleep with that pup. Now? Just a dismemberment challenge.
It's time for my pup to return to doggie daycare. Oh, is she happy to be let loose again! Julie writes me that she is super excited to see everyone, and especially her! I do a little tattling: before you say what a good girl she is, know that she opened up the zipper on my reading chair cushion and chewed up the insides. I have a feeling Julie just laughed. Millie makes people laugh.
Dump compostables at the farmette, pick up a few lilies for my pitcher at home.
I come back and water the plants in the back. I'm not even sure all of them need to be watered. What they need is for it not to be 97F/36C outside.
In the afternoon I have an appointment with the endodontist. His first name is Andrew -- nothing Russian about the name nor the person. I remember him well from my previous visit: it was in the thick of Covid. I was sure he or his assistant would pass on the virus to me. Nonetheless, I had to check on a tooth. In the end he said it could wait. I was relieved, but at the same time, I found the visit to be so, I dont know -- meaningful maybe? Probably because we never went out, never saw anyone and especially not strangers, close up. Andrew (I do not call him that to his face) had worked for a children's fund that provided dental services in places that have a dire need for such care. He'd worked in Mozambique, India, Haiti. I could have listened and asked questions for a long time, but of course, that wasn't the purpose of my visit to the clinic. But now here I am again, having survived Covid, having moved three times, taken care of three dogs, having planted now coming close to 250 plants.
There are people who have traveled far, maybe even worked in very impoverished countries and who would not hesitate to share their insights, to answer your questions. Andrew is not like that. He's a quiet guy who now takes care of his kids and a bunch of rescue dogs and really, though I was in that chair for 90 minutes, that is all I know about him. A quiet, thoughtful guy, who laughed when I said "we meet again, no more epidemic, but same president."
I have to say, dentistry has gone far away from the postwar Poland business model of "no pain, no gain." Sitting comfortably, with N2O streaming up my nostrils, I thought -- this is a heck of a lot more comfortable than carrying buckets of stones, ripping up sod, or even watering plants in 97F/36C weather.
Millie comes home, for once tired and I'm sure well exercised. I missed you, little one! She responds with a lick and a smile. What, you don't think dogs can smile? You're so wrong on that.
with so much love...
