Good Medicine Senior YearChapter 4 Colonel Schumacher
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June 30, 1984, McKinley, Ohio
“I was right!” I said when I arrived at Doctor Blahnik’s house after lunch with Mr. Kozlov.
“No way!”
“He asked me to take responsibility for the distribution of charity to individuals and families in need. He’s been doing it, temporarily, because of Deacon Grigory’s heart attack. As he said, it does belong with clergy, and typically falls to the deacon.”
“Good call, Petrovich.”
“He did have a second matter to discuss,” I grinned. “So, actually, we were both right.”
“I knew it!” Clarissa declared triumphantly. “So?”
“He offered a significant dowry,” I grinned.
“If you considered that for even a half-second, you’re a bigger pig than I could ever have imagined!”
“Actually, it wasn’t anything more than what Katy’s parents offered when we discussed living together. And it simply confirmed what Elizaveta implied when she mentioned the cottage at her parents’ house.”
“And?”
“He invited me to dinner, but I put him off until after the MCAT. That gives me a chance to talk with Lara and see what she thinks.”
“Does he know about her?”
I grinned, “Small world, as usual. Elizaveta’s grandfather and Lara’s grandfather are friends. Mr. Kozlov didn’t say, but I’m sure he knows Lara’s dad, even if they aren’t friends.”
“Open warfare!” Clarissa exclaimed giddily. “One bowl of popcorn won’t be enough!”
“Don’t get your hopes up, Lissa! I’m expecting to see Lara before I have dinner with the Kozlovs, so I’ll have a better idea how to handle things.”
“It’s interesting - two girls who are very much the same, but with one very important difference.”
“The career woman versus the homemaker?” I asked.
“Which side of Mike Loucks controls the situation - his traditional, conservative Russian self, or his modern, American self?”
“I’m not sure that’s exactly right,” I replied. “Lara is traditionally Russian and conservative. And being a schoolteacher is an extremely common career for clergy wives. Remember, too, my traditional, conservative, Russian mom went back to work when Liz started kindergarten and my grandmother watched us during the afternoon.”
“Then I suppose it’s outgoing versus demure.”
I chuckled, “Because Elizaveta accosting me about not asking her out and making a good case for herself is not aggressive or anything like that! Including offering sex in a round-about way.”
Clarissa smirked, “‘Figuring out how to make babies’ being the euphemism for wanting you to ravish her?”
“In that sense, she’s demure, but if you compare her with the way the other women at church present themselves, she fits right in.”
“I’m curious. If Lara tells you she’s ready to make a commitment, does that put an end to everything else?”
I nodded, “I believe it would, yes. I would say she is in control at the moment.”
“And you’re OK with that?”
“Very much so.”
July 4, 1984, McKinley, Ohio
On Wednesday morning, Dona stretched and yawned when I got out of bed.
“Mind if I stay?” she asked.
“Not at all. There’s nothing planned for today until we head to Milton Lake around 1:00pm.”
I didn’t have to work, as the Quick Mart was only open a half-day, and Nancy had offered to work my usual shift. I knew she needed the money, so I agreed, because it meant I could spend the entire day with my friends.
I pulled on my running clothes, gave Dona a quick kiss, and then headed out of the dorm. As I began my run, I thought about how the Summer had developed. Despite my angst over the situation with Maggie, everything else was going smoothly. Jocelyn, Clarissa, and I were growing even closer, Dona and I were getting along great, Grace and I worked together and played chess, and there was no drama with my sister, at least not yet.
Lara was supposed to arrive home in the next day or so, and I expected her to call. I hoped I could see her before my dinner with the Kozlovs, as then I’d have a much better idea where things stood. It was entirely possible I’d cancel the dinner, if things went a certain way. That development would also mean an end to Dona sharing my bed, but that was going to happen sometime in August no matter what happened with Lara.
I finished my run and headed back into the dorm. Dona was lying in bed, with the comforter pulled up to her waist, and her lovely breasts on display. I walked over to her, gave her a kiss, then stripped off my running clothes so I could take a shower.
“I don’t mind you being sweaty and you’d only have to take one shower,” Dona said as I turned on the spray.
I quickly turned off the spray, walked over to the bed, got a rubber from the nightstand, and got into bed next to her. After a bit of foreplay, I rolled on the condom, moved on top of Dona, and slid slowly into her.
“Fuck me?” she requested.
I nodded and fifteen minutes later, she was sweaty as well, and we both were satisfied. After carefully pulling out and disposing of the rubber, I got into the shower. Once I was clean, Dona got in, and after I dried and dressed, I said my morning prayers while Dona showered. When we finished, I kissed Dona and left the room to join Jocelyn and Clarissa at Tasha’s apartment for breakfast as the cafeteria was closed. Abby was waiting outside the Quick Mart, and climbed the stairs with us. Tasha greeted us and invited us inside.
She’d set up a card table and folding chairs to accommodate us, as her dinette table could only seat four, and even that was tight. She poured coffee or tea for everyone then took plates of waffles, scrambled eggs, and toast from the oven, and a bowl of mixed fruit from the fridge, and set them on the table. She asked me to pray, and once I had, we began serving ourselves.
“Is Nikolas going to join us today?” Clarissa asked Tasha.
“Yes,” Tasha replied. “He’ll meet us at the park at 1:00pm. Mischa, what about Grace?”
“She’ll be there,” I replied. “She’s bringing her friend Jim. And she took pains to say ‘friend’.”
“Is there church tonight?” Dona asked.
“No,” I replied. “Father Nicholas canceled services because so many people are celebrating Independence Day. He and his family will be at Milton Lake tonight.”
“Does he wear his cassock to things like that?”
“The OCA wants all its priests to wear their cassocks at all times when they’re out of the house, unless their work precludes doing so. For deacons, it’s a bit more lax, though they wear them if they’re visiting Orthodox households. Some deacons choose to wear their cassocks at all times, but neither Deacon Vasily or Deacon Grigory wore their cassocks when they were working. Father Herman usually wears his cassock when he’s out, but not always.”
“What do they do for work?” Dona asked. “Or did, for the deacon from your current church.”
“Tasha’s dad is a pharmacist, Father Herman is a property inspector, and Deacon Grigory was an insurance adjuster. Father Nicholas doesn’t work because Saint Michael the Archangel is large enough to pay him a reasonable salary. Holy Transfiguration is too small to do that. They pay a tax-free housing allowance and a small monthly salary. He earns the rest via his work. And that’s not uncommon for smaller parishes.”
“What about deacons? Are they paid?”
“As a rule, no,” I replied. “There are instances where they receive a small stipend from the parish, but that’s usually only in the largest parishes. The one exception is the protodeacon at the cathedral, who is the bishop’s main assistant. He also has a subdeacon volunteering, but that subdeacon is going to seminary next month.”
“I’m curious,” Dona asked, “but how does that work with you being a doctor and needing to be at church?”
“In my first year of Residency, it’s going to be whenever I can be there. After that, I’ll arrange my shifts to accommodate church. That’ll probably mean taking some less-desirable shifts so I can have Saturday evening and Sunday morning free. I’ll likely use a week of vacation for Holy Week. For other services, I’d have to trade shifts. Once I’m an Attending, it’ll be easier, but that’s years down the road.”
“That sounds less than ideal.”
I shrugged, “Given that I’d try to arrange my shifts so I could go to church, it really isn’t any different from what I’d do anyway. But I think you’re getting an idea of why Tasha felt she wouldn’t be happy.”
“Not to be negative, but will ANY girl be happy with that situation?”
“A very special one,” Tasha said. “And from what I’ve seen of Lara, and what I know of Elizaveta, they’ll be able to deal with it.”
“I think Angie could have,” Clarissa said. “But because of her condition, I can’t say positively.”
“She could have,” I replied. “She basically became Orthodox and conformed to the praxis overnight. And her belief has remained intensely strong even though all her issues.”
“You’re going to see her in about a week, right?” Jocelyn asked.
“Yes. We’ll go to Cincinnati Thursday of next week after work and take the MCAT on Friday. We’ll visit Angie that evening, and then on Saturday morning I’m going to see Doctor Mercer. We’ll have dinner with my sister and Paul on Saturday evening.”
“When does the bovine excrement hit the rotating air circulation device?” Jocelyn asked.
Tasha laughed, “You can ask ‘When does the shit hit the fan?’ in front of me when it’s just this group!”
“A week from Sunday,” I said. “Liz and I will go to dinner at my parents’ house.”
“That’s going to be interesting,” Jocelyn said.
“The way being, say, near Shima Surgical Clinic at 8:15am on August 6, 1945 was interesting,” I replied.
“From the date, I’m guessing that was an atomic bomb?” Clarissa asked.
“Hiroshima,” I replied. “That clinic wasn’t the primary target, but the wind caused the bomb to drift before it detonated.”
“That bad?” Dona asked. “Why?”
“I haven’t told you the story because it’s long and ugly, but the short version is this is about a guy my sister had an affair with, for which he pled guilty to statutory rape. He’s out now, and she’s getting back together with him. My parents will not be happy.”
“He referenced the atomic bombing for a reason,” Jocelyn said. “His dad, specifically, will lose his mind. His mom will be extremely upset, too, but will calm down fairly quickly, or so we hope.”
“My job is to keep my dad from going nuclear,” I said. “And to quickly bring my mom back to earth.”
“How?” Dona asked.
“Using my mom’s own tactics against her!” I replied. “Basically talking to her until she sees my point of view. Lord knows she did that often enough to me growing up!”
“Most of Mike’s personality traits come from his mom,” Jocelyn said. “Though with a Y chromosome, the usual ‘boy’ limitations apply!”
All the girls laughed.
“I love you, too, Jos!” I said with a grin.
“What are we doing after breakfast?” Clarissa asked.
“Me and five girls?” I smirked. “I can think of a few things!”
“PIG!” Tasha, Clarissa, and Jocelyn exclaimed simultaneously.
“Who? Me?” I asked innocently. “I was thinking mini golf or bowling!”
“You were NOT!” Jocelyn retorted.
“Is this normal?” Abby asked.
“This is tame,” Clarissa replied. “He’s behaving because you’re here. And it’s all teasing, because Petrovich would never try to interfere with any of our relationships.”
“I take it you clued her in on all the possible names for me?”
“Including «говнюк»!” Clarissa replied with a smirk. “Yep!”
Tasha and I both laughed, but Dona looked confused and Jocelyn just rolled her eyes.
“Shithead,” I said.
“Though not so much now as before,” Clarissa said.
“Thanks, I think,” I deadpanned.
We finished breakfast and I helped Tasha clean up while the other girls began preparing the coolers with our food for the afternoon and evening. Clarissa had a cooler of soft drinks at Doctor Blahnik’s house and we’d pick that up on our way to the lake. When everything was ready, we decided to head to Milton Lake early.
We took my car and Tasha’s car, stopping at Doctor Blahnik’s house as planned, and then drove to the lake. We were early enough that we had our pick of spots and chose an area which would be shaded by a small stand of trees but which also provided a clear view over the lake where the fireworks would be displayed. Nikolas, Bill, Grace, and Jim all arrived as planned, and we made introductions for those who didn’t know each other.
“Jim taught me to work on cars,” Grace said. “I needed to change the oil and he taught me, and we took it from there.”
“So you got to play with his dipstick?” I teased.
Grace laughed, “It was MY car.”
I saw Nikolas tense and heard him whisper something to Tasha and realized that I’d just screwed up, big time. I could make jokes like that in private, but not in public where the congregation might hear me and take offense.
“Actually, I need to apologize for the coarse jesting,” I said.
“Oh, please!” Grace said with a laugh. “It was a good joke!”
“But inappropriate for Subdeacon Michael,” Tasha said firmly.
I nodded my agreement and saw Nikolas visibly relax. I knew that I’d need to raise this with Father Nicholas in confession, and soon, so that it didn’t come back to him from Nikolas beforehand. I suspected Tasha would be able keep him ‘onside’ but I couldn’t take the chance. And I had to remind myself to be very careful.
I decided the best thing to do was go wade in the lake and let Tasha talk to Nikolas if necessary. I stripped off my t-shirt, shorts, shoes, and socks, leaving only my bathing trunks. Dona did the same, revealing a pink bikini that showed off her wonderful figure. We went down to the water and waded in.
“What was that about?” she asked. “That was totally tame!”
“I know,” I replied. “But you know my role at church, and I have to behave a certain way in public.”
“Is he going to have a cow about my bikini?”
I shook my head, “No. If you were my wife, then I’d have suggested a modest one-piece, but it wouldn’t be required.”
Dona laughed and shook her head, “As good as the sex is, there is no way I could put up with all that religious stuff. Are you going to get in trouble?”
“No. I’ll talk to the priest about it. So long as I acknowledge that I messed up, the fact that I apologized immediately will be the end of it. Now, a repeat incident would be a problem.”
“But this morning...”
“I’ve known Tasha for a long time and she can be just as «некультурный» as I can, but only in private.”
“What’s that word?”
“It means uncouth or uncultured, and it’s a normal Russian way to say someone is deviating from social norms.”
“So you have to be a totally different person in public?”
“We all do that, to an extent,” I replied. “How you talk to your best friend versus how you talk to your mom and dad or how you talk to your sister or how you talk to teachers.”
“I hadn’t thought about it that way, but that does make sense. There are things I can’t say around my mom that I’d say to Shelly or Trish. Those are two of the girls I hung around with the most back home. Will he flip out if I kiss you?”
“No, because I’m not in my cassock. If I were, it would be completely inappropriate.”
“And you’re OK with that?”
I shrugged, “It’s what I’ve known since I was little, so it’s basically second nature. It’s like knowing what to do at each point during the church service. I’ve lived it from birth and it’s basically automatic at this point.”
“You’re the first really religious person I ever got to know very well, so this is all new to me.”
“Most people aren’t as hardcore as I am!”
“You didn’t say what you thought of the bikini.”
“I’d say every single guy who sees you in it is going to be jealous of me and want to get your phone number!”
She smiled, “Thanks. Do you think there’s any way I could get on your floor this year?”
“We can ask Clarissa. She works in the Bursar’s office and would know who to talk to in Student Housing. For next year, talk to Jocelyn, because Clarissa and I are graduating and she’ll need a new roommate.”
“Already done!”
“Cool. Then ask Clarissa to see what she can find out for you.”
“Will do!”
We waded out of the water, dried off, and laid on our towels to get some sun, which would darken Dona’s tan and make the contrast with the areas covered by her bikini even starker, something I found incredibly sexy. When we’d been in the sun long enough, we moved to the blankets in the shade and got a couple of Cokes from the cooler.
We had a great afternoon, playing Frisbee, wading in the lake, eating, and hanging out. At one point when just Clarissa, Abby, Dona, and I were together, Abby asked about what had happened.
“It’s really a matter of decorum,” I said.
“He reacted like it was a sin,” Abby said. “And to be honest, I agree with Lazarus Long on that one - ‘Sin lies only in hurting other people unnecessarily. All other “sins” are invented nonsense. (Hurting yourself is not sinful – just stupid)‘.”
“I could actually agree with that,” I said, “with the caveat that hurt can be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. All of those can injure someone.”
“And earlier?”
“‘Coarse jesting’ is considered a sin because it’s offensive,” I replied. “But you’ve heard me talk that way in private. As I explained to Dona earlier, it’s a matter of behaving differently based on context.”
“I suppose. And my situation?”
I shrugged, “I am in no position to judge.”
“I told you,” Clarissa said gently. “He’s not going to say a negative word. He loves me and that’s the end of the discussion.”
“But his church teaches that it’s sinful, right?”
I smiled, “My church teaches a lot of things are sinful. When I achieve sinless perfection, I’ll worry about other people. I don’t expect that to occur in my lifetime.”
October 10, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Mike,” Father Nicholas said when I arrived at church on Wednesday evening, “word got to the bishop about your parents not being at your betrothal.” “Wonderful,” I sighed. “What was said?” “He asked if I knew any details, but all I could tell him was that it had something to do with your sister and her fiancé. I told him I believed you were acting out of love. He was concerned, obviously, because for them to boycott your ordination would create a severe...
December 30, 1984, McKinley, Ohio On Sunday, after church, Clarissa, Elizaveta and I went to Tasha’s apartment to spend the afternoon with her and Nik. Tasha and Elizaveta prepared dinner together, and had a quiet conversation in Russian, while Nik, Clarissa, and I talked. From their body language, I got the impression that «бабушка» Natalya was giving Matushka Elizaveta advice. My first thought was that I should be very afraid, but that thought was fleeting, and I realized that if there was...
March 28, 1985, McKinley, Ohio On Thursday, after my lesson with Doctor Blahnik, I met with Mark and Alyssa for our final catechism class. We finished reviewing the Nicene Creed, and then went over the baptismal rite to ensure they knew exactly what would happen on Holy Saturday morning. “Seriously?” Mark asked. “A horse trough?” “It’s painted gold with three-bar crosses on each side,” I offered. “The only other options are a river or a lake. We could probably arrange that, if you felt it...
August 21, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “When’s your last day?” Grace asked on Tuesday morning. “Tomorrow. I need to participate in checking in Freshmen starting Thursday. Are you working Thursday and Friday?” “Thursday, because it’s check-in. Friday I’ll be at orientation. Do you think we could keep our chess dates?” “Evenings are out because of studying, but Tuesday and Thursday afternoons are completely free, except for my guitar lesson on Thursday right after lunch.” “What about Tuesday...
June 5, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Do you want me to sleep at Doctor Blahnik’s house tonight?” Clarissa asked when she arrived at the dorm early on Tuesday evening so we could go to dinner. “No,” I replied. “Ice cream with Grace isn’t a date. And besides, you know the score.” “So this doesn’t end with her licking your cone?” she teased. I laughed, “No. I won’t be more than an hour or so.” “I’ll hang out with Jocelyn and Dona. I don’t want Kelly to complain I was in your room without you...
June 9, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “I’ve figured out what’s wrong with this game,” Dona said after we’d played the first nine holes. “What’s that?” “Using as few strokes as possible to get it in the hole!” I guffawed. “I mean, seriously, who wants FEWER strokes than average?” she continued. I laughed harder. “And who thinks that the best possible way to score is one stroke, then you take it out and move on to the next hole, never to put it in the first one again? GUYS! That’s who!” I...
April 28, 1985, McKinley, Ohio On Sunday, after the Divine Liturgy, Father Nicholas asked me to come to his office. “I spoke with Vladyka last evening. He gave his blessing for you to play in your band with a couple of conditions, which I don’t think will be a problem. The venues are important - no bars or clubs. He’d prefer you play things like High School dances, or venues where no alcohol is served. The key is decorum.” “Thank you. I’ll make sure I discuss any concerts with you in...
June 17, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “I’m going to break things off with Maggie tomorrow,” I said after Clarissa, Jocelyn, and I arrived at Tasha’s apartment for our usual Sunday dinner. “What?!” Jocelyn exclaimed. “I thought you were going to take the Summer.” “I’ve thought a lot about it, talked with Tasha, talked with Clarissa, and had a short talk with Doctor Blahnik. Basically, I let my promise to Maggie cause me to ignore the reality of the situation.” “Lara?” Jocelyn asked. “It’s...
January 2, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “Well?” Clarissa asked after I returned to the great room. “Wait and see. Angie’s next appointment is a week from tomorrow. I’m hoping Doctor Mercer waits until then to talk to Angie, but I’m afraid she’ll call Angie’s mom and THAT will cause Angie all sorts of heartache and might even set off her condition.” “Wouldn’t Doctor Mercer know that?” “Yes, but the problem is that Angie did something Doctor Mercer thinks is inherently dangerous. She’s almost...
October 20, 1984, McKinley, Ohio After Vespers on Saturday night, I headed back to campus and found a note saying the gang had gone to see Thief of Hearts and would be back around 10:00pm. I was dying to know if Clarissa and Sandy had received their letters from McKinley, but it looked as if I’d have to wait a few hours to find out. Given that my close friends were out, I really didn’t have much to do, so I picked up my guitar and played, though I didn’t sing. I started messing around with...
July 29, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Your mom hasn’t called you yet?” Tasha asked when our small group gathered at her apartment on Sunday afternoon. “No,” I replied. “But I figured it would take a couple of weeks of not hearing from me or Liz before she decides she needs to talk to me.” “You’re doing OK?” “Yes. It’s not all that different from you and Sasha, except that your dad figured it out quickly.” “If by that you mean you shamed him into behaving as a Christian should, then yes.” “How...
May 13, 1985, McKinley, Ohio The phone rang very early on Monday morning, startling me awake. A quick glance at the clock told me that it had to be Angie calling, and I dreaded answering the phone. Reluctantly, I got out of bed and moved across the room to answer it. “Mike,” I said after I picked up the handset. “Mike? It’s Mom.” “Mom?” I gasped in surprise. “What’s wrong?” “Grandpa Loucks had a heart attack,” she said. “Dad is on his way to Chicago.” “How bad?” I asked. “His prognosis...
June 16, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “So that’s it?” Clarissa asked when I hung up the phone on Saturday morning. “Yes. After I talked to the investigators on Thursday morning, they closed the investigation and late yesterday the base commander told Maggie’s dad he wasn’t going to take any action. According to what Karl said, the base commander gave Maggie’s dad an unofficial reprimand about what he said to me, but that won’t have any negative effect on his career.” “And Maggie is going to see...
July 14, 1984, Milford, Ohio “Good morning, Mike! Good morning, Clarissa!” Doctor Mercer said when we walked into her office early on Saturday morning. “Hi, Doctor Mercer!” we both replied. “Clarissa, did you want to talk this morning?” Doctor Mercer asked. She shook her head, “No, I’m fine. Mike can tell you everything.” “OK. Mike, come on in. Clarissa, there’s a deli that serves great coffee on Route 50, just past the Frisch’s and before the Wendy’s, if you want.” “You know what, I...
September 3, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “I understand,” Lara soothed. “I really do. You can’t risk your ordination nor your relationship with Elizaveta. Father Nicholas would know, and neither of us could answer the questions he would have to ask in a way that would satisfy him.” “I’m sorry.” Lara smiled, “Probably not quite as sorry as I am! I should have played the cards somewhat differently; that said, everything we did made perfect sense at the time. May I give you your first wedding...
September 3, 1984, McKinley, Ohio When Lara and I returned to campus just before lunchtime, two McKinley police officers were in the lobby, blocking access to the elevators. “What’s going on?” I asked Nicky, a Senior, who was manning the desk. “An OD on 5,” she said. “Bad?” “The paramedics went up about ten minutes ago. The cops will let you up, but you can’t go to 5.” “Thanks. Any idea who it was or what they took?” “No.” Lara and I headed to the mailboxes where I retrieved letters...
January 24, 1985, McKinley, Ohio The phone rang on Thursday evening while we were studying and I went to my room to answer it. “Hi, Mike; It’s Fran Mercer.” “Hi, Doctor Mercer.” “I had a session with Angie today and explained to her about why the state wouldn’t let her marry. It didn’t go well.” “What happened?” I asked apprehensively. “She became very angry and agitated. Her psychiatrist ordered a mild sedative, but she’s refusing to take it.” “Lord have mercy,” I replied softly. “So...
February 20, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “Are there any guidelines?” I asked Chancellor Evans. “You have quite a bit of leeway, but your speech does need to be approved. If you could have it to me by the first week in May, that’ll give you plenty of time to write it and still leave time for review and any changes that might be appropriate.” “How long should it be?” “According to tradition?” he asked with a slight smile. “Or according to the students?” “Tradition, I suppose,” I replied with a...
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December 16, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “That was an interesting speech by your bishop,” Clarissa said as we relaxed in my room after studying for Monday’s Analytical Chemistry exam. “You mean because it sounded like he was speaking directly to me? Or to you?” “It almost seemed as if he were excusing sin.” “I understand how you could hear it that way, but what he was doing was acknowledging the power it has over us. Paul wrote about it in Romans 7. Believe it or not, I don’t have that entire...
February 9, 1985, Milford, Ohio “Do you mind sitting in the waiting room for five minutes while I talk to Doctor Mercer about Angie?” “That’s fine,” Elizaveta replied as we walked through the door of the building where Doctor Mercer had her office. We went upstairs and into the waiting room and Doctor Mercer greeted us. Elizaveta sat on the couch and Doctor Mercer and I went into her office. “Elizaveta will join us after we talk about Angie,” I said. “You don’t need any private...
August 31, 1984, Duquesne, Pennsylvania “Anything I need to know?” I said as we neared Lara’s house. “Not really. I told you about both sets of parents.” “Names? I mean other than I know your biological dad is Sergei Viktorovich Federov.” “My step-mom is Alisa, my step-dad is Albert, and my biological mom is Elena. My step-siblings are Karolina and Pavel. Oh, and my cat is named Lilia Felicksovna Koshkaa,” she added with a laugh. “Cute! I take it that your step-dad’s house is typically...
September 29, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Yes!” Elizaveta squealed. Everyone clapped and the grandmothers put the choker and bracelet on Elizaveta, who was impatiently waiting to come to me. Just before she did, Gennady hurried over, winked, and we exchanged a Russian greeting, causing everyone but Elizaveta, who simply rolled her eyes, to laugh. Once Gennady moved away, Elizaveta quickly came to me and we hugged tightly, then Elizaveta turned to her maternal grandmother. “Grandmother, may I...
October 13, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “I’d like you each to fill out this worksheet,” Father Nicholas said. “Please do not collaborate on the answers. It’s important for me to understand our starting point. Please don’t overthink this, or write down what you think I want to hear or what you think the other person wants to hear.” I scanned the worksheet before I began, something I did for every exam, quiz, or worksheet, then began with the first questions which mostly had to do with how well I...
November 17, 1984, West Monroe, Ohio “What did you say to get your dad to come upstairs?” Elizaveta asked as we climbed into my Mustang for the drive back to McKinley. “I just insisted he keep his word to you.” “To me? I’ve never spoken to him until today!” “The promise he made, three years ago, to love any girl I married and treat her like a daughter, was made to you. Well, assuming I’m not in enough trouble with you that you’re going to call off the wedding.” “You said you wanted to be...
January 17, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “My parents were kicked out of the church because they wouldn’t make me stop coming to Saint Michael the Archangel,” Mark said when I greeted him and Alyssa on Thursday afternoon. “Are they going to the Lutheran Church?” “Starting on Sunday, yes.” “What about yours, Alyssa?” “They’re supposed to have a meeting with the elders on Saturday morning. I invited them to Saint Michael, and Mark’s parents suggested they go to the Lutheran church.” “But it’s not...
February 16, 1985, Greater Cincinnati, Ohio “Good morning, Subdeacon,” Father Stephen said when Elizaveta and I walked into the main lobby of The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. The hospital was on Mt. Auburn, one of the highest points in the city, and offered a nice view of the city below. Father Stephen was clad in his ryasa. “Father, bless!” I said, holding my cupped hands for his blessing. “Bless you, Subdeacon,” he said, making the sign of the cross over my upturned palms. I kissed...
May 26, 1985, McKinley, Ohio On Sunday morning, I decided to walk my usual route through Doctor Blahnik’s neighborhood, rather than run. I had nervous energy I needed to burn off, but I didn’t want to burn off ALL my energy. I put on my shorts, t-shirt, and running shoes, and went out the front door. I was surprised to find Clarissa sitting on the steps waiting for me. She hopped up and we exchanged a hug. “What are you doing here?” I asked. “Waiting for you! Ready?” “For?” She laughed,...
September 20, 1984, Milford, Ohio “Thanks for coming here, Mike,” Doctor Mercer said when I walked into her office. “I felt I had to. Clarissa and Sandy are at Frisch’s, and I’ll join them when we’re done. They know it could be a while.” “Have a seat,” she invited. Instead of sitting down, I went to the couch, took off my shoes, lay down, and stretched out. Doctor Mercer got up and moved to the chair which was positioned just behind my head. “This is different,” she said. “I know,” I...
December 24, 1984, McKinley, Ohio On Monday, which was Christmas Eve, I slept in, ate a light breakfast, then made some tea and went to sit in the music room to start reading Foundation. I read for about fifteen minutes before Doctor Blahnik came into the room. “What time are you leaving?” she asked “About 11:00am.” “And you’ll be back tonight?” “Around 9:30pm, most likely. We’ll go to Vespers, then have a light meal.” “Will you join Milena, Joel, Derek, and me to decorate the tree? I...
Theophany, January 6, 1985, McKinley, Ohio After I dropped Elizaveta at home, I took a chance and drove to Father Nicholas’ house. Matushka Natalya greeted me at the door and let me in. Father Nicholas invited me to his study. “Sorry to bother you at home, but the bishop suggested I speak to you.” “Am I going to be happy at the end of this conversation?” “Angie drove from Cincinnati on New Year’s Day to talk to me.” “I thought she wasn’t supposed to drive!” “She’s not. She did it...
March 15, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “What did I hear you playing?” Clarissa asked when I came downstairs on Friday afternoon. “Just practicing,” I replied. “Yes, but that was no guitar!” she protested. I frowned, “I really should have skipped practicing this week. It’s a surprise for my wedding.” “Wait! That’s one of those Russian guitars like the girl had in Doctor Zhivago!” “A balalaika,” I confirmed. “It was Doctor Blahnik’s suggestion.” “What songs can you play?” “The only one I play...
April 19, 1985, McKinley, Ohio Elizaveta drove my car to Pizza Inn, where her friends had reserved the small banquet room for the party. She’d be taking her driving test Thursday, and wanted a bit more practice. I was sure she’d pass, but with BMV employees, one never knew what might happen. When we arrived, Elizaveta backed into the parking spot just as I’d taught her, and after locking up the car, we went inside to where ten of her friends and their boyfriends or girlfriends were waiting,...
September 29, 1984, McKinley, Ohio At the close of Vespers, Father Nicholas, I, and two acolytes left the altar. He completed the prayers which served as the Dismissal, then turned to the congregation. “One announcement,” he said. “Tomorrow, immediately following the Divine Liturgy, we’ll have a betrothal ceremony for Subdeacon Michael and Elizaveta Kozlova.” There were a few gasps, but otherwise, no real reaction because we were in the nave, where applause or chatter was completely...
December 31, 1984, McKinley, Ohio Elizaveta greeted me at the door with a soft kiss, then took me to her father’s study. She left me with him and Gennady, then went to the kitchen to put the finishing touches on the meal. I accepted a splash of brandy from Viktor and we toasted. “When do you head back to Harvard?” I asked Gennady. “Wednesday afternoon,” he replied. “You know, I never asked if you had a girlfriend.” “I do. A girl who lives in Boston, but who’ll move here if I ask her to...
Sunday Of The Prodigal Son - February 10, 1985, McKinley, Ohio On Sunday morning, when I left the altar during the canon of Matins to retrieve Father Nicholas’ homily which he’d left in his office, I was pleased to see Mr. and Mrs. Greenwald standing near Mark and Alyssa. When I returned to the altar with Father Nicholas’ notecards, I quietly let him know that they were in attendance. As the Matins moved to the Divine Liturgy, the hymns foretold the destination of our Lenten journey, which...
May 25, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “In Psalm 8, we read - When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers; The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You are mindful of him; And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels; And You have crowned him with glory and honor; You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet. “‘Crowned him with glory and honor’ - that is us,...
December 27, 1984, Rutherford and McKinley, Ohio “Marie, this is my friend Dale Melrose. Dale, this is my friend Marie De Santis.” I could tell by the look on Dale’s face he was VERY attracted to Marie, and knowing Marie, she’d be more than happy to entertain him, if that’s what he wanted. “Dale,” Jocelyn said, “this is my boyfriend, Bill Ebersole. Bill, Dale.” They shook hands and I suppressed a chuckle at the thought that Dale didn’t look at Bill the same way he had at Marie. We walked...
December 28, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “That’s how you left it?” Clarissa asked, later that evening, as we sat by the fireplace. “Given I didn’t have an answer to her question, there wasn’t really anything more I could say. She didn’t make me leave or anything, and we had a nice dinner with her parents and maternal grandparents. And she kissed me properly when I left.” “That’s good, I think.” “I think it’s neutral, which is, I suppose, ‘good’ from one perspective.” “I think you were right...
March 9, 1985, McKinley, Ohio On Saturday morning, Clarissa and I had breakfast together at Doctor Blahnik’s house where we were both staying during break. I’d slept at the dorm the previous night because it didn’t officially close until Saturday at noon. I had walked over from the dorm, made my toast with jam and sliced a grapefruit, then poured a glass of grapefruit juice and joined Clarissa at the kitchen table where she was eating bacon and pancakes with maple syrup. “How are things at...
April 15, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “How are you feeling, Petrovich?” Clarissa asked when she came to my door on Monday morning after I’d run and prayed. “Fine. I slept like a log last night! What did Abby think?” “She was pretty awestruck by the service and had a good time at the party. Everyone else seemed to have a great time, too.” “I think Clark made some new friends,” I chuckled. “He spent like three hours with the old men smoking and drinking!” “So did Gene. Did Jocelyn have to pour...
May 25, 1984, West Monroe, Ohio After our second round, Violet and I went to her bathroom to shower. We needed to get back to the party, so we didn’t take too long, and once we were clean and dry, we dressed and I helped her change the sheets on her bed. She put them in the washing machine, and checked the time so she could return to put them in the dryer. Once she was satisfied there was no remaining evidence, we left the house to walk back to the party. “Thank you for fucking my brains...
Chapter 10: Love And Other Things June 23, 1984, West Monroe, Ohio I’d had to skip my Saturday morning mini-golfing with Dona because Clarissa and I needed to be in McKinley for Sasha’s 11:00am wedding. Saturday weddings were not the norm, but Vladyka ARKADY had granted «ekonomia» because of the circumstances. While we were in the Apostle’s Fast, there were no strict canons against marriage during the Apostles Fast like there were for the Dormition Fast which would begin in a week. Given...
August 4, 1984, Rutherford, Ohio “Hi!” Liz exclaimed when Lara and I walked into the restaurant in Rutherford on Saturday morning. “Hi!” I replied, hugging her. Paul and I shook hands with a nod, I hugged Emmy, and then the five of us sat in a round corner booth. “Liz said you did really well on your test,” Paul said. I nodded, “I’ll get into the school I want, which is all that really mattered to me. Well, I have to have an interview, but I don’t foresee any problems there. Clarissa did...
October 1, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Hi, Ang,” I said when she came to the phone. “Hi, Mike!” she answered. “How are you?” “Fine. How are you?” “OK. Have you thought about what I asked?” “Yes. Has Doctor Mercer talked to you about it?” “Yes,” Angie sighed. “And you agree with her?” “It’s more complicated than that,” I replied gently. “At this point, with my upcoming ordination, that kind of sin would be a serious problem. Father Nicholas warned me, without us talking about you, that he’d...
October 18, 1984, McKinley, Ohio On Thursday Clarissa, Sandy, and I had our fifth and final interviews in Pittsburgh. It followed the same basic pattern as the other four. Each of the schools - McKinley, OSU, UC, Indiana, and Pittsburgh had something to recommend itself. The girls and I discussed the strengths and weaknesses of each of the four schools besides McKinley, and decided, if we all didn’t get into McKinley, our order of choices would be UC, Indiana, Pittsburgh, and then OSU. Any...
October 20, 1984, West Monroe, Ohio “Please do not let my parents bait you into an emotional response,” I said to Elizaveta as I turned off Route 50 in West Monroe. “You think they will?” “I have no idea; I just wanted to warn you.” “Paul seems really nice,” Elizaveta said. “And yes, it was bad that he broke the law, but he and Liz are getting married. So in the end, they’re doing the right thing. You’re five years older than I am, and right now, I’m only about a year older than Liz...
November 3, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “That was fantastic, Mike!” Melody gushed when the debate ended about two hours after it had begun. “He served me up a series of fastballs right over the plate,” I replied. “His mistake was attacking externals at first, because that put him on the wrong foot from the get-go. If he had focused purely on theology, I wouldn’t have been able to score so many points with what amounted to ‘zingers’.” “You had him too tied up in knots trying to explain how he knew...
December 11, 1984, Rutherford, Ohio “What do you want us to do?” Clarissa asked. “If you and Jocelyn will just wait here, Elizaveta and I will go get my dad.” “You’re that confident?” “No, but I have to seem confident to successfully make the case to my dad. And I have less than ten minutes in which to do that.” Jocelyn and I got out of the car, then Clarissa and Elizaveta got out of the back seats. I took Elizaveta’s hand and led her into the County Administration Building. We took the...
January 12, 1985, Greater Cincinnati, Ohio “You came alone?” Doctor Mercer asked when I walked into her office in Milford. “I did. I’m going to see Angie’s pastor after you and I finish our session.” “Did you tell Elizaveta you were going to be here?” “Yes.” “Did you tell her WHY you were going to be here?” “No. That seemed to me to introduce unnecessary turmoil. I did tell my bishop and priest about the situation.” “That’s unexpected. Why tell them and not her?” “I saw my bishop on...
January 12, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “How are you, Mik?” Jocelyn asked when I arrived back at the dorm. “I feel like I’ve gone fifteen rounds with Ali.” “Would you even last one round?” “No, of course not, but I STILL feel like I was in the ring for the full fifteen.” “I know you usually talk to Clarissa, but she’s with Abby. I have an ear if you want.” “I love you, Jos; that’s never changed. And I can use an ear.” “Then come on,” she said. “Your room?” “We’ll leave the door open if you...
Great and Holy Thursday, April 11, 1985, McKinley, Ohio I slept in Thursday morning, then ran, showered, dressed, and then, because Elizaveta was in school, drove directly to the church. Elizaveta would be there, but her mom would pick her up just in time to get to the service, then take her back to school immediately afterwards. Attendance at the service, which commemorated the Last Supper, was usually sparse as people had to work or be in school. The same would be true for the Friday...