Chapter 3

Strangers in the Night: 3.

Finnish (or Suomi, or suomen kieli) is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in neighboring Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meankieli, a Finnish dialect, are spoken. The Kven language, a dialect of Finnish, is spoken in Northern Norway.

Like so many who passed through Ellis Island, the unpronounceable Finnish names were changed by the immigration authorities. Grandmother and Grandfather Bleeker, maternal grandparents, have tales of Finland, passed by word of mouth for generations. They tell of the Thousand Lakes Region and it's importance as a vacation spot. They tell of the 200 mile trip always driven at high speed so as to get the most out of the weekend. The roads are gravel and meander to reach as many of the Lakes as possible. The terrain is hilly, rocky and glacial. The topsoil is thin, the roads are excellent.

"Doctor? What do I say to them?"

"Everyone knows ... it happens ... just call them Mom and Pop. The family will help you. You are their son and brother. The body is the same ... the mind is different. His mind," he nodded at my new body, "Will be going through the same thing."

I couldn't help thinking, Like hell it will ... they'll have the poor sap locked up immediately Mom gets him home. I wondered if I should mention that. No ... If these guys have any idea their transferees populate the mental institutions they won't treat me so nice.

"Say, Doctor. How are things with the Soviets? Ketkä ovat Neuvostoliitto. " The Finns and the Soviets are bitter enemies in my time.

"Who?"

"The Russians. Venäjälle.

"We have no trouble with the, how did you call them? Venäjälle, the Russians ... Se on tsaari Iivana Julman luona. It's the Czar. He wishes our country. We wish to be free. The only thing stopping him is the War."

"War?"

"With the Kaiser"

"Germany?"

"The French, Belgium, Italy, England, America, Russia ... all fighting the Germans in France."

"Ah ... the First World War."

"There's a second?"

"Yes ... in the forties. But Finland will be at war with Russia in 1919. It's called The Winter War."

He made a note.

"The book my sister was reading," I looked around and spotted it. "That one."

He picked it up and noticed the date.

"This must be fifteen years old ... March 1901? Yah, it's 1916. I wonder where she found it?"

"It's a hospital ... people always leave magazines and books in waiting rooms," I said. "It's in English."

"Maybe she studies foreign languages in school," he said.

When life takes unexpected turns, it seldom ... at least for me ... well ... except for lightning strikes and waking up in someone else's body ... hmmm ... maybe fast turns and unexpected jumps and full throttle drops are normal for everybody. Is my life ever going to relax? Probably not.

Damn.

"Ok, Doc ... send in the clowns," I started laughing ... the laughter took a turn for the worse and I was having hysterics ... not funny HaHa hysterics and not funny Sheesh hysterics ... it was full bore, buckle the brass buckles tighter, fuck me running, I am so screwed, completely out of control hysterics. And now I have to meet the parents and the kiddies. Whoop-te-do!

"Maybe not," said the Doctor. He went out and stopped them. I could see him gesticulating and holding up his hands ... trying to hold back the tide ... He Was MOSTLY successful. She ... the girl with the shadows under her sweater ... she wormed her way past him and walked in the room.

Her voice was the voice of the angels ... her shape would have done Michelangelo proud ... she had a better command of English than I did ... but the most intriguing accent. She thrust those marvelous breasts ... nearly breaking my neck ... and said, "I stay the night. We talk ... you'll be fine ... I managed ... you can do it."