Chapter 39

Pavlo-Ochakovo, Rostov Oblast, Russia is a nice place ... but like a lot of nice places that one arrived at with a military escort, it’s hard to get out of without one. Within range of Edem, the resort, there are three airfields. Only one has flights out ... the others? Not so much.

The boat was going to be docked in Edem until someone decided they should go. Russia is Russia and had been a repressive country longer than it had been a democracy ... stretching the meaning of the word.

But ... I was something they were unused to dealing with ... a pregnant foreigner. They ‘expedited’ my escape.

“Da. You can go.”

Cyn was willing to take me to the field to the west ... still a military installation ... they weren’t willing. RostAero is east in Rostov ... and I could go there. I and my wallet would be greeted with open arms. With open palms. But it was the bus ... Cyn wasn’t thrilled. I was dumped. At the airport I was told I could fly from there ... to Moscow ... or Volgograd ... or damn near any other place in Russia ... but. To exit Russia? Moscow.

Departing Moscow ... Helsinki ... because ‘Helsinki is where we go.’

After ‘questions’ from ‘friendly’ persons, I could take the Maytag to Stockholm. I did.

Stockholm to London.

London to Nuuk ... no ... really ... Nuuk. N.U.U.K ... Nuuk, Greenland.

Then, on to Ottawa, Canada.

The fun and games began in Ottawa. I have a New Zealand passport. The sitting President of the United States had declared me alive again. So I am a citizen in the USA. No longer a ‘persona non grata’, I was ‘grata’ again ... but not everyone who got the memo read it ... and EVERYONE got the memo ... and signed the return ... mail guys and girls ... guards ... secretaries ... runners ... interns ... border guys ... Sergeants at arms ... Speaker of the House ... Senators ... Congressmen and their wives and children ... the Flintkotes were people ... again. Twelve years ... people. Of course ... while we weren’t people they destroyed my town ... moved all my people god only knows where ... and DISCONNECTED the electricity to my home.

“This number is no longer in service. If you feel you may have misdialed, check your directory.”

After three of those I started hanging up at the “This number...”

When it’s not a possible fatality and we survived ... I did what all women do in like circumstances ... Shopping! Capital S.

“TAXI!”

“Take me to there nearest Mall.”

“Yes, Ma’am,”

“I’m too young to be a ‘ma’am,’ I’m Melody.”

“Charles.” He leaned a hand ... I shook it.

“Charles?” I asked, “How much to hire you for the day?”

“Hire?”

“Yes ... but you’ll need to fetch and carry.”

“Fetch and carry?”

“Yes,” I said.

“All day?”

“On a decent day, I clear a hundred and twenty-five.”

“What’s your best day?”

He got a faraway look, “Canada wide Baptist Convention... 500 ... but it was constant.”

“So ... Five hundred and follow me around?”

He picked up a microphone...

“Charles,” he said.

The radio squawked, “Charles.”

“I’m out of service ... I have an all day.”

“Very good, Charles is out of service.”

“American cash?”

“You bet!”

Canadian exchange is 68 cents ... he was making an extra 32 cents on a buck.

I paid on the spot.

“Rideau Mall, Charles.”

We hadn’t been in the Mall but an hour when Charles said, “I’m going to need a van.”

He called it in. Soon a driver approached and swapped keys.

“That your fare?”

“Yes.”

“You have all the luck.”

“She’s feeding me, too.”

Funny ... my bank is gone., ... but my card works...

Lightbulb moment!

Do I really want to? I did this before ... remember?

1-800-847-2911

RING

“All operators are with other customers. If you know your party’s extension dial it now.”

I didn’t bother to listen to the rest of the announcement, I put my phone in my pocket and asked, “Is there a Visa office in Ottawa?”

“Several. The closest is across the street,” Charles said, “Unless you want to deal with the Mall.”

Ottawa is quaint and cosmopolitan ... old narrow streets and wide thoroughfares ... ancient buildings and modern construction. The street we had to cross was WIDE ... and not as dangerous as HongKong. Tokyo maybe ... but not HongKong.

“Welcome to Visa ... hello Charles.”

“Does everybody know you?”

“Pretty much.”

I handed her my card.

“???”

“I need to know where my money is coming from.”