east west

zdrastvitsya

during my lunch today i took a walk by the river....there's a floating dock thing that goes around the marina, and i recently discovered that it's actually open to public access. it's an amazing view from there, because you're way out in the water and have a chance to turn and look back at the city from a different angle. apparently i wasn't the only one who discovered this floating dock thing either. there was an old russian woman, with a skirt, shirt, vest, coat, hat, two layers of socks, a scarf, and sturdy brown shoes meddling with something by the water's edge. i came closer, and she had a huge roll of fishing line that she was attaching cottage cheese to - and then placing it in the water, at varying intervals along the length of the dock. she had a blue bucket with her, so i guess she was fishing. she surprisingly looked up when i came along and smiled.....i ventured a hello and she nodded her head in return.
i thought about coming back and sitting beside her - hearing what she had to say. but i was afraid i'd bother her - what if this is her only quiet hour during a day of taking care of an aging husband, worrying about her delinquent children who probably have three rebellious kids of their own, trying to figure out how to deal with landlords in a place that's unfamiliar, jumping at every siren wail, keeping all her money under the mattress.... maybe she'll be back tomorrow. and maybe the day after that. if i keep coming by enough, maybe she'll show me how to fish with cheese.

posted by jessica @ 1:37 PM