Russian

The morning after the school's offer, at the kitchen table: so you're staying, I'm staying till spring, I work from Monday, the visa is till December, then on Monday to the office, eat my pancakes till spring.

Galina Petrovna brings Sam to her old music school and the director shows him the pianos: good afternoon, how many years, this is Sam the tuner, we have twelve pianos, and two grands, one is old, where is it, in the hall, come.

In the director's office, what the visa needs: what do you need for the visa, I need a letter from the school, here's the letter, what else, two photographs and a passport, do you need a translation, I don't know, maybe, ask at the office.

At the counter of the office, with Dima waiting outside: next, I want to extend my visa, till when, till March, I work at the school, passport, letter and two photographs, fill in the form, come back in a week, in a week, in December.

Sam at work in the hall, the director watching: what are you doing now, first I listen, and then, then I tune, string by string, is one piano long, two hours, sometimes three, and then the second one, no, then lunch, then the second one.

The kitchen in the evening, Baba Valya asking about Sam's day: at what time do you get up, at seven, so early, and breakfast, at eight, at nine I'm at the school, at what time are you home, at six, then I play, then supper, and you, Katya, when do you sleep, at two.

Dima lays out the week and Galina Petrovna adds Saturday: on Monday I'm at the studio, I'm at the school till Friday, on Friday there's a concert, come, I'm free after six, on Saturday we're all at the dacha, in the snow, Uncle Vova has a stove, and on Sunday we sleep.

The window on a December morning: look out of the window, snow, it's snowing, yes, winter, it's cold today, how many degrees, minus ten, is minus ten cold, no, that's warm, minus twenty is cold, put on a hat.

The market with Katya, at minus fifteen: aren't you cold, I'm cold, very cold, you need a warm hat, good afternoon, what would you like, a warm hat and boots, this hat is very warm, size, boots, forty-three, now you're a Muscovite.

The bus never comes at minus twenty, so Sam takes a taxi to the school: to Sokolniki, please, sit down, cold today, the bus isn't coming, yesterday it was minus twelve, and tomorrow, tomorrow it will be minus twenty-five, your ears are red, tea, yes please.

Sam is in bed with a cold, Galina Petrovna at the door and Katya with a thermometer: what's wrong with you, my head hurts, do you have a temperature, I'm cold, thirty-eight and five, lie down, tea with raspberry jam, are you a doctor already, almost.

Sam goes to the pharmacy on his own: hello, I need something for the throat, does it hurt a lot, I have a cough, this syrup three times a day after meals, these one every three hours, how much altogether, get well.

Sam is on his feet again and Dima is home from work: you're alive, what did you do yesterday, I slept, then I read, all day, I watched a film, which one, Katya said watch it, did you understand it, no, but I laughed.

Uncle Vova arrives three hours late with a fir tree on the car: here's your tree, where were you, at the dacha, the car didn't start, was it cold, minus twenty-eight, the tree was in the garden, behind the bathhouse, carry it up, mum's waiting.

The kitchen on the thirty-first, Baba Valya in command: cut the potatoes, small, like this, smaller, now the eggs, peas, pickles, sausage, and mayonnaise, add it and mix, delicious, of course, it's Olivier.

The department store with Dima: presents, for whom, for mum, for grandma, for Katya, for mum a scarf, for grandma tea, and for Katya, ask the assistant, for a girl a book, a candle, a scarf, a book about jazz, about music, yes.

The table at five to midnight, the chimes on the television: everyone to the table, sit by me, champagne, glasses, quick, the chimes, listen, Happy New Year, I wish you health and happiness, and you, Sam, happiness and a good wife, grandma!

A walk in the park on the first of January, and Lena joins them: how was the night, we ate, drank and danced till three, I slept till noon, I went to the river, to the fireworks, on foot, no, by metro, where did you go today, nowhere, I came to you.

The children's party at the music school, Uncle Vova in the red coat: can you play the fir tree song, I don't know it but I can play by ear, here is Grandfather Frost, hello children, Uncle Vova?!, sh, can you play, play, children sing, I can play, I can't sing.

Dima brings Sam to the studio and Igor hears him play: this is Sam, the tuner, the American, does he play, a little, that's not a little, that's jazz, how long have you been in Moscow, already two months, two months and you speak Russian, come on Friday, we're recording.

February at the kitchen table: when does winter end, at the end of March, in Portland in winter it rains, in summer it's warm and dry, here in summer the dacha, in autumn mushrooms, in spring mud, then lilac.

The rink in Gorky Park: two tickets and two pairs of skates, size, forty-three, back by nine, can you stand up, I can't, help, I can't, I'm laughing, I'm falling again.

The metro home with Dima: what will you do in March, I'll work at the school, and in April, I don't know, the visa is till March, will you go home, maybe, who will tune the piano, you, I'll teach you.

The first morning of Maslenitsa, pancake week, at Baba Valya's stove: this week is pancake week, pancakes every day, pour the batter, a lump, the first pancake is always lumpy, with what, with sour cream, and with caviar, caviar on Sunday, with the family.

The last day of pancake week at the fair in the park: let's go to the fair, first let's eat, hot pancakes, five for three hundred, let's take ten with sour cream, tea from the samovar, they're burning winter, let's go and look, goodbye winter.

The kitchen at two in the morning: why aren't you asleep, the exam is on Thursday, I have to study, which exam, surgery, three hundred questions, do you need tea, I need coffee, strong, you have to sleep, mum, I have to study.

Exam day: the wish at the door and its answer, then how was the exam, I passed, a five, well done, congratulations, we're waiting, there's cake, I'm coming, I'm hungry, well done, my clever girl.

Women's Day: today is the eighth of March, and, flowers for mum, grandma and Katya, tulips, mimosa, roses, three bouquets, five each, right, five, not four, this is for you, happy eighth of March, lunch is at two.

The director's office in March: when does your visa end, soon, in two weeks, stay, there's a contract, for how long, a year or two, I don't know, I'll think, think, call tomorrow, I'll call, and I'll tell my parents.

The kitchen table with the whole family: what did your parents say, they said stay, and you, I'm staying, for a year, a whole year, but I need my own room, near the Arbat, I know a room, a year, good, and the pancakes are ready.