Russian

Sam reads his parents' email to Katya in the kitchen: she writes that they land on the fifteenth, Dad writes that he has already packed, Mum says two weeks and Dad says that's too little, and Mum writes that she wants to meet you.

Galina Petrovna offers the spare room and Sam passes on his parents' wishes: they asked me to book a hotel, Mum asked not to trouble you, Dad asked me not to argue, then a hotel nearby but dinner here every evening.

Sam phones the Hotel Sokolniki for his parents: good afternoon, I would like to book a room for two, from the fifteenth to the twenty-ninth of August, a double with breakfast, could you tell me how much, six thousand a night, in whose name.

Baba Valya plans the menu and Sam passes on his parents' questions: what do your parents eat, Mum asked whether you make pancakes, does your dad eat fish, he asked whether there is fish in the river, Mum asked whether she may help in the kitchen, we'll see.

Dima at the studio asks what the parents have asked: Dad asked what you like, good coffee, Mum asked what Galina Petrovna likes, books and a warm scarf, Dad asked where to buy roubles, here at the airport, I'll write to them tonight.

Arrivals at Sheremetyevo with Sam in the middle: which one is your dad, the tall one in the hat, Mum says hello, tell her welcome to Moscow, she says you're prettier than in the photo, tell your dad I'll take the bags, tell them we're all very glad.

The first dinner at Galina Petrovna's table with Sam translating: please sit down, enjoy your meal, Mum says it's very beautiful, try the pies, the best pies of his life, may I give you more, pass the bread please, ask your mum whether she drinks tea with lemon, thank you for everything.

Sam's father and the old upright piano in the living room: he said it's older than the flat, he's right, he said he will fix the pedal tomorrow, tell him he's a guest, a good guest fixes pedals, then tell him we'll be glad, he said he would bring his tools.

Red Square with the parents and a passer-by who takes the photo: excuse me, could you take a photo of us, where do I press, all four of us with the cathedral, are they your parents, you wouldn't know where the entrance to the Kremlin is, through the Alexander Garden, you've been very kind, have a good walk.

A week of impressions reported at Dima and Lena's new flat: Mum said she had never seen such a metro, Dad asked why nobody smiles in the metro, I said that at home they smile, Mum asked when the dacha is and asked me to bring boots.

Saturday morning in the courtyard, Uncle Vova's car will not start and Sam's father wants a look: it won't start again, we'll be late, Dad offers to have a look, he says an engine is an engine, let him look, tell him the spanner is in the boot, he says it's the battery, I said that too.

Baba Valya meets Sam's parents at the gate of the dacha: come in, dear guests, meet my parents, and by patronymic, in America there are no patronymics, call him Tom, then for him I'm Valentina Ivanovna, Mum brought you a scarf, make yourselves at home.

Uncle Vova runs the banya and Sam's father is in his hands: tell your father to put the hat on, he asks why a hat in the heat, so that his head doesn't burn, tell him to lie down and not be afraid of the birch twigs, he says he's afraid of nothing, we'll see, after the banya into the pond, enjoy your steam.

The river below the dacha at dawn, Uncle Vova with two rods and Sam's father between them: quiet, the fish hear, Dad says at home they fish for salmon, ask how big, he showed with his hands, ask how they catch it, he told me they stand in the river, explain to him why we sit on the bank, he says it's more beautiful here.

Baba Valya's kitchen at the dacha, pies on the table and Sam's mother at the end of it: a little pie, she says she's full, just a tiny piece with a drop of tea, well, one tiny piece, nobody says no to you, the secret of the pickles, Mum asks for the recipe, tell her to come next summer.

The long table under the apple trees, two families and the toasts: dear friends, I want to raise a glass to our guests, to the meeting, my dad wants to say a toast, I'll translate, to this house and to the people in it, well said, to the hosts, to the children, to your health.

The birch wood behind the dacha with baskets, Baba Valya in front and Sam's mother learning fast: don't take that one, tell your mother, she asks how you know, sixty years in this wood, she advised us to take only these, she warned us not to touch the red ones, don't go far, Mum found a whole family, good girl.

A jeweller's on the Arbat, Lena sworn to secrecy: promise that you won't tell anyone, I promise I won't say a word, what interests you, a ring for a proposal, allow me to show you these, what size, my size, Katya said she doesn't like gold, then the white one, an excellent choice.

The box office of the Bolshoi with Dima along for courage: would you be so kind, two tickets for Swan Lake on Saturday, there are seats in the stalls and the dress circle, which would you recommend, the dress circle, you see the whole stage, take the dress circle and a box of chocolates, two in the dress circle, eight thousand, the performance begins at seven, till Saturday.

Swan Lake at the Bolshoi, and in the interval Sam asks: your tickets, dress circle up the stairs on the left, it's beautiful, why are you so quiet, I've wanted to ask you for a long time, ask, will you marry me, yes, of course yes, silly, third bell, go into the hall, we're coming, Katya said yes.

Dima and Lena want the whole story at the studio: I asked whether she would marry me, she answered that of course she would, she said that I'm silly, the usher said it was the third bell, when is the wedding, Katya said she will tell her mother herself.

Sam's parents leave for the airport from the flat at Sokolniki: let's sit a moment before the road, Mum asks why, so that the road is kind, what did your parents say about us, Mum cried and said she always knew, Dad asked when the wedding is and said he will come, a safe journey, regards to Portland.

At the kitchen table Katya reports her mother's one-word answer and the sentence that followed: I told Mum, and what did she say, she said good and only that, you should have talked to her first, with her first and then with you, it's old-fashioned but it's Mum, then I'll talk to her, seriously.

In the corridor at Sokolniki Sam asks Galina Petrovna for a talk: may I have a minute, of course, it won't take long, I would like to talk to you seriously, I thought so, when is it convenient for you, now isn't convenient, Saturday after lunch, I'll come at three, come and don't worry.

A flower stall by the metro, Dima coaching: an odd number and not yellow, why not yellow, just because, trust me, allow me, five roses please, white or red, may I pay by card, shall I wrap them nicely, yes please, thanks a lot.

Saturday at three in Galina Petrovna's living room: these are for you, sit down, I love your daughter and I ask for your blessing, you should have come earlier but you came, I know, forgive me, I ask for your daughter's hand, where will you live, in Moscow with the permit and the work at the school, good, go on.

The second half of the talk, the tea gone cold: Katya told me that you are a good man, according to Mama you are already one of us, Baba Valya said that, she says that about nobody and I see it myself, I will do everything for Katya, then I give you both my blessing, I will never forget this.

Baba Valya's kitchen, the ring shown: show me the ring, here Baba, beautiful, Sam come here, don't cry Granny, congratulations and love and harmony to you both, we're very happy, thank you Valentina Ivanovna, Baba Valya as always, be happy children, we will be.

Igor hears the news at the studio: I hear congratulations are in order, the whole studio already knows, what did Galina Petrovna say, she said she gives her blessing but that the wedding should be in summer at the dacha, Mum said that to me too, pass my congratulations on to Katya, I certainly will, and the grand needs tuning, not a request but an order.

Sunday dinner at Sokolniki: we have known each other all these years, let's be on the friendly you, thank you, may I, you may, try, Sam's first thank you to Galina Petrovna as a friend, Mama finally, in summer the registry office and then the dacha, now sit down children, dinner.