Perestroika Page #4

swirled in acrid smog.

All around the city underground

swamps were on fire.

The "refusniks" would jokingly

remark that the Egyptian plagues

had begun.

Applying for emigration was

risky.

One might never get permission

to leave and be forced to remain

in Russia an outlaw -

"a refusnik" with your career

and life ruined.

Still I wasn't afraid. Somehow I

was sure of my luck.

Our committee reviewed your

application to change your

permanent place of residence

to the country of Israel and

decided that permission should

not be granted.

On what grounds?

On the grounds that you were

involved in classified work.

But the Institute where I worked

was not classified.

You cannot know that.

Our committee only can know

which organizations are

classified and which aren't.

I suggest you find some other

work.

You may return to us in not less

than three years.

What will happen if I find work

and in three years

you again decide that it is

classified?

Then you will again be refused.

The woman who works for me has all

the footage you are looking for.

She shot it herself, so there won't

be any problem with the copyright.

Let's go right now to the

editing room in my church.

In 15 minutes we are expected to

be at the Congress banquet.

Then you'll come to my place tomorrow

first thing in the morning. Agree?

Ladies and gentlemen! We have a

very special guest with us today!

For those of you who don't know,

he like many others,

had to leave us during the years

of stagnation.

And he is the first of

immigrants we knew, who has come

back to visit us.

It is Sasha Greenberg!

This is especially difficult for

me,

as you all know Greenberg is my

pupil.

But treason is treason.

Therefore, we'll all have to

tear the traitor from our hearts.

I confess I should have

exercised more foresight,

I should have recognized

Greenberg as a future traitor

right away. I am guilty.

I only hope never to repeat this

mistake.

We are proud of Sasha's success

in America,

his achievements are ours, for

he is flesh of our flesh and

blood of our blood.

All the more joyous this day,

when we can again be together.

Sasha, come over to my house!

You can't refuse, I've already

got a lamb!

Does anyone else want to say

anything?

Comrades, comrades, what is

happening here?

Greenberg wants to emigrate to

Israel

and professor Gross can find

nothing better than to accuse

him of treason?!

Of course, we all know that

Greenberg is a traitor.

Our nation fed him, nourished

Greenberg, spent money for his

education,

and now he wants to emigrate to

Israel,

to give his knowledge to our

imperialistic enemies,

to the enemies of the all

progressive humankind!

Comrades, I think we should

petition the authorities not to

allow this!

Greenberg's place is not Israel,

it's prison!

What do you think about that?

You, Tolik Gurov!

You used to be his friend!

Come up here!

Tell us what you think!

This is true. Sasha was my

friend... I am sorry...

Who could have known?

Who could have guessed?

I will try to not have friends

again... I mean, such friends.

This is better, with the water.

In case it's bugged.

You're not mad at me, are you?

He just left me no choice.

It doesn't matter what I say.

You're leaving anyway.

I'm the one who has to stay

here...

Maybe I should leave too?

What do you think?

Just because Galileo publicly

denied his beliefs,

the Earth did not stop orbiting

the Sun.

It is all, like Hamlet said,

words, words, words.

Thanks.

For what?

For being the only one to not

say anything.

Was I?

Yes.

It's alright. It's just a

ritual, anyway. No one really

thinks like that.

Yeah. Right.

Want to come over? I have some

vodka... OK? Let's go.

No shame! No shame at all!

Now they're bringing men to the rooms...

Oh, wait till I call the police.

Don't pay any attention.

She's totally harmless.

You know, I was in love with you

our freshmen year.

I suspected it.

Why didn't you say something?

Everybody was in love with you.

Swarms of Casanovas...

I was too shy.

Shall we drink to your

departure, yeah?

It's a little strange -

everybody wanted to be with you

and you're still not married.

Yeah, I'm too picky.

Why aren't you married?

I guess I'm too picky also.

To the picky ones.

You may stay here, if you want.

It's hard to believe you're

leaving us.

We'll never see each other

again. "Never".

Never-never-never-never

It's a strange word...Never.

It's not definite yet.

I'm the first PhD physicist to

apply for emigration. They may

not let me out.

Oh, you will leave.

And a good thing too.

You'll be happy there...

Just don't try being noble right

now and asking me to marry you

so we could leave together.

My life's already planned out.

I'll never make a good wife, I'm afraid.

I can't serve astrophysics and a

man too at the same time.

I would like to have a baby,

though...

and I think sometimes: what if I

pick one of you guys, one of the

best, and get pregnant.

I would hide it from the father,

of course.

It's easier to care for a child without

having to care for a man too, huh?

So, there is theory in your

solitude.

Well, then, in mine too.

I have thought of leaving many

times,

I just couldn't figure out how.

I've thought of defecting even.

What would I do with a wife?

It's just pure luck for me that

emigration started when it did...

What? Oh, are you afraid I'm going

to try and get pregnant right now?

Don't worry. Not tonight.

Do you like her?

She is my daughter.

You see, I did it.

I had a child and I raised her

without a husband.

I had this certain plan.

Sasha knew about it.

Doesn't her father know he has a

daughter?

I didn't tell him.

And her?

I didn't tell her either.

Once, when she got especially

persistent, I told her she

couldn't meet him anyway.

She wanted to know why. I said,

"because he is an American".

She got stuck on the idea, she tells

everyone her father is an American,

she speaks to everybody in

English...

So it goes.

Is he actually American?

In a way.

Let me introduce you two.

Sasha, Jill, this is Elena.

Elena, as you know, Sasha is my

old friend.

Mom has told me lots about you.

And not just Mom.

You're sort of a legend around

here.

To my surprise, I am discovering

this for myself.

As well as some other things.

Why did you name her Elena?

Why not?

I see you've met my namesake.

We've become quite good friends

in the past few days.

I don't have any friends!

I'm sorry.

Don't take it personally.

I really don't have any friends.

Why don't you have friends,

Elena?

Do you?

As a matter of fact, yes.

That's just because you're

American.

Around here, we don't do that.

What nonsense you're saying!

Don't you know how many friends

I have?

I know. That's why I said it.

She's so difficult lately.

Adolescence, you know.

Comrades! Comrades! Ladies and

Gentlemen!

Sasha Greenberg is not the only

old friend we are greeting today

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