I am standing in the cathedral, the service is in progress. Lev Ivanovich is coming in, dressed in his yellow robe. I wanted to hide. First thought - he is going to come and, in best case, ask something. I am growing into the church column. He passed me by.
Now he goes the other way, to the exit. Coming toward to me, saying: "I need to change my walking stick to the black one". We went to the White house. He came back from his cell in sunglasses. I wonder, what all changes in his outfit might mean?
We went to the cemetery. I was looking for the grave of Father Gerasim. Lev Ivanovich said that he surely was at the funeral. He didn't show me the grave though, and did not concentrate on my question - out of three cemeteries where the grave is? - at all.
He was in the spring mood. He recited poems (told that he wrote these poems :) Told me that his dream is to go to New Diveevo monastery, to see his mother's grave. (People, may be someone can take him there!)
He asked me if i'm married. Then, answering my question, he optimistically said: "Not yet". Offer me to marry him :) When i said that i need "to think", he recited me Krilov fable "The Monkey and the Glasses". Presentation unexpectedly ended up with "...you were singing all this time - now go dance!" (out of completely different fable).
He was very gentle and kind, in the Easter mood. I blame myself that i didn't take him for a ride to the country...
Lev Ivanovich with the Easter bread. 2005. Jordanville, NY
Lev Ivanovich at the cathedral. 2005. Jordanville
Lev Ivanovich is making sure everything is OK. Jordanville, 2005
Lev Ivanovich and the novice Alexander Chernavski. Jordanville 2005
1 comment:
...Now go dance. Now I know who Lev is, could'nt recognise him with those funky shades. But in that Cossack belt, I would know him anywhere.
His is fully retired, having passed thru the last obedience at monastery, carrying the ashes out from the bread oven. He used to hang out with me, vlad, and Anatoli in the bakery room, and one day Lev had a clove of garlic on the bread-table in front of him, and to mince it to eat raw, he picked up a knife. I jumped back and held my hands up in surrender as if to say, please dont stab me- Lev got the silent joke and thought it immensely funny.
He insists that I am Russian.I insist that God shows us his mercy in the same measure with which we love and include people like Lev. And, hey, it's not every day you get a marriage proposal!----
r.
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