Monday, April 30, 2007

Stowaway

I've got a pretty great story to tell now. So, the break I was looking forward to for so long is finally here. Our group has split into three. Four girls have gone to Austria, three have gone to Yalta, and I am staying in Kyiv with the last three. This happened two nights ago, and I've been to tired to post it until now.
I was with the group going to Austria as they walked to the train station. Their train was due to leave at 11:50 and it was about 11:15 when we got there. It was about then that Janae realized that she had forgotten her camera battery charger at her house. There was no way to go get it in time, but Meagan's house was pretty close, so we decided I could try to run there and get Meagan's camera and charger. Then Janae could just put her card into Meagan's camera.
I ran up the hill and back without any trouble at all. Okay, maybe I had shin splints and was completely winded when I got back, but the point is that I made it. Unfortunately, while I was gone Janae, who'd been feeling sick that night, threw up a little on the floor. When I got there some guys were mopping it up. She said she'd be alright to go anyway, and so I carried her bag for her onto the train. That's a normal thing for gentlemen to do here, as long as they get of when the conductor shouts for the escorts to leave.
It just so happened that the girls ended up in the same wagon as a man who I will never understand. He was walking up and down the halls shouting profanities at anything that got in his way. I don't know if he was drunk or on crack or both, but he was out of control, and I happened to be one of those things in his way. He rudely shoved his way past me and I calmly let him know how I felt about that. That led to a long tide of curses from him, but I didn't back down. Eventually he walked away and the girls pulled me into their room to keep anything else from happening. They think I'm pretty stupid for acting like that sometimes.
I was wishing them luck and telling them how sorry I was that they were stuck within hearing range of that maniac, who was still shouting up and down the hall, when Meagan asked me if I'd noticed that the train was moving. I guess the conductor called for the escorts to leave while I was getting an earful from the psycho, so I didn't hear him. I ran to the door as fast as I could and tried to open it when the conductor stopped me and asked what I was doing. I told him that I wasn't supposed to be in the train and needed to get off. He told me I'd have to wait for the next stop. It was two hours away. I went and told the girls that I was a stowaway and Janae told me I should have jumped off. I decided she meant it in a good way.
The good thing is that those two hours gave me time to clear up a few more dilemmas. Janae was going to be in a room apart from the other, but I asked someone to switch her tickets and he politely agreed. Then I helped the girls make their beds and explained to the conductor that Janae was sick but that she and the other girls would take care of it themselves.
There was a really nice guy in the room next to the girls' who said he'd look out for them if anything happened before he got off on his stop. He let me use his cell phone to call Tanya, our director. I had time to say I was on a train to Austria before I wsa cut off. He also told me that the stop they were going to kick me out on was really dangerous and that I should probably just bribe the conductor and go farther so I could get of on his stop and then he'd help me get back. I told him that I'd think about it, but I was pretty sure that I could take care of myself. I actually wouldn't have had to bribe the conductors. I had a nice talk with them and they would have let me go all the way to Austria for free if I would have had my passport.
When we got to the stop I jumped off the train and ran to the ticket office. I got a ticket back for 9 hrivyas (about two dollars) and caught the train back immediately after. It took three hours to get back, so it was about 5:00 am when I got to Kyiv. I decided I deserved some McDonald's before heading home.
The metro still wasn't running, so I changed my course and headed to the head teacher's apartment. The girls who stayed in Kyiv were sleeping there and after ringing about a hundred times I woke Diedre up. She let me in (I was worried she would think it was a joke and not open the door) and I staggered in and fell on the floor. I told her that I had a story to tell her in the morning and fell asleep.
I've heard from Meagan and she says things are going fine, but I'm still worried. She'd say things were fine if they were being held hostage by an insane gunman. But, I'm sure they'll take care of themselves. And now I've got yet another random story to bore my friends with.

6 comments:

Vatermann said...

Jesh,

I have this to say about those girls you are always hanging out with. You say it's against the rules to get romantically involved. I say, what are they going to do if you break the rules? Dock your pay? Wait, they don't pay you anything anyway. Quit being the big brother, pick the best one, and make a move. She's probably wondering why you aren't interested in her anyway. Dating is good for the RM soul. You need to prepare for your future wife.

Colin

rjay said...

Why was I not surprised to see Colin's name at the end of that post? There are ten girls, and hooking up with one of them--especially if it ended up not working out quickly--would make things awkward for everyone. Get to know them now and then bust a move when you get home. They're not going to hook up with anyone else in the meantime, and then, if they don't stay in good contact, you could even date several of them at the same time. Sweet.

rjay said...

ps. Jesh, you can't reason with people who have a psychotic mental disorder. Leave them alone and come home with no knife scars.

Vatermann said...

At least I only said to hook up with one rather than several at a time.
It may be the businessman in me, but it sure seems like a waste of a perfectly good monopoly position in dating. In the absense of competition, the monopolist always wins. Supply and demand. 10 girls, one guy. Jesh's stock price is through the roof.

Christina Marie said...

Your guy friends need a good shaking. Please! ILP is not the way to find your E.C. You forgot to mention us Muskovites in your blog! I'm hurt! JK. I'll cover it on my blog soon enough.

Unknown said...

Jesh, I'm so glad you didn't follow Rodney's and Colin's advice in these comments. I am so lucky to have you! Also, I'm sorry, but I can't help reading these posts of yours! There are so many stories I have never heard. Also, don't take this in too weird of a way (since you weren't much younger than I am now) but I think I'm falling in love with your younger recently returned missionary self... Meaning I love you now more than ever and if I knew you back then I would have had a huge crush on you. I love you!