“Come on in? Should I heat up some tea for us? I can tell you what I told your bosses last night.”
She disappeared quickly from in front of my window without calling her dog this time, leaving him to roam between the trees. I got myself quickly dressed and headed up to the market.
It was no great surprise to me when I stepped off the bus on Gorkiy Square on Tuesday morning to see who now I referred to as my ‘British Knight’ in spanking white trainers, smoking on the street corner, pretending he was waiting for a mini-bus. As I was on my way to classes I didn’t pay him any attention and continued up towards the Gagarin Street campus. Perhaps he will join us for a lecture on Dostoyevsky? It would probably do him some good. He did not enter the building but I saw him duck into a student cafe across the street from the main building. He could spend his whole day smoking and waiting for all I cared.
Before the class was to begin Valentina Petrovna stepped out of her office and asked me to step in for a few minutes.
“It will be fine to be a few minutes late for the lecture, Mr. Turner. It’s rather urgent,” she was speaking English, so I knew it wasn’t a social visit. “How are your studies progressing, Peter? You had some very encouraging mid-term evaluations from your professors, but as we go into the May holidays we need to make sure you are on course to finish at the end of June at the right level. Do you feel that you are still moving forward?”
“Yes ma’am” I replied politely not wanting to shove a stick in the hornets’ nest that was buzzing all around me the last few days. “I feel I am progressing with my translation courses both written and verbally, but I still feel weak in Russian composition. Reading is going very well and I believe my conversational skills, both comprehension and speaking, have improved greatly these four months and my vocabulary and use of idioms and expressions I believe are much improved.”
“Very good. I am pleased to hear this. You do seem very comfortable and sharp when I speak Russian with you. The university is pleased to see your progress,” she said with no sincerity.
“Thank you, ma’am.” I sat still looking straight ahead adding nothing more.
“Professor Dashvokva also feels that you are making great progress in all areas but is concerned that you are picking up too much street language, perhaps from your housemates. I understood that they are Tatars?” her question perked my ears. I had never told anybody about my housemates.
“Ma’am I believe the street language has been picked up from socializing with other students on Friday afternoons. They have taught me to curse quite well. This is all they do when they hang about smoking and drinking on the weekends,” I parried her implications.
“Yes, that is very true. I sometimes too get red in the face when I hear their conversations,” Valentina admitted.
“I believe I learn more civilized and proper language from my housemates than I would in the dormitories and I believe my conversations are more widely varied speaking and listening to people of different ages and taking care of my own household needs. You know I even have to pay the gas and water bill myself at the district offices. It’s quite the experience looking at it as a whole.” I had gone on the offensive in the conversation.
“Yes, perhaps you are correct,” Valentina had to concede.
“How then are your history studies progressing? I understood that the Dean had asked you to prepare an article for his annual journal. Have you made progress on a topic to research?” she was now getting the heart of the matter.
“Yes, ma’am. I have and I am making good progress and finding materials to support my academic format,” I was being very vague on purpose.
“Are you getting the needed support from the faculty there as needed?” she advanced again.
“Yes, ma’am. Both the Dean and other professors are very accessible for me,” I stalled.
“What is it you are researching, may I ask?” she wouldn’t stop kicking the hornets’ nest.
“I am researching and writing about the current privatization process of state enterprises. I have held interviews at the World Bank office, visited a privatization auction and Dean Karamzin is trying to set up an interview with Governor Nemtsov, but he seems to be a very busy man, and the Sannings are also a great resource as they give perspective to the foreign investment aspect of joint venture companies.” I was not lying, just avoiding telling the entire truth.
“It does sound very interesting. I will look forward to reviewing your paper before you publish it.” Was Valentina telling me that she was required to censor my research? “Will you be interviewing local businessmen for this research as well?” I sensed that the hornets had already been stirred.
“I am not well acquainted with private entrepreneurs in the city. If you know of any that would be appropriate I would love to meet and interview some,” I was on the edge of untruth.
“Peter, it has come to my attention that you have been researching some very sensitive topics and that you have been using the university’s database at the American library to support your thesis.” Valentina was now setting herself up directly against me and my efforts.
“Yes, ma’am. Why shouldn’t I be allowed to research using the university’s resources? I paid my tuition in cash, in dollars for that privilege. Arkadiy was my witness, remember?” I remained on the offensive.
Valentina paused to consider her next move in our cerebral game of chess and looked at me to see if I was threatening her in any way. We both knew what I was referring to. I looked her square in the face without blinking and with no expression on mine.
“It is the university’s request that you refrain from any further research into local activities and concentrate on the political and policy developments of your topic,” was Valentina’s measured retort.
“I have done nothing but look at political and policy developments, and the best examples of how to avoid the problems of the last few years with privatization are happening right here in Nizhniy Novgorod. How can I ignore the local developments when all of Russia is focused on what is happening here in Nizhniy?” After this Valentina had only one further move; pulling rank.
“Mr. Turner the university will not be at risk by reckless academics. I have allowed you considerable leeway to live out of the dormitories and to allow you to study history and politics with Dean Karamzin, which was not a part of your application to study with us at this school. You are a student of linguistics and literature, not politics. If you will not refrain from questioning respected businessmen in accusatory tones then your credentials will be revoked and you will be asked to leave immediately.” She had shown her hand and she wasn’t bluffing anymore.
“I’m sorry. What are you referring to? Who did I interview in accusatory tones?” I was thoroughly annoyed.
“Mr. P. is a respected businessman in Nizhniy Novgorod and is a friend, patron and sponsor of this university. You are not to pursue any of the points in your discussion with him in your research or your article for the school journal. Is that clear?” Valentina was getting a bit red in the face.
“I would be very interested to learn what part of our discussion was accusatory at all. I was very professional. I listened, took notes and he sang like a canary. I only had to ask him maybe three questions and I got his life story. Accusations? There were no accusations, Valentina,” I was adamant. “If there is anybody in Nizhniy Novgorod that is active with the whole privatization process it is Mr. P.! Of course, I should interview him. He is the city’s go to man for efforts to privatize many types of businesses,” I insisted.
“Mr. P. demands that on no account should any parts of his interview with you be published in your paper. Is that clear Mr. Turner?” Valentina had put her foot down.