Volume 1, No. 1

Banquet / Tyrras ... 19 

"You know Nina, and you know Misha. Now, I present you to Vera Boyarova. This is our friend from Canada, Mr. Bob Bellamy."
After this touch of formality, Bellamy felt he should respond in kind: "Good evening everyone," he said. "We were just outside listening to nightingales. It's lovely. Oh, sorry, do you understand English?"
"Yes, Mr. Bellamy. You¹re most welcome here. We all speak English, and Nina understands it well," said Vera.
The band was still playing the old Beatles song "Back in the USSR." On the dance floor everyone was screaming out the refrain: "Back in the US, Back in the US, Back in the USSR." Nina patted Vera on the hand and asked her something in Russian. Vera nodded and then asked Bellamy:
"Mr. Bellamy, do you know what is the best thing and the worst thing in Russian since the demise of the USSR?"