Babushkas

The babushkas really run the country: We heard a lot of stories about how this happens; better yet, we saw this with our own eyes. First the stories: When Stephen visited Russia two years ago, he queued up wrong for which he was kicked in the shins by a babushka. I've noticed that he is very careful about how he queues up now. Another time Chris and Jess were walking in the metro, and Chris's shoelaces weren't tied. The babushka stopped and sized up the situation: Jessie was clearly older and thus responsible. She got to tie the laces. I asked what would have happened if she had refused, but apparently she didn't wait to find out; she tied the laces. The babushkas think that Chris isn't old enough to go through the metro by herself (they're wrong), so they make Monica hold her hand. And the reason there isn't any litter on the floor is partially thanks to the babushkas. Russians are very proud of the metro; it also helps to know that a babushka will rap your knuckles if you throw your garbage on the floor. Hilary Clinton said that it takes a village to raise a child. In Russia where the state has dominated everything, it seems that it takes a country to raise a child.

In the Victory Museum in St. Petersburg, the babushkas looked especially fierce. They had built this with their own hands after the war as a reminder to the world of how much they had suffered. I understood: it was an enormous cost, both the war and building the memorial. They were right to be proud of it.

With Moscow being the most expensive city in the world, and babushkas living on a fixed income or no income, we saw old women begging outside the cathedrals or standing outside the center of Moscow to catch coins thrown for good luck. I passed out my 10 ruble notes which are only worth around 40 cents. One babushka blessed me and kissed my hand because she was so grateful. It was so sad.