Chapter 14: The Truth About Cats and Dogs
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The Games were over. I don't think I've ever been so let down. The flight home was exhausting. Russavini and Co were back in St Petersburg. She had not said anything about my tryout. I was buried under homework trying to catch up with all that I missed after 17 days in Nagano. Sasha went straight to Russia to see his family. I didn't hear a word from him. Not one word.
I tried to avoid the questions of my classmates. More than I had expected had watched every bit of the skating. Some asked me if I knew any of the big names. I didn't want to lie or be rude, but I didn't want to say anything about the people I had come to know. I wasn't too happy with Sasha anyway. Why didn't he write? Didn't they have phones in Russia?
I got more than a few lectures from my mama about the dangers of older men and one particular older man, namely Sasha Klukov. I tried to be a soothing as I could. Yes, I did love him. I was going to love him. I was going to see him when he returned and I was going to write to him until then. I think that she was hoping that it would blow over. The longer I went without a letter, the more likely it seemed.
Back at club, my jacket had been recognized by at least a few of the other skaters. Camilla, pulled me aside one day.
"Being kissed by Sasha Klukov at the Olympics." she said. "On national TV too! You did a real good job getting his attention, but you watch out for that man. His reputation is very bad and you wouldn't want yours... soiled."
I was speechless.
"I know him alot better than you do, and if you know what is good for you, you'll stay away from him."
Thank God I was rescued from that bitch by Shannon Miles. Shannon and Camilla had had a falling out and were frequently at each others' throats now. It didn't mean I trusted her, anyone who could be good friends with Camilla was bad news in my book, but she was a strong ally to have at the moment.
"She's jealous, Elayne. The girl had one little tryst with Klukov and she thinks she owns him."
She read my face like a book.
"Honey, he's kissed alot of the girls here. More than kissed if Camilla is to be believed. You had better get used to that. I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, am I?"
"Nooooo... I know about Sasha. They think I threw myself at him."
"Didn't you?"
"No."
"Hmmm"
"How do you think I got to the Olympics in the first place."
"I heard something about you getting plane tickets out of nowhere at the rink one day"
"Who do you think sent them?" I called back as I walked away.
I wasn't spending too much time at the rink that first week. I was a bit on the outside. Sasha wasn't around, but they resented me never the less. He had offered me his ice time. It was paid for, so I used it. That didn't make me any more popular. For the first time in my life, I had nothing else but skating.
About 2 weeks after flying home from Nagano, I got an airmail letter from Russia. Mama thought I was going to go crazy. My hands were shaking so bad, I couldn't open the letter or read it. It was not from Sasha.
Vitor had written to see how my skating was going. With all the negative energy floating around at the rink, I had been tempted to throw in the towel. I was putting in college applications anyway, why should I keep skating? The letter said that Russavini had mentioned seeing me when they came to the States. Mama suggested that I should keep it up until I had seen Russavini again.
I was pretty distraught over one Sasha Klukov. I didn't have a friend at club to confide in and I realized how close we had become on the occasions when he had driven me home. For the first time, I missed him not for the way I felt when I was with him, but simply because he was a good friend. I couldn't make him write to me and I couldn't trust anyone my age to talk to. I talked to Mama and I skated.
I just pushed everything out of my mind. I trained harder and more seriously than ever and as a result I improved drastically. Mama suggested extra ballet classes which would be helpful if I was going to a Russian coach. I couldn't see the end of the road, but I kept on just the same.
I kept to the same plans I had had before the Olympics, as if nothing had ever happened. In April, right after Worlds I would go to Chicago to tryout a new partner. When the monotony of practice, school and sleep got to me, I colored my hair red.
I did finally hear from Sasha. A telegram arrived from Russia a week before Worlds.
Meet me in Minneapolis? (STOP)
Check post for tickets. (STOP)
There were none (STOP). I had fits all week and the whole week of worlds. I also had piles of exams. There was no leaving anyway.
There were no phone calls. The papers don't cover the men's except for blurbs about the Americans and the TV tape delays it. The club newsletter said that he had won the event, but didn't give alot of details. The internet newsgroup that I lurked on went crazy with speculation before, during and after worlds. There was detail galore, but nothing personal. Nothing said if he was coming home.
I went on with my life as usual. Up early, out to run, to school, to practice, back to school, homework, chores, ballet, weight training and sleep. Mama was worried because I wasn't eating much. I had lost about 10 pounds, which I could sure have stood to lose. By Worlds, I lost another 7 pounds which I really shouldn't have. Sasha, or lack of the same was taking his toll. I was 5'2"and 94 pounds. If I ever found a partner, he'd be able to throw me to the moon. There's got to be compensations for things.
Text Copyright © 1998-2003 Mary E. Tyler
