Her real name has been changed to protect the not so innocent. She spoke no English.
Valentina told this long story about being brought to America by a man who was thirty years older than her. She said that he refused to feed her and take care of her. She said she ran away from him and was staying at the home of another Russian family.
She had exceeded the three months allowed by the fianc? visa, without marrying the man who brought her here. She was now in America illegally.
My wife invited her to dinner. She invited a friend of mine to dinner as well, who is an attorney, hoping that he could give her some advice.
Valentina asked my wife if she cooked for me every day. My wife said yes. Valentina explained to her in Russian that she would not be bothered with any of that.
Valentina asked my wife if I had a maid. My wife explained that she did the cleaning. Again Valentina turned her nose up at the idea of household chores.
Valentina didn't eat much at dinner, but she drank nearly a bottle of wine by herself. The wine loosened her lips.
Valentina explained that the man who brought her to America had mental problems. She said he 'acted like a bird, flapping his arms like wings, as he danced around his car.'
Valentina said she knew of his mental problems before she came to America, but she came anyway.
She said she didn't know if she would have another chance to get to America otherwise.
My friend, the attorney, tried to offer her legal help. He offered her a job cleaning his house if she needed some extra money.
Valentina explained to my wife, in Russian, in no uncertain terms, that she would rather earn money in a different way, rather than housework.
She asked how my wife could stand being around 'these fat old men," referring to my friend and I.
My wife got more and more angry with Valentina as the evening wore on. She cut off all relationship with her after that evening.
We heard through the grapevine that Valentina was on her way to Los Angeles to get her visa problems taken care of. She was probably now in the hands of the Russian Mafyia ? people she could understand because they thought just like her.
