My Russian Friend

Sally became Annushka over Thanksgiving break of our Junior year. I was reading the "Master and the Margarita" for my Devil, Hero, and God class and there was a character in the story named Annushka. She was a minor character, only mentioned once or so.

"...The only thing known about her is that she was seen daily either with the can or with her bag or with both-now in the kerosene store, now in the market, now in the gateway or on a staircase, but most often in the kitchen of apartment number 48, where she was one of the tenants. What was best known about her, however, was that wherever she was, and wherever she appeared, there was always sure to be a scandal, and also that she was nicknamed "The Plague". For some reason, Annushka the Plague always got up very early..."

I call Sally "Annushka" because both Abby and I had Russian nicknames. Well, I am Jishka (which I am sure is not Russian but it sure sounds like it!) and I can't remember what Abby was but she took Russian and thus was named. And Sally felt left out. So Annushka it is!

In my head, I feel that Thanksgivings should be spend with Annushka and her family. I was only there for two of them, and two Easters but something about being there with her is how I feel Thanksgiving would be best celebrated. Annushka and I would spend a few hours at Starbucks working on papers or novels for class, followed by trips to the mall for a little spree. I would always end up going with MaGeorge to the yarn store, which almost always turned into a trip to the grocery store, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and the Italian market, etc before we actually returned home. West Wing marathons in the basement and traditional sugar cookie making and decoration. Stove top popcorn and dinner at the G'rent's house. Even if dinner every night wasn't until 10 pm and we were always freezing, I loved every moment of it all. I'll always want to be home for Christmas, but I wonder if I'll always long for Thanksgiving in Toledo.