Connections

Three men in a cell

In my younger days I found my way into Russia. Putting politics aside, there was much to enjoy. The people were friendly, the vodka was cheap and the girls were beautiful. Then my luck took a wry turn and I ended up detained in a police station, in Saint Petersburg.

Looking back on my life, there are plenty of stories to tell, and yet, it seems, my adventures in Russia always attract the most interest from my audience. “Why were you there?” they ask, “How did you get out?”

Conversations is one of those books that everyone thinks, one day, they might write if only they could remember all of the wonderful, crazy hilarious things which have happened in their lifetime.

Let us consider, for the moment, that a small group of men are locked up together and to pass the time thy each take a turn to tell their life story. What follows is a fascinating mosaic of entertaining anecdotes and tales, many of them hilarious and some which are thought provoking, but all based on genuine experience. Finally the situation reaches its natural climax, with a court appearance, then an ending with something of a twist.

“How much is true?” I hear you ask. “How much is you?”

I don’t reply. I tell you to work it out for yourself, but I know that one day very soon you will be talking with a friend and you will say “I heard this story the other day – wait till I tell you …”