The Interpeter

He was particularly interested in talking some more with a 24-year girl name Olga. That just happened to be his least favorite Russian name, but she was not only charming and attractive but very intelligent, as well. Keith spent his full twenty minutes with Olga and found his head swirling. She was not only very interesting but also very interested in him! She was pretty, sexy, fit, and had a college degree. Like so many others, she wanted to travel the world and was hoping to find her 'soul mate' here who would take her away from what she said was her dull, boring life in Ukraine. The other three girls were also relatively interesting but not enough to want to see again, so Langston made an actual date with Olga for the next night.

He was a bit surprised when she showed up with a new interpreter he hadn't seen before. Langston initially just glanced at her but something flashed in his brain which forced him to look again. Langston found himself unable to take his eyes off of her. As she got closer, the reason why grew clearer. He noticed that while her hair was lighter—a kind of dirty blonde, she otherwise bore a striking resemblance to Kim. He tried not to keep staring as his date was with Olga, but he found it nearly impossible not to glance her way every chance he had. A quick comparison easily set her ahead of Olga in terms of looks as well as her figure. Olga was very pretty. This girl—this young woman—was hot. She introduced herself to him as Oksana which, along with Larissa, was his favorite female Russian name. Oksana's English was above average but by no means great. She was very complimentary of Keith's Russian and most importantly, she sat quietly without interrupting. She wasn't speaking, but Langston noticed she was paying very careful attention to every word of the conversation. The few times he was unable to prevent himself from casting a glance her way, she smiled politely. The resemblance to Kim was truly striking. Oksana had Kim's full lips, perfect white teeth, and killer smile. Kim's eyes had been blue while Oksana's were green. Again, the hair was lighter but—Jesus...

Langston had invited Olga to the nicest restaurant in the city and also paid for Oksana's meal as no one was allowed to date (with the agency's approval) without an interpreter/chaperone. He made small talk for some time with Olga before saying, "Olga. There's something I'd like to discuss with you. Actually, there are three things." Her eyes lit up and she smiled brightly saying, "Ну, давай! Пожалуйста!" or "Go ahead! Please!"

Keith chose his words carefully trying to explain the first of his concerns as to why he thought it unrealistic that a young woman would want to marry, and of course, have sex with, a man his age. He even made sure to address the kind of comment he often heard from these girls that age is just a number. He explained why he therefore felt it necessary to ask any girl who said that to justify her interest in a man 20-35 years older than her.

Langston continued by saying, "In other words, I would understand if a girl like you was really interested in a man like me for the things he can provide her rather than because she's head-over-heels in love with him physically. Please don't misunderstand me. I would love to be intimate with a pretty young woman. For a man my age, that makes a lot of sense. It's understandable. What's not understandable is how that pretty, young woman would want to make love with a man her father's age." He paused for a moment then told her, "The second thing is something else I need to tell you upfront because it's an issue that's extremely important to all young woman. I don't want to have children. It isn't that I don't like children, it's just that I'm at a point in my life where raising one is more than I'm willing to do."

"What else?" she asked.

Langston explained the pre-nuptial agreement without going into any detail.

Olga asked him, "And what's the girl's part of this—deal?"

Langston began by saying, "If this sounded like a business deal, I'm very sorry. That wasn't my intent. I was only trying to help you see things realistically when it comes to living with a man who is 30 years older than you. These issues I'm raising are legitimate concerns. They're not insignificant things to be dismissed with a claim that age is just a number. And I would think that from the woman's perspective, a big concern would be that this older man only wants her as a sexual companion. I can assure you that while I enjoy sex very much, I want much more than that from a future wife. I'm hoping to find someone who enjoys dressing nicely and who would have fun doing the things I enjoy like traveling, sailing, rock climbing, going to the gym, etc."

Olga nodded and said, "Ничего страшного!" or "That's no big deal!"

Langston expected Olga to have some kind of concerns or maybe even get angry and/or walk away. Instead, she told him she agreed with everything he said and that she was very interested in furthering their relationship. He knew something was wrong. This was way too easy. He couldn't put his finger on it, but this just didn't smell right. That said, he let it go for the rest of the evening. They finished their meal, had a glass of champagne, and then Oksana reminded them that their time was up. Langston escorted Olga downstairs and made sure she got safely into a cab when he noticed Oksana was still standing near the entrance to the hotel.

Keith waved goodbye to Olga then went to see if Oksana needed something. She looked at him and said to him in Russian, "Yes, please. There's something very important you need to know."

"This sounds serious. Do you want to go back inside and have a drink?"

She agreed and they sat down at the bar where he ordered them both a glass of red wine. "Okay. Please tell me what's so important."

Oksana took a sip then said in her best English, "You are very nice man and I am very much liking you because I think you are sincere and honest. We don't find these things in our men in our country so is one reason why we look outside of Ukraine. You tell to Olga all the truth. But she is not so much telling truth to you."

"How so?" I asked.

Oksana looked around to see who might be listening then said quietly, "We are not supposed to talk about gerls we interpret for. We only translate. No opinions. No comments. So for telling you this, I can be losing my job. But I have to tell you because as I tell already, you are nice man." She paused and took another sip of her wine, "Oh, I am forgetting to say 'thank you' for wine. It is very tasty."

"You're very welcome," Langston said as he took a sip of his own. "Go on. I'm all ears," he said.

Oksana raised an eyebrow and said, "I am not understanding meaning about ears."

Langston explained the colloquialism to her in Russian and she laughed politely. "Oh, okay. So you are not giant ear! This is good thing, no?" Langston also laughed.

"So Olga is nice gerl. I am knowing her for long time now. But she is not honest to you like you are to her. She has leettle boy named Mahkseem. He now has four years of age. Also, she steel has husband so she will never marry you. She will say 'yes' but when you return to United States to get fiancee visa, she will start asking for the money from you. Maybe she will say it is to help her old mother or for new computer to talk to you. But she will be staying in Ukraine with husband and son."

"How come the agency doesn't know this?" I asked her. "They claim to screen every girl."

"They try. But it is easy to get divorce paper that is—how you say—фальшивый?"

"The word is 'forged.'"

"Yes! I remember word now. So Olga has friend who makes forged paper to show agency but she is not divorcing husband and has son. I'm very sorry. I am liking you so I have to go on risk and say this. I am hoping you will not be telling agency."

"No. Of course not. I knew something was wrong. I just couldn't place it."

"Place it?" Oksana asked with a puzzled look.

Langston suggested they switch to Russian to avoid any further misunderstanding. He explained to Oksana he didn't mean to put something somewhere, but that he'd identified a problem. He tried to imagine life with a Russian-speaking woman where neither one could communicate. Marriage was hard enough. Then add to the mix a constant stream of miscommunication along with the age difference, and that was a recipe for disaster.

As they finished their wine, Oksana said in perfect Russian, "Can I tell you something else?"

"Yes, of course," Keith said.

"I was listening very closely to your conversation with Olga, and I found myself agreeing with pretty much everything you told her. You know, about younger women and older men. It isn't just Americans. I see men from Canada, Australia and the UK come here every six months honestly believing a 20 or 25-year old Ukrainian girl will gladly marry anyone from the West to escape Ukraine. What they don't understand is this is our home. We love our country. Our families are here. But we ARE willing to leave for the right man. The problem is when foreigners come here looking, they're almost all over 40 and most are over 50. So this creates a real problem for these young girls who want to find a loving husband who isn't an alcoholic and who respects women. This desire causes many of them to say they don't care about age but as you rightly pointed out, they do. Well, it might be better to say they care if the man is old and unattractive. In that case, you are 100% correct. No girl my age wants to have a 60-year old man who is fat and bald make love to her. I don't want to sound mean or snobbish. It's just the simple truth."

"How do you feel about having children? I suppose I should perhaps ask whether or not you have a child first, though." Langston smiled to indicate he wasn't trying to mean but to find out the truth.

Oksana said, "No, I don't have a child. In fact, I've never really wanted children. Maybe that'll change one day, but I have far too many other things I want to do in life. While we're talking, let me say something else about the difference in age issue. In your case, I honestly think you could find a younger woman who would love you for yourself unless, of course, she has her heart set on having a child. That really is a huge issue and most of the men who come here don't give it the consideration it deserves. You clearly take very good care of yourself. I'm not sure how to best say this so I'll just be frank with you. I don't know your exact age, but it's obvious you're not 30 or even 40 but then, whatever it is, you don't look 'old.' I'd guess you're maybe 45-48 or so but I won't ask. And you're quite correct in saying Ukrainian women are like all other women. The one difference may be that most of us still have a traditional view of marriage so if this kind, generous, older man doesn't look like too much our father, well, then maybe it's possible to see him as an attractive, desirable man. If so, the it's hypothetically possible they could have a very successful marriage."

Langston was indeed paying attention and clearly she was a very intelligent, well-spoken woman. But her striking resemblance to Kim was distracting in the extreme. He nodded occasionally but said nothing except to tell Oksana, "I just turned 56."

Oksana paused then said, "Then you actually look quite young for your age." She smiled then continued by saying, "We are also smart women. We can tell when a man is being honest and when he's just interested in well, as you so rightly put it—one thing. We both have needs but our concerns are very different. Yours is that she just wants you for your money. Ours is that you just want us for our um—bodies. In your case, you are clearly an honest man who's thought about all of these things and any Ukrainian girl has to admire that. And if I may say so, it's another huge plus in your favor. You know, for an old guy."

Oksana smiled and Langston laughed. She then said, "I hope I wasn't so honest that I said something offensive. You really are a very nice man and I've enjoyed talking with you."

Langston told her he was enjoying the conversation, too, then added, "Not at all. In fact, I really appreciate you being so open and honest both about Olga and about the way Ukrainian women think. I've been here twice before but spent most of time in Russia and one thing I've learned is that Ukraine is most definitely not Russia. I'm not saying Russian women aren't 'hip' or progressive but I know things are different there. I guess what I'm saying is I really admire Ukraine and its people."

Oksana thanked him for the kind words and said, "That's true. Many Ukrainians hate Russia for the way it treated us and we deeply resent being called Russians because we're not. Stalin killed millions of us by starving our people to death. We are our own country with our own language and history even though most of us can still speak Russian fluently as it was taught in our schools here for decades. In fact, in many parts of Ukraine, it still is."

Oksana smiled. She was obviously (and rightly) very proud of her language skills and switched back to English. "It is pleasure to talk with you. You are very inciting man, Mr. Langston."

Langston didn't tell her the correct word was "insightful." He just said, "Thank you and please call me Keith." He knew it would come out as "Keet" (or <<Кит>>) because the th sound didn't exist in Russian. He also knew it would make her laugh because кит meant whale in that language.

Oksana managed to suppress a laugh as she said, "Well, you are very big man so okay, I call you Кит." Oksana paused for a moment then said, "So now you know what I was having to tell you and I'm glad I do this. But...now...well...may I ask you question?" Langston also knew there were no articles in the Russian language. The words a, an, and the, didn't exist and Russian speakers had fits trying to figure out which one to use and when. Many got so sick of botching it, they just omitted them altogether. In her case, it was just inexperience but learning how to use them was very difficult for anyone whose first language was Slavic.

"Of course. Ask me anything." Langston was still staring at her face and her eyes. If he closed them for a moment he could almost see a lighter-haired version of Kim sitting next to him.

"This 'contract' or 'deal' you are mention to Olga. Is this serious proposal? You would really consider marrying Ukrainian woman if she agreed to your...terms?"

This time, Langston wasn't even paying attention to what Oksana was saying. He just sat there and stared while she spoke. In response, he didn't answer her question, he just blurted out in Russian, "May I tell you something?" Oksana nodded.

"You remind me of my late wife—a lot. She was beautiful like you with high cheek bones and beautiful eyes. Your hair is lighter and longer and your eyes aren't blue, but otherwise I believe you could almost pass for her. You are so very pretty. Why aren't you in the agency looking for a husband yourself?"

Oksana looked down, then away, then back at Langston. She was obviously flattered by what he said. "I married Ukrainian boy when we both had 21 years of age. We were too young and he was already too much drinking after two years in Army. I was believing I could change him to stop but he keeps drinking even more. Then he treats me like I am pet. But not like bird. Like dog. He orders me and hits me. So I divorce him. Since then, I don't find any nice Ukrainian man. Then I have 23 years. I hear about agency. So I sign up. I come to tour groups like this. As you say, nearly all men who come for wife are much older than me. I would love to have kind, caring husband but as you say it seems not natural to sleep with man who is as age of my father. But not just age. These men are also not so handsome. They don't even try to look as best as possible and that is worst problem. So I quit looking and get job interpreting two times each year when tours come to Kiev. Also sometimes I am translating emails for agency. Pay is very good by Ukrainian standards. Now I have 25 years and am fine with staying single. I have wonderful, loving parents and good job so I am happy."

Keith nodded again. He spoke English even though he was concerned she might misunderstand him. He knew that speaking was much harder than listening for most people so he hoped her comprehension was good. "I understand and that all makes perfect sense. You're just such a lovely, charming girl, Oksana, and you deserve to find your soul mate." He smiled when he said that then added, "Soul mate. That's an interesting term. Virtually every Ukrainian woman I've met here has told me she's searching for her soul mate. I'm not sure I believe in that concept any more even though I somehow found a woman who would qualify as such. She was perfect for me and we had a wonderful, amazing life together. I don't have much hope I'll find another soul mate so that's not what I'm here looking for although it would be a dream come true to find another woman like her. I prefer to think there are many different women with whom I could be happy rather than that there's one special 'soul mate' waiting to be found."

Oksana laughed politely. "You are wise man, Кит. And handsome—for old guy!" They both laughed. "I want to say one more thing if is okay," she continued.

"Sure. Go right ahead."

Oksana's eyes met mine as she said, "We have strict rule in agency. Interpreters are not allowed to be dating men who are coming here for wife." She paused then said, "But I am not scared by rules. Maybe I am not so interesting for you but you are very much interesting for me. I am open to new life with right man—if I can fall in love with him. But first I have to learn if is even possible to fall in love with such man. So I would have to take dates with him to learn this." She finished speaking then looked down at her wine glass.

Rather than laugh at her broken but acceptable English, Langston said, "Oksana? It's you who is actually very insightful. You're not only beautiful, you're also very intelligent."

Her pretty, bright eyes beamed as did her smile at the compliment. She said, "That is kind of thing woman like me wants to hear from man but never comes from Ukrainian men. To them we are like pet to be owned and used. It is very nice compliment. Thank you. You make me feel—like special kind of woman."

Langston smiled and told her sincerely, "I'm glad because you are special, Oksana. I'm only sorry now that I wasn't able to ask you to be my date tonight."

Langston noticed that Oksana blushed slightly. He felt bad thinking she probably didn't feel the same about him at all and the thought of going on a date with her father was well—repulsive.

Oksana finished her wine and without looking at him said quietly, "If such a man as you were asking me, I would be saying 'yes' for date and again hoping he will not be telling to agency."

Oksana wasn't blushing now, but Langston but she was clearly uncomfortable. He could tell she wasn't some professional trying to set up some westerner she thought might be a cash cow.

"I would very much like to go out with you, Oksana," Langston told her. He switched back to Russian and said, "But please understand that I'm at an age where I know exactly what I want in a woman. While I know that no woman can be everything a man wants, there are some things which are 'must haves' for me. Before I could fall in love again with any woman, I would have to know she would be okay with those things. She would have to do so willingly and gladly and I could tell if she's was doing them without enjoying them. I don't like arguing or disagreements and again, because I'm SO old..." He paused to see if she smiled. When she did, he continued. "I don't want to waste time fighting or trying to change someone. Besides, I also know no one can change another person. And frankly, I don't even want to try. I know that no two people will agree on everything, I'm just hoping to find a kind, beautiful girl who would enjoy what I have to offer. Youth, of course, isn't one of them." Again, another smile. "Lastly, I wouldn't want her to feel like I was controlling her. I would let her know what's important to me and then I would let her decide if she would be happy doing those things or not."