Rubble of Rubles by Josip Novakovich

Author:Josip Novakovich
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Rubble of Rubles
ISBN: 9781950539833
Publisher: Dzanc Books
Published: 2022-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

————

Doing time at Kresty

WHO FRAMED ME and why? In whose cobweb was I a fly?

I spent the first night in a solitary cell before I would be transferred to a communal one.

—You are lucky, said the supervisor, —this is one of our best cells. You have your own toilet. And tonight you can stay here for free. Otherwise, we charge for the superior accommodations.

—You charge for staying here?

—Yes. It used to be for free during Socialism but now we must run a good business and be solvent.

—Does it mean you arrest only people who have money?

—Tell me it’s any different in the United States.

—That is crazy, to be paying to stay in jail. Can I pay to stay out of jail?

—You are trying to bribe me?

—I don’t want to be paying to stay where I don’t want to stay.

—Don’t worry, we have rooms for free, where you stay with eight people, and then you’ll beg to pay for this one. Tonight is on me, a little token of friendship.

The warden extended his hand, and it took me a couple of seconds to realize that a handshake was being offered. I grasped the hand, which was cool, long, and soft. The warden didn’t squeeze but simply held out his cool hand as though it was not part of him, but a found object, a Halloween-style joke, an imitation of a severed arm. I pulled at it, sort of expecting it to fly out of the sleeve, but it stayed, apparently real.

—Dobro pozhalovat! the warden said. —You could call me Drug Popov. Let me know if you need anything.

—Is there a pillow here?

—You don’t need a pillow. You could use your shoes and put your pants over them, and that will work.

—I’d prefer a pillow.

—That will be five hundred rubles.

—That’s more than a new one costs.

—As you wish.

—I don’t have the money on me.

—No problem. We can keep a tab going.

I followed the warden’s advice and used my shoes for a pillow. The air was musty and too warm. I had no access to my pills, and I wasn’t sure whether I was anxious because of that, or, naturally enough, because of being in a foreign prison of ill repute under serious charges. At the moment, not having any beta blockers and other drugs might be a bigger problem than prison. What if my blood pressure suddenly shot up and my heart went into shock? That would be a sorry end of a life. What would be left after me? I could have just as well not lived, which probably would have been better as it would have left no mess behind me. Maybe there would be an article about the Russian prison system—maybe even about me. There would be speculations, and they would amount to something grander and more adventurous than my life: an American mafioso, after killing two Georgian importers of wine and mineral water, is murdered at Kresty by Spanish mafia.

At two in the afternoon, the warden opened the door and said, —If you like, you can take a walk in the yard.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.