New year, new challenges

... the shop shelves were empty. There was no more sugar or white bread. You could only get drunk on methylated spirits. And, to top it all, I had fallen for a certain highly talented but capricious and greedy ballerina. With huge difficulty, through my contacts and by spending a small fortune, I was able to procure all that she demanded: scents, eau de cologne, soap, face powder, chocolates and sweets. I also bought material for her dresses: silk, chiffon, velvet and muslin. And she would accept all of these as if they were the tribute she was owed. For example, we were once walking down Myasnitskaya [now known as Kirova] and came upon a store with agricultural equipment. In the window was an artfully arranged ball bearing. ‘Look Musia. There’s a ball bearing. Would you like it?’ I asked in jest. ‘Buy it,’ she said. ‘But what do you want it for?’ I enquired. ‘Oh, I’ll just put it somewhere,’ she replied. Soon afterwards, Vert