Valentina Kireeva

She is from Russia,
Petite, and full of fire.
She calls me "Good girl"
And says I'm like a daughter.

We are coworkers,
Her english is pretty good,
But I still asked her
"Teach me russian, if you would."

I feel like a child.
She is teaching me so much.
How to do better.
Giving my work that neat touch.

She is nice to me.
On my birthday she gave me
Some russian candy.
It was pear flavored, and sweet.

I work with an older lady from Russia. She is maybe fifty. She is so vital, and alive. When I first met her, she scared me. I thought she was wierd, and old, and Russian. I remember the lecture she gave me. So many times she told me about the hangers. How I mustn't use the childrens hangers, but the adult hangers. "It is simple." she said. I didn't think it was. I thought it was very complicated. I decided though, that I could either be scared of her, and confused, or I could challenge myself to GET THOSE HANGERS RIGHT!!!!! So I did. And I found out that it was simple. And I found out that I liked Valentina. I listened to the things she said, and I learned that what the others saw as picky old wierd russian lady, were ways to make work better. Ways to stop thieves, ways to sell more clothes, ways to do more work in less time, ways to think. My work changed, and as I started trying to better, I enjoyed myself more. It was a challenge, a puzzle. Every day was a chance to do better. Now, we are fairly close, in a sense. We don't tell each other much about our lives outside work. Well, except Valentina has told me on no uncertaint terms that "Snow is cold. Russia is cold. She hates cold. She hates Russia." I dectect a wistfulness in her though. For all Russia was bitter, and cold, and impoverished, it is her homeland. I think she misses being normal. She spoke to me, rather out of the blue actually, about Anna Nicole Smith of all things. Well, to be specific her baby. "There is no question in Russia" she says. "The baby always goes to the woman. The baby should go to her Grandmother." And she is teaching me russian, slowly, a little at a time. Our friendship is still new. It will grow. So often she says, "You are good girl, I am glad you work here." Because I took the challenge.