Traffic light talk

We are going through a summer heat wave. The temperature is around 35 C these days.
With such heat walking Igor to the park over asphalt melting streets in the early afternoon is not fun. Once we reach the park we cool a bit. Shadows of leafy treetops offer some relief. But than we have to walk asphalt melting streets back home.
At the cross road Igor and me stop and wait for a green light. Next to us stands a Caucasian looking guy. He looks Georgian but he also could be from one of Stans countries. He talks on his mobile. He speak Russian. His conversation goes something like this: “So how is there? Hot? Very hot? Oh… No, here in Kiev it is not hot. There is some wind. It cools down a bit…”.

I look at the guy in disbelief. I am clammy from the heat. My head is boiling. Have I heard this man talks about some wind right now? Where is this refreshing wind to cool me?
I am at the point of asking. But the heat makes me too weak. The traffic light turns green.
I guess I’ll miss the wind.


Earlier this week at the same crossroad an old Ukrainian lady wanted to pass the street while it was still red. She stepped out. At that moment a car passed. She stepped back and noticed Igor sits still. The lady turned and said: “If such a nice dog waits for a green light perhaps I should too”.
A standard small talk about Igor continued: ”Boy or girl? How old? What’s his name?”
I noticed the lady is in her 70ties. Only two golden teeth sparkling when she speaks.
The lady noticed my accent. She asked where I am from.
I answered:” From Holland.”
"From Holland?" she asked with disbelief.
“Yes, I came from Holland”
“What are you doing here?”
“ I work”
“You came here to work? You could not find work in Holland?” Her disbelief was growing.
“Yes, I came here to work”.
“You must be really mad to come here. I read Holland is a such wonderful country. Here we have an ecological disaster. Have you heard about Chernobyl? Do you know how many people die from cancer in Ukraine?”
“Yes, I heard”.
“Is the doggy from Holland?”
“Yes, he is”.
The lady looked at me and with stern voice said: "You must be really mad to come here. You must be bad not to be able to find work in Holland." Than she looked at Igor. Her voice soften a bit and through her two golden teeth she said "I just feel so sorry for your lovely dog”.

At that she turned towards the ice cream stand and bought herself an ice cream.