I didn't understand. Someone higher must have ordered them to attend the seminar. What was the topic anyway?"He didn't have to go because of Karen?" T...hat was inconceivable. What was she saying?"You don't seem to get it. Your wife is my husband's boss now. He jumps every time she snaps her fingers."This news stunned me. Karen hadn't mentioned another promotion. "I'll speak to her and call you back," I offered, wanting to end the conversation. I needed to think.What was Ellen complaining about?. On this particular Sunday I decided to go into Seattle. I walked out to the highway and stuck out my thumb. I caught a ride with Mike. He was in his 30ís and managed a local Ace hardware store. We started talking and he asked me why I was going to Seattle. I told him just to hang out and about the situation with my dad. He suggested that we could hang out at his place. I agreed and we went to his townhouse.I had been in situations like this before. You go to a manís home and the. Indian?“We’re not leaving.” That was Lavi.“Immediate family can stay but no one else,” the stranger said.Lavi, “We’re his wives.”“That doesn’t make sense.”“We’re from Utah.”“I ... what?” Only Lavi could confuse someone with so few words.I opened my eyes. The unfamiliar voice looked like a doctor which made sense because it looked like I was in a hospital room. He was short, balding, brown, and did look like he might be from India. I hurt. I did an exploration of my extremities. I could wiggle. ”“An interesting problem, is it not?”“Yes.”“And if you can’t know for sure about yourself, then how could you judge another?”“Sorry, Vladyka, it wasn’t about judging.”“You’re worried about your friend for some reason?”I nodded, “She views faith and culture as indivisibly intermixed.”“I think your perspective has been formed by living in a pluralistic society, Mischa. In Russia, before the Communists, to be Russian meant to be Orthodox. One could not TRULY be Russian without being Orthodox. And,.