You are eight years old and you are living a pretty normal life. Your mother is a prostitute who
doesn't sleep for money but for alcohol, and your father drinks day and night with your
grandmother. No one in your family has a job. A mailman comes with an envelope full of money at the
end of every month and that is the only money that comes in. The envelope full of money is for your
grandmother who quickly spends it on five bottles of vodka. Every day you hope that your father can
find a job so you can get to eat something else besides plain white rice. Summer is not too bad
because you have the vegetable garden, but in the winter you have nothing but white rice which tends
to run out sometimes. Your family lacks so much money that they can't afford to buy you a notebook
that costs fifty cents. The teacher is the one who actually buys the notebook for you because a
month had passed and you were still without a notebook.

Everything has been going along as always. Your father beats up your mother, who beats up your
grandmother. Most of the time they forget you, although there are enough scars and bruises to show
that you haven't been completely left out. Then they go on about their business.

It was a Wednesday afternoon when you were looking through a frosted window and saw a figure
trudging through the unplowed road toward your house. You could tell it was a woman by the style of
her long black and white fur coat. On top she wore a black fur hat which had a little pile of snow
on top. You weren't sure what to make of her except that she was some stranger in your village.
Soon your interest in her was lost and you went back to doing your homework. A minute later you were
interrupted by a heavy knock on the door. Your father went to answer it thinking that it was one of
his drinking buddies, but he was surprised to find that it was the woman you just saw outside.

There was quiet chatter between the two and you couldn't make out what they were saying. There was
no door separating the kitchen and the sleeping area where you were at, so you were able to see how
intently the lady was studying the cupboards which held no food. She leaned close to your father and
asked something. He motioned for you to come over. "I am Lyudmila" she introduced herself to
you.

Then her eyes studied you like a map trying to find direction. You just stood there silently
watching her.

"You are sickly skinny"she said and poked the arm of your blue Tom