Roots

Roots - Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Mr. Poloski

Even though my mother was gone for the weekend on a business trip, the logic thing for me to do would have been to stay up until the late hours of the night, invite my friends for the weekend, or perhaps throw a wild high school party, however that just totally did not happen.  Sure I went to the mall to try to attempt to buy a graduation dress again, but just like the last time my mind was consumed with old photographs, the little heart to heart that my great grandmother and I shared, okay scratch that the huge heart to heart that my great grandmother and I shared on Thursday.  However, mostly it was the conversation between Mr. Poloski and me the very next day that caused my mind to feel like a movie projector going a hundred miles a minute, flashing images and thoughts throughout my mind.

“Mr. Poloski, do you have anything else on the Russian Revolution?” I asked as I was looking throughout the “Russian Bible” in the library.  Mr. Poloski said that he knew almost everything there was to know about Russia, so I planned on putting him to the test, without making me look suspicious.  I just had to find away to find out more about my family to help myself with this stupid World History assignment, but more importantly to help my great grandmamma be able to reconnect with the only family that she has left.

“Russian Revolution? Why as a matter of fact I do.  Here are some books, and you could actually go to the library downtown to research more.  There should be a great deal more information on this subject than about your family name.” Mr. Poloski said with a smile as he wrote down some titles on a sheet of paper.  I couldn’t help but to laugh to myself as well.  It seemed almost ages ago, even though it was only two days since he had shown me the truth about my great grandpappa, Leon Vasiliev.  It was hard to still imagine reading what the history books said about Leon, and hearing through Nunna, who exactly he was.  I smiled bigger at my thought, if Mr. Poloski thought me being the only descendant of Leon Vasiliev was incredible, I wonder what he would say if he knew the truth about who I really was, or better yet who exactly lives just twenty minutes from this very school.  He’d probably have a heart attack from all the shock and excitement, I concluded in my mind.

“Lisa, I’ve been meaning to ask, have you found anything more about your Russian side of your family?” He asked as he started to take out an old leather book with Russian words from a stack he had brought with him into the library.

“Um, some, but that’s why I need to look up more about the Russian Revolution.” I said with hesitation.  I hated lying; in fact I was really bad at it.  The fact was that yes I knew about my family, but the truth was that I still did need to look up more about the Revolution, only then I could find out more about my extended family.

“Ah I see, well when you do figure it out, I was wondering if you’d let me know, you see my own family was very involved in the Imperial Era and also the Revolution as well.” Mr. Poloski started to explain.

“Oh your family was part of the Bolshevik party also?” I asked, now very curious as to what role his own family played.

“Um, well you could say that, but mostly my great grandfather was part of the Imperial Court.  He was very close with the Romanovs.” He said softly as he flipped through the pages of the old leather book.