Consequences Unforeseen

Chapter 41 - Foros June 1991 - Continued from Ch. 19

Chapter41. Foros, the Crimea June 1991-continuation from Ch 19

The preceding ‘Tokyo” chapters bring the events leading up to Bill Douglas meeting Gorbachev in Foros ‘full circle.’ I include this Chapter (19) below (italics) as a reminder. If you remember this chapter, and don’t need to read it again, please move ahead immediately to where the text returns to normal. (page 2)

 

Foros – the Crimea, July 1991

The first bomb burst dead center on his chest sending him immediately into shock. This state of being announced itself with his piercing and blood curdling scream.

No respite for him though as the second and third bombs exploded mercilessly and simultaneously on his head and groin eliciting even further and if possible louder yells of shock, pain and hate.

His recovery was swift however and he sprang to his feet in a crouch, still trying to clear his eyes from the freezing water pouring over his brow from the remainder of the water bomb and rubber balloon that had burst on his head.

Bill Douglas held back a chuckle and as his eyes began to see clearly he was confronted by the laughing and howling presence of three naked kids ranging in age he guessed, from 14 to 17 – two girls and an obviously older boy who was jeering and laughing and dancing with joy at the site of this “tourist” they had caught asleep on the wonderful clothes optional Foros beach.

The girls were now wiggling their backsides suggestively at him and the boy shouted.  “Get your swimming trunks off you big coward……….. or is it that you have a very small prick?” and he laughed and slapped one of the girls on her rump.

For their part the girls joined in the laughter and now several other parents and older folks had begun to smile and laugh as well. The beaches of this region were all naturist, but the Presbyterian in him left him ‘exposed’ as a tourist by his all be it brief ‘speedos’.

Further up the beach the Russian president nudged his wife Raisa and chuckling said “these kids nowadays eh! Teasing and disturbing a quiet man’s rest in the sun.”

She just smiled and nodded her head and said “go down and join him then you old fart, and help him throw the damned kids in the water. It’ll serve them right.”

“Not a snowball’s chance in Hell,” she thought to herself, but to her surprise the big man pushed himself off the lounger and trotted down the beach towards the stricken tourist and the tormenting trio of kids.

The effect of his arrival was instantaneous and dramatic to a certain degree.

The kids froze on the spot and stared open mouthed and speechless at the suntanned but unmistakable strawberry marked visage of Michael Gorbachev.

Known for his good sense of humor and fondness for kids, Gorbachev took advantage of the rigor he had created and he grabbed the girls round their waists.

He shouted at Bill Douglas as he did so. “Go on you idiot. Grab the little bastard by his hair and throw him in the water.” This said he marched off towards the sea with the girls yelling and kicking as he unceremoniously dumped them into the relatively freezing water of the Black Sea.

Douglas though not quite routed to the spot, was nonetheless surprised by this man’s apparent ease in the company of strangers, and he was slow to react to his benefactor’s suggestion. Slow to such an extent that the boy took a swift dive forward and yanked his swimming trunks to his ankles before he could react!