Skirting the Issue

“Skirting the Issue” is a phrase that is not commonly used these days.  It means that you are avoiding a bigger issue and/or pushing it aside.  I know I still have a lot more edits and re-writes for my book, A Rose For Sergei, but the end is in sight.  However, I have been avoiding the fact that my book will need to be reviewed by a pre-publications office with the Federal Government which could take 2+ months.  I knew it would take a while but I was surprised it would take that long.  The fact that we met at my office when I worked for the Federal Government is the reason for the review.  I am confident that everything will be approved though.  My story about Sergei Kourdakov is simply a love story, no more, no less.  It is about a young couple who fell in love despite incredibly different backgrounds.

Sergei told me very little about his life in the Soviet Union.  He preferred telling me about all of the joys of living in the United States.  And of course he talked about his new found faith in God.  I was surprised when I read his book, The Persecutor.  It shocked me to find out how little I knew about that time of his life.  Maybe it was a good thing because I think I would have been afraid to go out with him if I had known more. 

Skirting the issue about having to wait so long for my book to be reviewed reminded me about a funny real skirt incident.  It brought back the memory of the day Sergei and I were in Washington DC and we were attempting to cross the street in the middle of the block.  There was a large mud puddle along the curb and I hesitated to skip over it because I thought I might slip in my high heels.  When Sergei saw my reluctance to step into the dirty water he took things into his own hands.  He whisked me up in his strong arms and gallantly carried me into the street.  My pleas for him to put me down were ignored.

Traffic stopped immediately in both directions to let us cross even though we were not in a crosswalk.  When we reached the other side of the street he finally put me down and commented on how nice and friendly the car drivers were in America.  Sergei didn’t know it at the time but the reason they all stopped when he carried me across the street was because my mini skirt had slid up and exposed my entire backside, revealing my bikini briefs.  And that’s why all the people in the cars were smiling and waving at us!