[ A second video arrives, this time with Vitaly not quite able to maintain a steady gaze, ducking his head a little here and there, suggesting maybe he’s not as confident as he’s trying to portray himself here. ]
Good morning, Vevay.
[ That one word draws a smile from him that he tries very hard to stifle; when he can’t manage it, he huffs a little laugh and looks away, gathering himself before pressing ahead. ]
Okay, if they’re going to steal my shit and take video - videos - then I should do this thing myself.
You can meet my family before even I meet you. Ready? Okay -
[ He turns the camera around to show the view out a window of a sparsely-wooded stretch of land. A fence borders a portion of it, and within its confines is a large, light brown dog currently engaged in the serious business of digging. ]
This is Dodo. She’s very busy, you see, but happy to meet you in New York.
If my mother doesn’t kill her for that hole.
[ Turning the camera away from the window, he aims it around a clean guest room with two beds, a wardrobe, and some suitcases stacked neatly against the wall. There’s a shape under the blankets of one of the beds.]
This is where Andrii and I sleep. Not very interesting.
[ He reaches into the frame and pulls up the blanket to show Andrii, whose eyes crack open slightly.]
And you know Andrii. Not very interesting, either. Say ‘good morning’ to Nova, shithead.
[ Andrii mumbles out ‘Good morning to Nova’, then rolls over, away from the camera. Vitaly lets the blanket fall back in place. A hand ventures out from beneath and slaps at the little table by the bed until it hits a pack of cigarettes. Vitaly moves on, narrating along the way: the hallway, and okay, we’ll find someone awake, probably my parents somewhere, ah, shit-
He stumbles and swears, the camera panning back to focus on someone’s duffel bag.
And then into the kitchen, where two women are seated at a dinette table with coffees and a third is cooking. The oldest of the three sees he’s filming and makes a sound of annoyance as she turns her face away and blocks it with one hand. ]
Here are Iryna, my beautiful mother, and my brother’s wife, Sunny.
Sunny speaks okay English.
[ The woman at the stove - a dark-skinned redhead - pulls a face and asks, “Who’s this for?”
She’s clearly American.
Smugly, Iryna replies in Ukrainian, “Vitya has a boyfriend.”
Oksana whips around and an avalanche of questions begin. Over Oksana's shoulder, Iryna...grins, then winks in the same exaggerated way Nova does in the pub photo.
The video cuts out.
When it cuts in again, Vitaly’s face is bright red and he looks chagrined and amused. He’s no longer in the kitchen. ]
See, I can edit out all the uncomfortable parts this way. You didn’t have to sit with me for an hour while my mother asked questions. I hope you were able to do something nice with that time.
[ Wary now, he peers around a corner, then waves for Nova to follow him; slowly, he aims into the sitting room where two men are loudly arguing about…football. ]
There are Oleksei and my father. This is why Oleksei is going to kill them. He likes the Italians. My father hate them. Hates them.
[ A voice from off-screen asks in English, in a stage whisper, “Who are we talking to?”
Vitaly jerks and swears in surprise, the camera swinging around to focus on Maksym. He’s grinning impishly; continuing to whisper - not wanting to be drawn into the debate in the other room - he asks, “Is this for your boyfriend?”
There’s a momentary hesitation, then Vitaly answers with a soft, “Yes.”
Maksym’s grin widens and he waves enthusiastically at the camera, then mimes a shushing sound and points toward the living room. “It’s too early for this shit. When you come visit, sleep in like Andrii.”
He slaps Vitaly on the shoulder and crosses out of frame, calling out in Ukrainian, “Why can't we watch GOOD football? The Steelers are playing today.”
Vitaly groans as the voices pick up angrily. He slips away from the room and lets himself out a back door; Dodo comes running immediately. He crouches so her head is in frame with him. In a low voice, languages fluidly alternating, he speaks to her as he scratches, rubs, ruffles her fur.]
Good girl, Dodo, good girl. You have to stop digging holes, eh, but good girl. Say ‘hello’ to my Nova? We’ll go meet him soon, just us. That would be nice, don’t you think?
My Vevay.
My - boyfriend.
[ He’s heartbreakingly uncertain with those words, testing them out to Dodo and glancing at the camera as though seeking approval.
He offers a small smile and a soft ‘Okay’ before ending the recording. ]
Around the same time that he receives Nova’s texts…
Good morning, Vevay.
[ That one word draws a smile from him that he tries very hard to stifle; when he can’t manage it, he huffs a little laugh and looks away, gathering himself before pressing ahead. ]
Okay, if they’re going to steal my shit and take video - videos - then I should do this thing myself.
You can meet my family before even I meet you. Ready? Okay -
[ He turns the camera around to show the view out a window of a sparsely-wooded stretch of land. A fence borders a portion of it, and within its confines is a large, light brown dog currently engaged in the serious business of digging. ]
This is Dodo. She’s very busy, you see, but happy to meet you in New York.
If my mother doesn’t kill her for that hole.
[ Turning the camera away from the window, he aims it around a clean guest room with two beds, a wardrobe, and some suitcases stacked neatly against the wall. There’s a shape under the blankets of one of the beds.]
This is where Andrii and I sleep. Not very interesting.
[ He reaches into the frame and pulls up the blanket to show Andrii, whose eyes crack open slightly.]
And you know Andrii. Not very interesting, either. Say ‘good morning’ to Nova, shithead.
[ Andrii mumbles out ‘Good morning to Nova’, then rolls over, away from the camera. Vitaly lets the blanket fall back in place. A hand ventures out from beneath and slaps at the little table by the bed until it hits a pack of cigarettes. Vitaly moves on, narrating along the way: the hallway, and okay, we’ll find someone awake, probably my parents somewhere, ah, shit-
He stumbles and swears, the camera panning back to focus on someone’s duffel bag.
And then into the kitchen, where two women are seated at a dinette table with coffees and a third is cooking. The oldest of the three sees he’s filming and makes a sound of annoyance as she turns her face away and blocks it with one hand. ]
Here are Iryna, my beautiful mother, and my brother’s wife, Sunny.
Sunny speaks okay English.
[ The woman at the stove - a dark-skinned redhead - pulls a face and asks, “Who’s this for?”
She’s clearly American.
Smugly, Iryna replies in Ukrainian, “Vitya has a boyfriend.”
Oksana whips around and an avalanche of questions begin. Over Oksana's shoulder, Iryna...grins, then winks in the same exaggerated way Nova does in the pub photo.
The video cuts out.
When it cuts in again, Vitaly’s face is bright red and he looks chagrined and amused. He’s no longer in the kitchen. ]
See, I can edit out all the uncomfortable parts this way. You didn’t have to sit with me for an hour while my mother asked questions. I hope you were able to do something nice with that time.
[ Wary now, he peers around a corner, then waves for Nova to follow him; slowly, he aims into the sitting room where two men are loudly arguing about…football. ]
There are Oleksei and my father. This is why Oleksei is going to kill them. He likes the Italians. My father hate them. Hates them.
[ A voice from off-screen asks in English, in a stage whisper, “Who are we talking to?”
Vitaly jerks and swears in surprise, the camera swinging around to focus on Maksym. He’s grinning impishly; continuing to whisper - not wanting to be drawn into the debate in the other room - he asks, “Is this for your boyfriend?”
There’s a momentary hesitation, then Vitaly answers with a soft, “Yes.”
Maksym’s grin widens and he waves enthusiastically at the camera, then mimes a shushing sound and points toward the living room. “It’s too early for this shit. When you come visit, sleep in like Andrii.”
He slaps Vitaly on the shoulder and crosses out of frame, calling out in Ukrainian, “Why can't we watch GOOD football? The Steelers are playing today.”
Vitaly groans as the voices pick up angrily. He slips away from the room and lets himself out a back door; Dodo comes running immediately. He crouches so her head is in frame with him. In a low voice, languages fluidly alternating, he speaks to her as he scratches, rubs, ruffles her fur.]
Good girl, Dodo, good girl. You have to stop digging holes, eh, but good girl. Say ‘hello’ to my Nova? We’ll go meet him soon, just us. That would be nice, don’t you think?
My Vevay.
My - boyfriend.
[ He’s heartbreakingly uncertain with those words, testing them out to Dodo and glancing at the camera as though seeking approval.
He offers a small smile and a soft ‘Okay’ before ending the recording. ]