Tony Trigilio



Marina and Lee

from KGB Surveillance, House N4 on Kalinina Street, July-August 1961

1. I'm not leaving with you. Take the baby, go away. You talked America into me. I need to hear the sound of Russian. Go to your America without me. I hope you die on the way. Why can't I cook your dinners? I wash floors every day. You torture me. No time to make your precious cutlets. I'm not leaving with you. Take the baby, go away. Yes, I spread fairy tales that you're running away. I just carouse with my health. God, your brains are ugly -- go to your America without me. I hope you die on the way. You don't want soup, kasha. Just tasty tidbits every day. Think they want your pot of gold? You'll burst like a soap bubble. I'm not leaving with you. Take the baby, go away. You don't get it. This is home. My Motherland. You can laugh, but you'll cry later. Let's be honest, for once: I'm not leaving with you. Take the baby, go away, go to your America without me. I hope you die on the way. 2. You don't know, I give and give you every opportunity. When our exit papers came, I'm the one who packed everything. One minute you say yes, next minute you don't want to leave. Why can't you make cutlets or put water on for tea? It's my apartment -- I bought us everything. Everything. You don't know, I give and give you every opportunity. When we met, there was a lot in you that was indecent. I kept quiet about your Sasha, didn't say a thing. You told him yes, yes, yes -- you never wanted him to leave. Of course, you don't understand the concept of property. You're a village girl who never wanted to do anything. You don't know, I give and give you every opportunity. You burst a long time ago -- I get no tenderness, nothing. You'd leave right away if you saw their standard of living, if you only knew I give and give you every opportunity: One minute you say yes, next minute you don't want to leave.