Roll Over Play Dead

by Dan Milton

  Chet, Jeff, and Ernie had a couple of hours to kill before their flight to Seattle. They talked about Chet’s plans and said they would see each other on future dive trips with the Puget Sounders. Chet said, “I have been thinking about starting a salvage operation; just something on a small scale. It will keep me busy doing what I love to do.”

  Ernie said, “That sounds great. If we can help you in any way just let us know. You were the difference in us finding the wreck and recovering the contents. We’ll be doing some work again this year with Commander Carothers at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. I’ll let him know how much help you were to us and that you will be setting up a salvage operation. You never know when he might have some need for your help.”

  * * *

  About a month later and thousands of miles to the west, in the small Russian Village of Bepa, a group gathered. The parish priest, Father Grigory, and the village elder, Pyotr Timofeyovich, with the rest of the villagers, were in the church graveyard. They were there to honor Father Alexander as his body was brought home and buried in the church cemetery. It had taken Pyotr over 20 years to make that happen. It was only through his contacts, as a reserve Captain in the Russian Army, that he was able to find the burial site of Father Alexander. He finally got the body exhumed and shipped back home.

  Father Grigory’s final words, said in an emotionally breaking tone, “My adopted father has returned home. He will always be with us.”

  As Pyotr and Father Grigory walked from the graveyard, they discussed the needs of the village. Just then, the state post carrier arrived with a letter addressed to Pyotr. After a long, thoughtful look at the envelope, Pyotr said, “Father Grigory, the letter is from Ernie Donald. Come in and let’s see what he has to say.” Pyotr opened the envelope and quickly scanned the letter. He said, “Father Grigory, listen to this.”

  With that, Pyotr read the following portion of the letter aloud: Alexei is alive. We met with him, and he joined our search for the wreck. The good news is that we have found the wreck and recovered the parcel and your parish register. The wealth of your village is intact. Alexei is making arrangements to travel to your village, and he should be getting in touch with you shortly.

  Pyotr continued: He is a good man. We have become very close friends. I am very fond of him. It has taken him time to get over why he did not get in touch with you during these past 20 years. The shame he felt in losing what was valuable to the village overshadowed everything. Now, the shame in not contacting you is hurting him more. He will need help from you to cope with what happened. As you’ll read in his journal, his story was heroic. Since the wreck, he has made a success out of 20 years of hard work. But, I will let him tell you all about that.

  On hearing these words, Father Grigory almost fell out of his chair with excitement. He said, “I can’t believe it! But, it’s true! He is alive! The Lord has answered my prayers. Our faith in Alexei has brought him back to us.”

  A few weeks later another letter arrived addressed to Pyotr. This one was from Alexei. He provided the details of his travel plans. He would fly to Moscow and then take a train to Volgograd. He provided the date and time of his arrival at the Volgograd railway station. The letter continued: I will then take a bus to Bepa. I am not sure what the bus schedule will be. In closing the letter, Alexei stated, Father, I am looking forward to seeing you, Grigory and Tasha. I am so sorry that I did not let you know I was okay. And grandfather, he died without knowing. I don’t know what I can do or say to make it up to you.

  Pam’s corporate president arranged for the sale of the diamonds belonging to the village of Bepa. In the 20 intervening years, the price of a one carat brilliant investment grade stone had risen to $5,194. The net sale of the 12 diamonds was a little over $61,500. The money, placed in an account in the name of the Village of Bepa, would provide an annual payment. This extra income for the villagers would be a boon to Bepa and help them get back on their feet.

  Born in Russia, Alexei was able to obtain a visa to enter the country. He also had a little intervention help from the American Embassy in Moscow. The president of the corporation that Pam flew for happened to be a friend of the Ambassador.

  A shipment via diplomatic pouch to the American Embassy in Moscow included the Icon, the parish register, and another package. The embassy had a courier deliver the packages to Alexei at the railway station before he left for Volgograd.

  Right on schedule, the messenger arrived and handed the packages to Alexei. With a hearty thank you, Alexei boarded the train. As he rode along, taking in the scenery, he thought he was almost emotionally ready to see his father. A few moments later he was not. It went this way, back and forth, back and forth, until he finally fell asleep from total exhaustion. He dreamed of Tasha, remembering what she looked like from the last time he had seen her so many years ago.

  Pyotr and Father Grigory decided to stay in the Village. Here they would anxiously await the arrival of Alexei. Tasha flagged down the bus just outside the village and rode it to Volgograd. She waited at the railway station for Alexei to arrive wondering how he would have changed over the 20 years. She remembered him the way he looked like a 16-year-old boy just leaving on the journey. Now he was a man. How would he look? Would he even remember me? I remember reading entries in his journal where he thought of me. Does he feel the same today?

  The train was a little late as she walked to the arrival gate. How will I recognize him? He must have changed a lot. I need to make a quick sign. She ran over to the counter and asked for a piece of paper. She grabbed a tube of lipstick from her purse. What should I write? I’ll write ALEXEI. No, there will be too many with that name. I’ll write BEPA. How many others could be arriving from our village?

  She waited in anticipation by the gate holding up her sign. The passengers flowed past, and she did not recognize anyone in the throng. As the number of passengers began to thin out she wondered if she had the right gate. She then spotted a tall somewhat handsome and very rugged looking man that reminded her of a young boy she had known. As she stared intently she noticed he walked with a slight limp. She then saw that he recognized the BEPA sign. She yelled, over the noise of the crowd, “Alexei! Alexei! Over here!” The handsome gentleman stopped, looked right at her, and then walked over.

  Alexei said, “Tasha is that you? You have changed so much.”

  Tasha thought to herself: Yes, tired and worn.

  “You have grown into a beautiful young lady.”

  Blushing, Tasha said, “I am so glad to see you. We thought you had died in the wreck.”

  “It’s a very long story that I will tell you on our way to Bepa. How are father and Grigory?”

  “They are both fine and anxious to see you.”

  “How are those in the village taking my return?”

  “Some have come around. Others may never. But, that’s how people are.”

  “I would also like to hear about Father Alexander and what happened.”

  On the bus ride from Volgograd, Alexei heard about all the happenings in the village. Tasha filled him in on how Father Alexander had died. She said that he had always wanted her to become a doctor; so she had. She told him how she had just finished training a nurse in the community to handle most of the medical problems. He found out how Grigory had become the parish priest and was loved by all the villagers. He also learned how his father Pyotr became the Village Elder and was keeping the community functioning.

  One of the young boys of the village ran to Pyotr’s house and called out, “The bus is coming!” He had been at the highway for hours waiting for a glimpse of the bus.

  Father Grigory heard the commotion and stepped outside as Pyotr was just coming out of his house. Grigory said, “I guess it’s time to greet him. Are you okay?”

  Pyotr said, “Yes. I’m all right. Let’s get on down to the roadway.” Pyotr and Father Grigory arrived just as the bus was pulling away. Standing there beside a load of luggage was Alexei and Tasha. Pyotr thought, “What
a handsome couple.”

  Hesitantly, and with tears in his eyes, Alexei walked over to his father and said, “I am so sorry to have put you through so much.”

  Pyotr opened his arms wide, and they embraced. Tasha was standing there with tears streaming down her face. Father Grigory yelled out, “How about me!”

  With that, Alexei turned and the two old friends, who had been through so much together, embraced each other and the years disappeared as if Alexei had never gone away.

  Everyone grabbed a bag, and they walked back to the village past the graveyard and the parish church. As they entered the village, several of the villagers came out to greet Alexei. Even though there was warmth in the greeting, there was an underlying coldness. Alexei felt sad for how much the community had suffered.

  That night, over dinner, Alexei unwrapped the packages the Embassy gave him in Moscow. The first provided the parish register. He handed it to Father Grigory who said, “I now take responsibility for the safety of the 200 years of history contained in this record. I will update it with what has happened in the last 20. Our history has finally come home.”

  Alexei handed the second package to Father Grigory. It contained the Sacred Icon. Father Grigory said, “We will have a formal ceremony this coming Sunday to hang the Icon back in its spot. Everyone will be so pleased to see it there.”

  Alexei, handing the third package to Pyotr said, “Father I would like you to have this original copy of my journal. It was Father Alexander who insisted I keep a diary, so it belongs here with you in the village. I have a copy of it which I will save for my children should I be so blessed.”

  At these words, Tasha looked up, and Alexei’s eyes locked on hers.

  Alexei continued, “Ernie Donald was able to get the original journal back from the Alaska Historical Society and placed a copy in its place, with a small donation of course!”

  “Wait. There is something more for next Sunday.” He handed Father Grigory the last package which he excitedly opened. Two gold candle holders, for the church altar, shone brightly, even in the dim light of the room. Alexei said, “They are not the original ones. They were part of the trade for the diamonds. A few weeks ago, I contacted the Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska and told them I wanted to find some antique gold candle holders that you could use on the altar in our village parish church. They put me in touch with someone who had just what I needed, so I procured them for the village.”

  Father Grigory said, “Alexei, I don’t know what to say.”

  Tasha, who was sitting across the table from Alexei, just smiled with that inner knowledge—this Alexei, he truly is someone special.

  That next Sunday, true to form, Father Grigory found some new candles he had stored away a long time ago and put them in the new gold candle holders. Lit when the service started, the candles shone brightly across the altar. Father Grigory had already hung the Icon everyone loved in its original spot. In Father Grigory’s sermon, he said that a new hope had returned to the village. There was a new togetherness in the villagers’ attitude; a new dedication. The community was beginning to recover from a long spiritual illness. Father Grigory closed by offering a prayer for the late Captain Boyd, who gave his life helping Alexei.

  After church was over, Father Grigory and Alexei walked to the graveyard. Father Grigory pointed out Alexei’s grandfather Mikhail’s grave and that of his Aunt Alexandra. He told Alexei when and how both had passed away.

  A few moments later, Alexei walked over to his mother’s grave. Father Grigory waited quietly in the background. Alexei stood there for a long time. He then leaned down and dug for the marble. Even buried so many years ago, his fingers found the round object, and he lifted it out of the dirt. He wiped off the dirt and held it up to the light. It had changed as he had changed. It was now pearly white and glowed in the sunlight. He looked at the marble and then back to the grave and said softly, “Mother, you were my guardian angel; you came to me when I needed you most. Even when I rolled over and played dead for so many years I always felt your love.”

  Epilogue

  It was almost Christmas, and the season of giving was fast approaching. Alexei and Tasha had the best gift they could give each other—themselves. They both recognized that they had been in love all their lives. Father Grigory married the happy couple on Christmas Eve. The people of the village, after receiving their first annual payment, finally accepted what had happened to Alexei, and all had joined the marriage celebration. Pyotr beamed with joy during the wedding. Even though he knew they would be heading to America after the New Year, they promised to come home to visit at least once a year.

  After several months at Lake Clark, Tasha, with help from Alexei, established a medical clinic in Port Alsworth to serve the local people around the Lake. By summer, she had arranged for the involvement of additional medical people as she set up clinics in Iliamna and Kokhanok.

  Within six months, Chet started his salvage business with help from Ernie and Jeff. He has done well and has kept busy doing what he loves. He, Ernie and Jeff, whenever they had time, made weekend dives with the Puget Sounders. About a year after Chet was home, he received a call from Commander Carothers who asked him to come in and discuss some work that the US Navy needed.

  Owen’s charter business has kept him very busy. He managed to get to Port Alsworth frequently to drop in on Alexei and Tasha. They have become best friends. Whenever he could stay over, Owen was invited to spend the night with them, and they talked long into the night. He also continued to fly Alexei to several of his business interests in and around Lake Iliamna and Bristol Bay. Pam has flown to Anchorage several times that somehow coincided with charter flights of Owen’s to Anchorage. They always found time for dinner with their conversation centered on Alexei and how his life changed after finding the wreck.

  Ernie received his Master of Science degree and after moving to San Diego, became busy with a contracting agreement with the US Navy. Jeff accepted a job with an Oceanographic Institute in Southern California and has worked for them while he worked on his doctrinal thesis.

  In late spring, the following year, Pam, Chet, Ernie and Jeff sat taking in the views from their table at Canlis restaurant in Seattle. They had just discussed the time that Pam, on one of the Lake Iliamna dives near Kokhanok, had felt that something large had just passed overhead. She said it was because of the shadowing effect on the bottom below her. It was passed off as nothing more than the sun passing behind a cloud. But, when they talked about it later, no one remembered seeing any clouds that day. The unanswered question; what was it then that made the giant shadow over the area where Pam was diving? Maybe, just maybe, there was something to that Indian legend about a giant creature in the lake. Someone made the following suggestion: this coming summer let’s plan a one-week trip to Lake Iliamna. We’ll arrange a suitable time with Alexei, so that maybe we could use his boat. And, just maybe he could take a week off and join us. We could spend some time at the upper end of the lake to find out if there is anything at all to the legend. Ernie mentioned that he had some new sonar equipment the US Navy would let him use. If nothing else, would it not be a great reunion? Everyone said in unison—let’s do it!

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  Thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, won’t you please take a moment to leave a review at your favorite retailer?

  Thanks!

  Dan Milton

  About the Author

  Dan Milton retired from Hewlett-Packard in 2004. He managed leading-edge technology projects in the U.S., UK, and India. As a technologist, he pioneered several areas, including: voice verification, voice mail, e-mail, wireless texting, and cellular operations. Early on, he managed a number of classified shipboard command, control and communications projects as a US Navy contractor. He has been an author and speaker to professional groups on technology topics in the U.S., Hong Kong, Singapore, London, and India. While in India, he served as president of the Indo-American Society. He was a contributing edito
r of the International Camelid Journal for five years. He was District Governor of Toastmasters International. He has a B.S. degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Texas A & M University.