Dyedushka (Grandfather) with Earflaps

Today on the way to the marshrutka (minibus-taxi) stop to Russian lesson, I saw a dyedushka (grandfather) with a time-worn face. His bright blue eyes sparkled from beneath his large brown fur hat with ear flaps. We were near a DVD store when I passed him, and loud techno music was blaring from the speakers, strategically placed at each end of the building. “What a lot of changes this dyedushka has seen in his lifetime.” I thought as we neared each other: this loud music, the shops being full of things to buy, all the cars in the city . . . when I passed him, I smiled, because I suddenly realized 20 years ago he wouldn’t have passed an American on the street. I am one of those changes!