Since at that time we did not know the name of a single locality in the republic except Yakutsk itself, this posed a problem. “I’m sure there must be hundreds of places we’d like to see. However since you know them and we don’t, I’d prefer to leave the choice to you. One thing, though, I’d like to visit a town in a remote northern region.” Simeon merely nodded. During the days that followed, Claire, Kola, Yura and I saw several northern towns, all of which appeared to be satisfactorily remote. I assumed my request had already been granted until one afternoon Kola announced we would be leaving before dawn the next day for the town of Tchersky. “And where is Tchersky?” I asked. Kola who, as a Muscovite, knew as little about Yakutia as I did, shrugged his narrow shoulders and looked more bird-like than usual. “Who knows? Somewhere in Siberia. We’ll see. One thing you can be sure about. It will have a lot of kindergartens and we will be taken to see every last one of them so we can tickle the dripping little monsters under their fat chins.”
