Locker

Locker Lady

The first time I studied in Russia in 2002 I would go to a Sports Center (with an indoor-pool and an exercise area) at least once a week.

While there I met a Woman, Alla Nikolaevna, who worked in the Men’s Locker Room handing out the Locker Keys, cleaning the Locker Room and the Shower and the Bathroom.

She was in her 60s.

Note: Throughout Russia Older Women (in their 60s-90s) have to do menial jobs after they retire so they can make ends-meet.

The Average Russian Retiree only makes $237 a month.

 You see them everywhere (at Coat Checks, at Public Pay Bathrooms, as Street Cleaners, as Snow Shovelers, as Conductors on Public Transportation, as Janitors, etc.) Most are overlooked and not given a second glance.

Back to my Story: In 2002 I was just learning Russian and so wasn’t fluent in it yet.

I would go to the Sports Center and either swim (you were only allowed to swim laps) or go to the exercise room.

After swimming or working out I would take a shower and wait for the Friends I had come with (who were in the Female Locker Room.)

The Locker Lady – I didn’t know her name at first – saw that I was always waiting and after a few weeks asked me (in Russian of course) what I was doing.

I told her that I was waiting for Friends to finish up. She could tell from my broken Russian and thick accent that I was a Foreigner and asked me where I was from. I told her the US and she beamed with excitement saying she had never met an American before.

She then invited me into her room and made tea (Russians are obsessed with tea) and gave me some cookies and said I could wait in there whenever I wanted to.

At least once a week for the next 6 months I would hang out with Alla Nikolaevna (I always used her First Name and her Patronymic) for about 30 -45 minutes while the Others finished up.

We would have tea and I would bring some treat to go along with it (a cake, cookies, etc.) and talk about regular things.

Alla Nikolaevna had been an Engineer in the Medical Field and worked her whole life and had travelled across the USSR and even went to Communist Poland once (which was a big deal since 99% of Soviets weren’t allowed to travel outside the USSR.)

She survived the Collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 (along with her Husband), but during the 1998 Financial Crisis (when the Russian Government changed the Russian Ruble from 1,000 Rubles to 1 Ruble overnight) she lost her life savings.

Her Husband also got sick and died at the same time and she had to pay for his Medical Bills (Health Care in Russia is technically free, but you have to either bring or pay for your own food, blankets, medicines, etc.)

So she went from being a Retired Engineer to a Locker Lady.

In 2002 I saw her every week for 6 months and then set up her Mail.ru account so we could e-mail after I left.

When I went back to study in  Russia for the 2nd time in 2004 I went back to the Sports Center, but mostly to hang out with Alla Nikolaevna.

This time I was fluent in Russian and so there was no Language Barrier anymore.

On her Birthday I brought her her favorite Cake and a small present and we celebrated. Even her Co-Workers whom she had know for 6 years didn’t even know it was her Birthday and were surprised that I did.

When I left Russia again we continued to stay in contact through e-mail.

We kept in regular contact until her Daughter wrote me a Letter in 2013 saying that Alla Nikolaevna had passed away and that she had found my Letters and E-Mails at her Mom’s place and wanted to let me know.

There are many good People around Russia, the US and the rest of the World who many do not give a second glance to: the Elderly, the Homeless, the Hungry, Veterans, the Disabled, etc.

I’m really glad that I randomly met Alla Nikolaevna and made the effort to get to know her and keep in touch. She was a very interesting and funny person.