Introduction | Ukrainian Monster — Memoir by Viktoriya Voloshina

Introduction

When I was three, at the park with my sister and my

Babushka Nadya, I heard the unmistakable,

rollicking music of the ice cream truck, I bolted

across a busy two-way street to catch it—

I didn’t have any money,

(I didn’t even know money existed!)

I caught the truck—

but didn’t get any ice cream.

My grandmother told the story for many years—

almost laughing with terror and total disbelief that

she had anything to do with producing me.

She’d cry out,

“And just like that, you’re gone—gone! I look across

the street—cars swish past—and there you are—on

the other side!

And when did you, fast one, even have time?”

Her humor would quickly turn to grief,

“The cars could have hit you. Anyone could have

snatched you up.

Oy, oy, oy...

somehow I got to the other side...

and led you back...

Oy...”

And soon, she’d be both delighted and horrified all

over again, asking me again—

“How did you get to the other side?”

Viktoriya Voloshina