Wait

[marval]

A fellow, reflecting upon his ancestry one day, determined to go to Russia for a visit. Why not? Must be an interesting place. However when he tried to do some business in the black-market. He was quickly arrested by the police and imprisoned.

When he was brought before the judge, he was informed that doing business with the black market was a terrible crime to society, since the people suffer from the inability of the government to collect taxes and the punishment was well known, death.

Although he protested that he was a foreigner, the judge refused to reduce the sentence.

"The government is trying to stamp out the black market. We have no mercy on people who come here and disregard our laws. However, you are a foreigner, and we do want to encourage foreigners to come here as tourists and to do business, legally, of course.

We want to show the world that the Russian legal system has mercy. Therefore we will allow you three wishes. Anything that you desire, just ask and you shall be granted them. The only condition is that you cannot request to commute your death sentence. After your three wishes have been granted, you will have to pay for your crime."

"Well, if that is what I have left to do with my life, my first request is to go skiing in the Carpathian Mountains."

"What?" the judge remarked, "skiing? This is the summer ... there isn't any snow now."

"Well," the fellow answered, folding his arms across his chest, "I'm prepared to wait. Because that's my first wish."

"Let it be so!" The judge banged his gavel on the desk and called the police. "When the snow falls on the Carpathian Mountains, you are to fetch this fellow and let him ski to his heart’s content, from sunrise until sunset. Afterwards he is to be brought to me to complete his sentencing."

Six months later the police came to collect the man and took him up to the most beautiful ski resort high up on the Carpathian Mountains. The fellow skied all day and after night fall the police whisked him to the judge.

"The state has granted your first wish. What is your second?"

"Well, I always wanted to swim in the Black Sea. That is my second request."

"The Black Sea is frozen. its winter now."

"Well," the fellow answered, "I'm prepared to wait."

The judge said banging down his gavel, "The police will come to you on a beautiful summer's day and escort you to the ocean where you will swim to your heart’s content from sunrise until sunset. Then you will be brought here to complete the sentencing."

On a beautiful summer's day, the police took him to the nicest resort are on the Black Sea. The man swam the entire day and then after sun fall, was ushered in front of the judge.

"The state has kept its word. Now you may have your last wish, after which you will be executed"

"Well," the man began, "nothing could please me more than to be buried in a cemetery along side of you."

"What?" the judge said, "but I'm not dead yet. How could we do that?"

"I don't know, but I'm prepared to wait ..

[ichkeria]

Not the point, perhaps, but the Carpathian Mountains aren't actually in Russia ...