Diane Henders in her last blog post "Confessions of a Vegas Swinger" admitted to returning home from Vegas, with her husband only to find in her wallet a scrap of paper with a man's name and phone number. The name meant nothing to her, she claimed, and was certain she had not had more fun than she remembered. If you haven't read her blog, you owe it to yourself.
I was chuckling to myself about the story last night and told Tanya who relayed this true story to me.
In Soviet times, not only did everyone get a month holidays (or two months, depending if you worked in the far north) you also got sent for up to a month to a sanatorium or spa for preventative maintenance and to "take the waters". On holidays, you went with your family. To the spa, you went where and when they sent you. Husband and wife would often go to different spas at different times.
Short term summer romances or temporary hook-ups as we might call them were extremely common under such conditions. The Soviet Union had very Victorian principles about sex which were ignored by everyone as it was something the government could not control even though they controlled everything else in your life.
So...the Director of a Collective Farm and his Agronomist (the guy in charge of crop production on the farm) who were good friends both went to Truskavets for 24 days. (Tanya and I were in Truskavets a few years back and you can read my Canadian comments on a very European custom beginning HERE Trust me it is worth the read.)
The plot thickens. The Agronomist told the young lady that his name was that of his Director. When they exchanged addresses at the end of their stay, he gave her the Director's address. A week or so after they returned home, the director began receiving love letters from the young lady.
His wife was in the process of suing for divorce when the Agronomist finally fessed up.
I was chuckling to myself about the story last night and told Tanya who relayed this true story to me.
In Soviet times, not only did everyone get a month holidays (or two months, depending if you worked in the far north) you also got sent for up to a month to a sanatorium or spa for preventative maintenance and to "take the waters". On holidays, you went with your family. To the spa, you went where and when they sent you. Husband and wife would often go to different spas at different times.
Short term summer romances or temporary hook-ups as we might call them were extremely common under such conditions. The Soviet Union had very Victorian principles about sex which were ignored by everyone as it was something the government could not control even though they controlled everything else in your life.
So...the Director of a Collective Farm and his Agronomist (the guy in charge of crop production on the farm) who were good friends both went to Truskavets for 24 days. (Tanya and I were in Truskavets a few years back and you can read my Canadian comments on a very European custom beginning HERE Trust me it is worth the read.)
The Agronomist promptly found a young lady and quite enjoyed his time at the spa. The Director, being a conscientious man and good husband, drank the water and did all the other strange things as prescribed that are for the good of one's health.
The plot thickens. The Agronomist told the young lady that his name was that of his Director. When they exchanged addresses at the end of their stay, he gave her the Director's address. A week or so after they returned home, the director began receiving love letters from the young lady.
His wife was in the process of suing for divorce when the Agronomist finally fessed up.
This is an old old story. Still true today in Germany, although I’m not sure about the swapping of names.
ReplyDeleteThe spa romance is officially called ‘Kurschatten’ and ranks among the minor sins.
Wish I could remember the name of the book. It investigated affairs the world over and said that the spa romance was so common that it wasn't usually even considered as adultery by most folks here. Which you have confirmed. Thank you for dropping by and leaving a comment.
DeleteFits well with your wifi/wife joke...
ReplyDeleteAt least she didn't shoot him first and ask questions after.
DeleteThanks for the mention - and for the great laugh! Tanya's story is hilarious, but I notice you didn't mention whether the Agronomist is still living. After his wife, the Director, and the Director's wife got done with him, there wouldn't be much left...
ReplyDeleteI don't know what happened to the Agronomist. Far as I understood from Tanya he kept his job even. As to his wife, if he had one, I doubt she would divorce him. spouses of both sexes take this sort of thing far more casually than in North America.
DeleteThat is hilarious. I really hope it's true!
ReplyDeleteOh, it is true. Tanya was working in P'yatikhatki when it happened and knew them both.
ReplyDeleteA little humour is good, especially when times are "interesting."
ReplyDeleteBlessings and Bear hugs to both of you!
Thanks, Bear.
DeleteHmmm. I might have to spend more time abroad just to see if an old guy can have an adventure of sorts. Don't tell my wife.
ReplyDeleteA wife is foolish to let her husband come to Ukraine by himself
DeleteGreat story.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea there was such good to be said for the Soviet regime.
Snow, there is a great deal of good to be said for the old Soviet Union which I will blog about at some point. It is not to downplay the bad by any stretch but there was good and that is why the old people today miss it.
DeleteThis makes me wonder if there aren't some little surprises after such outings say around nine months later. :-)
ReplyDeleteNo doubt but abortions were and are easily and cheaply available and condoms (not always available in Soviet times were used. Anecdote: Little boy goes to the drugstore and asks for condoms. Druggist says What size do you want and it is your father should be here buying them. Boy says they are for my mother and she doesn't know what size, she is going to the spa.
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