BREAKFAST AT THE ACADEMY

This morning, I got to the Academy cafe on Kamersgersky and did some miming to find out that they had eggs. I returned at 11, when they actually open, and ordered two eggs, orange juice and coffee. When the eggs came, I sent them back to be flipped over and fried.

I usually eat without drinking, but the bread was so heavy it just wouldn't go down. I have just so much saliva, you know. That's when I ordered the orange juice.

The bill came to 400 rubles. That's $15.17. I had to pay in rubles and was running low, so I told her I didn't have enough to tip. But I left $2 anyway -- $1 more than I should have.

But I did like sitting by the window, and looking at the statue of my all-time favorite writers, Anton Chekov.

PBB