IV
The Tutor
Monday morning, Michael was getting dressed when he heard someone knocking on his door.
He said, “Just a minute.” He pulled his pants on and said, “Come in.”
Tigresa walked into the room; she was accompanied by a female dog of a breed Michael had
never seen before. “Michael,” she said, “I’d like to introduce you to Mrs. Sobaka (1).” She
turned to Mrs. Sobaka and said, “Galina, this is your student, Michael Thomson.”
With a mild but noticeable Russian accent, Galina said, “Thomson, like the gazelle?”
Michael smiled and said, “Yes, ma’am, like the gazelle, Mrs. Sobaka.” As they talked, he tucked
the tail of his shirt into his pants and then they started walking toward the living room.
“Please, Michael. You may to call me Galina.”
“Yes, ma’am. Galina? That sounds Russian.”
Galina said, “Russian? I do not know this place.”
Surprised, Michael said, “It’s in eastern Gnurope and northern Asha.”
“Ah. You mean Fursian. Yes, I am Fursian. I am Hortaya Borzaya (2) and they do come from that
area of the world.”
