impertinence from mendicants. She refused eighty percent of applicants and was proud of it. In her mind this was the only way of keeping America from being overwhelmed by job-thieving, welfare-collecting, men-stealing migrants.
90 JAMES
BRUNO
"I regret to inform you that--"
Lydia cut her off. "Please see my references." She slipped a letter through the window.
"Edna dear," it began. "This is to introduce Lydia Puchinskaya, the daughter of a good friend, a wealthy businessman, former party man, from Rostov. Lydia is an art student who wishes to see the great museums of America. I will call. With affection, Pavel."
This indeed was an important reference. Pavel was Edna's lover. She might be all business at the office, but at home, Edna was a woman. Being with Pavel, whom she had met at her yoga class, was quite a sensitive thing.
American officials in Russia still operate under a "non-frat"
-- non-fraternization -- policy. This means no love affairs with the locals. The KGB might be gone, but in name only.
Sexual seduction remained a tried-and-true means of recruiting spies. But Edna was as tough and discerning as they came. She could smell an ulterior motive a jail sentence away. Eighteen years of visa work honed the sixth sense for such things. With so many of the good, eligible males in the Foreign Service -- there weren't many to begin with -- being snatched away by calculating foreign females, why, heck! Smart, dynamic and lovable ladies should not be expected to live like nuns. We're human too, she had concluded firmly.
And Pavel was so sweet. So innocently boylike. And, at 25, athletic and six-foot-two, a serious hunk. He dabbled in yoga, and had quit after only the first class. His passion was dancing. He, in fact, taught Edna how to dance.
Pavel never asked for any favors for himself. Indeed, he invariably tried to refuse Edna's gifts -- unheard of in this broken society of conniving schemers. But once in a while, he would recommend for a visa a special friend, usually female. But they were of impeccable credentials and from PERMANENT INTERESTS
91
good families. She approved the visas, certain that Pavel wouldn't send any ringers. Pavel was a real Prince Charming. Just like his brother, Sasha.
92 JAMES
BRUNO
CHAPTER NINE
Too many things had been getting under Al's skin. Not enough to make him go back to his den and devour cannolli before the boob tube. But enough to give him sour stomachs and restive nights in bed. He had bags under his eyes and popped fistfuls of antacids. Knowing from experience Al's ferocious temper during these down periods, his people tried to keep some distance, treading lightly around the boss and speaking only when spoken to.
If problems came up -- God forbid -- if they could be deferred, they were, until Al's normally jolly, generous humor returned.
Problems plagued his business dealings with the various ethnic groups with which he had assiduously forged links over the years. Sectional rivalries in the Latino outfits were hurting business. Colombians and Dominicans were fighting it out over turf over crack distribution in the Bronx. Al's Chinese counterparts in Manhattan were unable to bring under control the growing Asian youth gangs which were extorting and threatening Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese shopkeepers around the city. Many of these small scale business people were suppliers of Al's businesses, or had cooperative arrangements with Al's PERMANENT INTERESTS
93
territorial capos. When the Asians suffered, Al also suffered as profits went down and the complaints from his people rose. Along 125th Street in Harlem, city authorities had cleared out illegal vendors. Al had provided the seed money to Harlem business cohorts to get the vendors started and supplied in return for eleven percent of the receipts, now dried up. Even the Irish, Jewish and other politicians with whom he had carefully cultivated discreet and mutually enriching relationships over the years were not
90 JAMES
BRUNO
"I regret to inform you that--"
Lydia cut her off. "Please see my references." She slipped a letter through the window.
"Edna dear," it began. "This is to introduce Lydia Puchinskaya, the daughter of a good friend, a wealthy businessman, former party man, from Rostov. Lydia is an art student who wishes to see the great museums of America. I will call. With affection, Pavel."
This indeed was an important reference. Pavel was Edna's lover. She might be all business at the office, but at home, Edna was a woman. Being with Pavel, whom she had met at her yoga class, was quite a sensitive thing.
American officials in Russia still operate under a "non-frat"
-- non-fraternization -- policy. This means no love affairs with the locals. The KGB might be gone, but in name only.
Sexual seduction remained a tried-and-true means of recruiting spies. But Edna was as tough and discerning as they came. She could smell an ulterior motive a jail sentence away. Eighteen years of visa work honed the sixth sense for such things. With so many of the good, eligible males in the Foreign Service -- there weren't many to begin with -- being snatched away by calculating foreign females, why, heck! Smart, dynamic and lovable ladies should not be expected to live like nuns. We're human too, she had concluded firmly.
And Pavel was so sweet. So innocently boylike. And, at 25, athletic and six-foot-two, a serious hunk. He dabbled in yoga, and had quit after only the first class. His passion was dancing. He, in fact, taught Edna how to dance.
Pavel never asked for any favors for himself. Indeed, he invariably tried to refuse Edna's gifts -- unheard of in this broken society of conniving schemers. But once in a while, he would recommend for a visa a special friend, usually female. But they were of impeccable credentials and from PERMANENT INTERESTS
91
good families. She approved the visas, certain that Pavel wouldn't send any ringers. Pavel was a real Prince Charming. Just like his brother, Sasha.
92 JAMES
BRUNO
CHAPTER NINE
Too many things had been getting under Al's skin. Not enough to make him go back to his den and devour cannolli before the boob tube. But enough to give him sour stomachs and restive nights in bed. He had bags under his eyes and popped fistfuls of antacids. Knowing from experience Al's ferocious temper during these down periods, his people tried to keep some distance, treading lightly around the boss and speaking only when spoken to.
If problems came up -- God forbid -- if they could be deferred, they were, until Al's normally jolly, generous humor returned.
Problems plagued his business dealings with the various ethnic groups with which he had assiduously forged links over the years. Sectional rivalries in the Latino outfits were hurting business. Colombians and Dominicans were fighting it out over turf over crack distribution in the Bronx. Al's Chinese counterparts in Manhattan were unable to bring under control the growing Asian youth gangs which were extorting and threatening Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese shopkeepers around the city. Many of these small scale business people were suppliers of Al's businesses, or had cooperative arrangements with Al's PERMANENT INTERESTS
93
territorial capos. When the Asians suffered, Al also suffered as profits went down and the complaints from his people rose. Along 125th Street in Harlem, city authorities had cleared out illegal vendors. Al had provided the seed money to Harlem business cohorts to get the vendors started and supplied in return for eleven percent of the receipts, now dried up. Even the Irish, Jewish and other politicians with whom he had carefully cultivated discreet and mutually enriching relationships over the years were not
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