Modestas arrives on time to our apartment with Aunt Jane in tow. As we are staying at her place while she stays with Beruta, she needs some things to get ready for the wedding on Friday. She wanders through the apartment looking for what she needs while Modestas looks at me and gives a slow eye roll while smiling. The gesture of the face is a universal language!
Lisa and I head out to the car with Modestas leaving Lisa’s father to deal with Aunt Jane. They emerge a few minutes later rattling off something in Lithuanian to each other. Again, Modestas sighs heavily as he shuttles Aunt Jane into the car. It is a relatively short ride to Beruta’s apartment as Modestas leaves us there promising to return in awhile..now I thought I heard him chuckle at this point – but I can’t be sure….
In the apartment we head straight for the living/extra room where a TV playing something like the Lithuanian version of Lawrence Welk is blaring. Jane and Beruta apparently like the current singer as Beruta turns up the volume. Watching the hokey production values is a barrel of laughs for us and a good reason not to have Lisa’s father worry about translating.
As usual there is a large spread of food on the table – sausages, vegetables, smoked chicken and breads are the menu of the evening. There is also a very full bottle of homemade Lithuanian whisky – the kind that can power a large diesel engine, which you may remember from an earlier post:
(http://siegsblogginfun.blogspot.com/2005_08_09_siegsblogginfun_archive.html)
Knowing that Beruta would try very hard to get us completely snookered, we made a pact to only sip the shots a little at a time and hope to God that she does not notice. The plan works for the most part and eventually she gives up.
Beruta is really something else; she could literally make a truck driver blush – not knowing the language does not save you either as she is good at mimicking a particular body part with the sausages. Laughing only encourages her – but darn it you just can’t help it! It is better than watching a blue comedy show starring Red Foxx from the 70’s!
Eventually though, Jane, Beruta and Alberti fall into a conversation over pictures while huddled in the corner. Having found “Water World” on the local movie channel (dubbed in Lithuanian – but what the hell we could still follow the story) Lisa and I are content to relax and watch TV. Every so often there is an embarrassed laugh from Lisa’s father as Berute says something dirty again. Every so often Jane (her mother) scolds her wit a wag of her finger – Beruta just laughs and continues on. It’s like watching the Odd Couple with a couple of old Lithuanian women – and it is a very good time!
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