Mr. Jon

A couple of weeks ago I attended my host aunts birthday party. While there I met a boisterous middle-aged man who introduced himself as Domnul Ion (or Mr. Jon). He was a loud happy fellow who was curious about me and my Peace Corps service. He asked me why I hadn't been to visit him at the mayors office yet, and I had explained to him that I didn't realize there was a mayors office in the town. (Side note: I live in the county center and work for the county council, which hosts the county president, and so I was ignorant to the existence of a mayor. I know, shame on me.) He seemed nice enough and very eager for me to come meet with him. I asked him where I could find his office and he gave me the specific directions of 'the second floor'. I couldn't help but laugh at this guys opinion of himself. *How do you not know me? I'm Mr. Jon.* With a flush red face for committing such a heinous crime as to not know who this random dude was I agreed to meet him somewhere on the second floor of the mayors office the following Tuesday.

Tuesday morning rolled around, and I completely forgot about my appointment with Mr. Jon. Knowing myself all too well, I knew that I needed to get myself into that office building sometime that week or, I would be too chicken to go find this guy another time.

Thursday afternoon I worked up the courage to go looking for Mr. Jon on the second floor of the mayor's office. I walked the long hall way peeking in open doors and reading name plates on closed doors. None read, Domnul Ion. So, I stopped at one of the open doors and timidly asked a friendly looking older gentlemen if he could tell me where I could find Mr. Jon. The man looked at me blankly and asked 'which Mr. Jon?'. Great, of course there is more than one. I hesitated, and began to explain...unfortunately for me all I could remember was that he was short, middle-aged and over weight. But, since Moldovan's are relatively blunt about these things I just dove right in- 'Umm, the fat one?'. 'Yes, he is down the hall. Speak with his secretary.' ...his secretary? So, I head down the hall and find the room. Sure enough the exterior room has a desk with a older woman sitting at it. I asked if Mr. Jon was free, and that I was a volunteer who worked at the county council. She gave me the typical one over and asked me what country I was from. I told her I was a Peace Corps volunteer from the US. She told me to wait a moment while she checked with Mr. Jon. I told her, it was no trouble if he was busy I would be happy to come back another time. She ignored me. She went to the door and said "Domnul Primar, este o fata frumoasa pentru dumneavoastra". Great, so my introduction was "Mr. Mayor, there is a beautiful girl here for you." So this Mr. Jon guy was the mayor, and I blew him off on Tuesday and now was being introduced in the middle of a work day.

So, after being waved in to the office I took a seat along the wall. Mr. Jon was on the telephone. His office is large and holds a conference table that began to quickly fill up with young members of the mayor's council. My mind was racing, 'God Brittany, what did you get yourself into, he is about to have a meeting and you are sitting here looking like an idiot'. When he finally got off his phone he told one of the women sitting at the table to move and told me to come sit in the empty seat. All eyes were on me. Now, I don't mind introductions in America, where I am comfortable with my speaking skills and general competency but, in Moldova it is a whole other story. So, with my bright red face I smiled and sat down.

Mr. Mayor introduced me, saying 'Everyone, this is Brittany, she was supposed to come on Tuesday, and what is today? That's right, Thursday. Better late than never I guess. She is a volunteer from America and I want you all to know her.". Already making an impressive first impression, great job Britt. I started by apologizing to everyone for my two-day late arrival, and giving myself a very short introduction before they went around and introduced themselves to me. It ended up being a fun first meeting with all these new faces. A couple of the young women even spoke some English which was a nice surprise. Like most first meeting I was asked the standard 'are you married' question, with the follow up 'oh, you should marry so-and-so and bring him back to America'. Luckily enough for me Mr. So-and-so was sitting across the table from me and I dove into yet another awkward red-faced smile and explanation that I am actually not single.

The conversation soon shifted, much to my relief, and the Mayor was now focused on my getting him a big beautiful American flag to be hung outside in honor of our great friendship. (...That had been fostered over a night of house wine and now an awkward meeting in his office. But hey, if that doesn't say great friendship, well, what does?) I scanned his office and saw that he already had a good sized American flag hiding in the corner. I pointed it out. 'No, no, no that is not nearly grand enough to represent our friendship'. I than explained that I don't actually have the money to purchase him a big flag. In no time at all he had come up with the solution to my money problem: 'That's fine you will write your president and he will send you one'. And, with a solution like that I couldn't help but respond: 'Oh yes, well the President and I are great friends so that will work great'. ...silence... Followed by, 'Great!'. And, the joke was lost. Oh well, I tried, I did clarify that I was joking and that let out some smirks and laughter. The topic was soon changed and bottles of soda were put on the table along with a pile of biscuits and chocolate, we all became acquainted and I promised to attend an event they were throwing the following day with the British Embassy.  I am glad that in the end I chose to follow through, and even though I didn't make it to the office on the agreed day I hope to keep up a relationship with the Mayor's office during the entirety of my service.

And so, that is the story of how I got to know Mr. Jon.