I first met Jeka at the airport after his return from a summer vacation in Ukraine. Leading up to his arrival I was nervous about meeting my future father in law who just happend to look like Mikail Gorbachev. You only have one chance to make a first impression. With the help of Julia's friend Svelana I was practicing to say his name, Yevgeniy. Sadly, I just couldn't remember how to say his name correctly. Inflections here and not there, I just couldn't remember it. So I asked if I could call him by another name. Zhena (English letters) is considered a shortened name of Yevgeniy. That I could pronouce! I began to practice saying his name before ever meeting him.
Julia's Russian friends were talking we me and using the word Zhena (wife) almost in a teasing fashion. I didn't mind as I knew that I wanted to marry Julia from the moment I met her. I said to myself that I need to remember that word. Zhena! So I am practicing this word too. Problems came when I tried to remember both words. For someone with zero Russian language experience, these two words are confusing with eachother.
Jeka (easiest nickname for me!) was at the meeting spot at the airport and I was happy to recognize him from photos on the fridge. I called out his name. He waved with his hand. We had small talk. We were waiting for Julia to get back from the bathroom. Julia asked if he had a chance to talk with me. And Jeka said (in Russian but translated later), "John seems like a nice guy but tell him to stop calling me his wife."
