Trying to buy a gift

I have received letters from both of President Gorbachev’s granddaughters. The youngest one is Anastasia. Her nickname is Nastia. Today, strangely enough, we went to a supermarket, and there I saw some bags with her name, “Anastasia”. I wanted to buy one for her but I could not find out the price.

I waited and waited for the sales assistant to tell me the price. Finally, she said, “It is ten per cent off.”

I said, “Ten per cent off what price?”

But she did not know the original price.

I said, “Say anything you like. I really want to have this particular bag.”

Then she went to get the actual price, but, alas, she never came back. So I could not buy the bag.

— 8 January 1998, Cancún, Mexico