A friendly face in a foreign place: My encounter with a Soviet soldier
He was sitting on a low stone wall in a park in Moscow. He wore heavy black boots, tight black pants, a black jacket, and a sheepskin shapka on his head. He had military medals pinned to his chest. He sat calmly watching as people walked past. A few were walking alone. Some were talking to each other. Families were taking their children for a stroll.
His eyes were narrow, set in a weather-worn face featuring deep wrinkles across his
