Chapter 1: Two Rivers Into One

Chapter 1

Two Rivers Into One…

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”

—Maya Angelou

              The year was 1980 in Soviet Lithuania, which at the time was still under the former USSR regime. The USSR was facing an economic downtrend and also engaged in a Cold War with the United States and its allies. The ‘Era of Stagnation’ (a term coined by Mikhail Gorbachev to describe the negative way in which he viewed the economic, political, and social policies of the Soviet Union) was coming to an end. Overall, the political climate in the USSR during the 80s was one of stability and continuity, but it was also marked by a tense international environment. Due to the lack of innovation and financing, technology was more imported than exported. Global oil prices were in turmoil, and oil for Russia was and still is the lifeline. During this time, centralized planning systems were not so effective anymore, leaving the whole Communist bloc suffering from a shortage of consumer goods and no strong incentives to keep people motivated and productive. Given the climate, it was these factors that contributed to the USSR's total collapse in the early 1990s.

              Asar's fingers trembled as she clutched her swollen belly, her eyes fixed on her mother’s tired face, as the endless line stretched before her. It had been almost two hours, and still no sign that the line would move any time soon. The queue for milk, sugar, toilet paper, and oranges snaked around the block. As the baby kicked, Asar wondered what kind of world she was bringing her child into. The promise of change hung in the air for so long that people were giving up and losing hope for things to get better. Despite all of the economic hardship, the uniquely positioned port city of Klaipeda (where the Baltic Sea, Danė River, and Curonian Lagoon (Kuršių Marios) meet) made the city a very valuable commodity. The acrid smell of industrial smoke mingled with the salty sea air in Klaipeda. The constant hum of machinery from the port provided a backdrop to the hushed conversations of people in bread lines, their words a mix of hope and resignation. This watery town became the USSR's central strategic trading hub. Klaipeda was a historically new town that was booming with many emerging industries and a very busy port. This intersection signified more than mere geography—it was a melding point for new working sectors and dynamic cultures to trade through history.

Amidst the challenges of lack of resources, finances, and gross national product, residents were forced to stand in line for up to a full day just to buy food and necessities. The hardworking and imaginative individuals of Lithuania's creative workforce remained resolute in their ceaseless endeavors, playing an integral role in shaping the very essence of society. With skilled hands, they laid the groundwork for a burgeoning industrial era, their efforts seamlessly merging with the dreams and ambitions cherished by the residents of the Old Town. This harmonious convergence echoed like a shared anthem, resonating with the collective desire for freedom. The outcome was a profound transformation that endured, setting Soviet Lithuania on a new course that would reverberate for years to come.

In the corners of a busy, growing city, a once unapologetic, teenage love affair promised a hopeful future. Asar, a young, spirited, and determined woman, became pregnant during her last year in high school. An unexpected pregnancy challenged Asar, and her whole family to make the right choice for everyone involved. "Asar, darling," her mother's voice quivered, "Have you really thought this through? A baby at your age..." Asar's hand instinctively cradled her belly. "I have, Mama. It won't be easy, but this child deserves a chance. And so do I." Asar decided she would keep the baby, Asar's determination burned bright in her eyes as she waddled into her high school classroom, her pregnant belly, a sharp rebellion against societal norms. She could feel the heaviness of judgmental stares but held her head high. This baby—would not define her limits but expand her horizons. Victor, the baby’s father and fellow schoolmate, loved her fiery spirit and captivating beauty. However, life's complexities and an uncertain future cast heavy shadows on this once-vibrant romance. Their relationship was a delicate balance between joy, heartache, and responsibility for such young and ill-prepared parents.

Early September 1980 carried the crisp air and first whispers of autumn as Asar's cries echoed through the hospital corridors. With one final, determined push, Alex entered the world—a tiny bundle of possibility. As the sun's golden fingers stretched across the horizon, painting the sky in hues of hope, the newborn drew his first breath, his wail a defiant anthem against the backdrop of Soviet Lithuania's struggles. For a fleeting moment, all seemed right in Asar and Victor's world. They were young, in love, and now parents to a beautiful baby boy. But fate, ever the trickster, had other plans. Before Alex could form his first conscious memories, and before his tiny fingers could grasp his father's hand, Victor was torn away. The Russian Army's mandatory two-year service loomed like a specter, conscripting the new father for a term that might as well have been an eternity. When Victor finally returned home, Alex was no longer the helpless infant he'd left behind but a curious toddler with eyes that mirrored his father's. And for almost six months, they tried to bridge the chasm that time and distance had carved between them. But Victor knew even before his time in the army that further education was essential and too strong to resist. With a heavy heart and dreams of a better future, Victor bid farewell once more, trading diaper changes for textbooks as he set off for university. In his wake, he left a little boy struggling to understand why the word father felt more like a question than an answer. Victors’s abrupt departure left Alex confused, with only fragmented memories of him at an early age. Asar found new love, Peter, a truck driver from the neighborhood, who filled his father’s shoes unkindly. Oddly, everyone insisted that “Peter is Alex’s father now.”

At just three years old, the tender yearning for understanding intertwined with the whisper of elusive bonds, tugging at Alex's heartstrings like an unfinished melody. In the labyrinthine corridors of his mind, fragments of memory danced just out of reach—an unfinished puzzle of half-remembered smiles and phantom embraces. 

Alex was caught between two realities and found himself on a tightrope of an identity crisis. On one side, the comforting lies of family insistence, "Peter is your father." On the other, an inexplicable pull towards a man he barely knew, a face that shimmered like a mirage in the desert of his memories. As Alex grappled with his fractured sense of identity, Lithuania itself was caught in a similar struggle. The nation, like the boy, was torn between two fathers—the fading spectre of Soviet rule and the tantalizing promise of independence. 

Seeking refuge from the storm of confusion in his young mind, Alex found solace in the simplicity of childhood play. In the sprawling courtyard of the store apartment complex, which became his getaway grounds, there was a sandbox, a small football field, and two metal swings.

One summer day when intense sun cast playful shadows on the worn pavement, a curious boy with a white mop of unruly hair discovered the world through his exploration of the outdoors. His solitary game in the sandbox had an unexpected interruption: the sudden appearance of another boy with the same mop of black hair, his eyes shimmering with the same sense of curiosity. While playing in the sandbox, Alex has carefully crafted a sandcastle, and he gazed intently at his work. Dave approached hesitantly, curious but unsure. “Hey, can I join in?”Alex paused, then smiled and looked up, offering a friendly nod. “Sure, come on over!” He grinned, offering his prized model car. “Let's build a city!” Their gaze locked eyes for an instant, curiosity giving way to a shared understanding of loneliness. No more words were exchanged, and an unspoken camaraderie was soon forged. In moments, the sandbox squares turned into bridges connecting two solitary castles. As their paths intertwined, so did their stories.

Their bond, like ivy clinging to the courtyard walls, grew stronger with each passing day. Till the day they “officially” became brothers. In the same block of flats where the hard work of dreams and aspirations took place, the universe worked its own subtle magic. A chance encounter at the mailboxes led Alex’s mom, Asar, to Dave’s dad, Peter. Their conversations flowed effortlessly, much like the blooming of spring flowers. Asar’s laughter echoed in the hallways as their hearts found a resonance beyond the ordinary. Peter was a young truck driver, and he was smitten with Asar at first glance. And amidst the laughter of the two boys, their parents love story quietly unfurled. The boys' friendship served as a bridge, connecting two souls in love. Their love blossomed, not as a sudden storm, but as the gradual merging of two rivers into one.