Even my Russian friends crack jokes about the still-staggering
bureaucracy of modern Russia. In fact, many of the jokes their parents
used to tell during the Communist era are still apropos today.
(A
man is negotiating to buy a refrigerator, and is told to expect
delivery "in ten years, on a Friday." The man replies "Oh no, not then,
that's when the plumber is coming!")
Anyway, an American couple got a crash-course lesson in Russian
bureaucracy when they tried to adopt a Russian boy. According to
this story,
when Russian officials, after much back-and-forth, finally rejected Warren and Monica Cox's bid to adopt
13-year-old Pasha because of Warren's heart condition, she hired a lawyer, flew to the Dominican Republic, got a
quickie divorce and adopted him on her own. Once that was done and Pasha arrived in America,
the two of them got married again, with their new son at their side. In
the coming weeks, Warren will sign papers to adopt Pasha in America.
Although few adoptions are quick and easy, the Coxes' journey included
huge expenses, open-heart surgery, almost two years of twists and turns
and three visits to foreign countries. Thankfully, it all worked out
for the best!
