Free Oswald's Tale by Norman Mailer

seemed an average young American.
    He was very cute, he was smiling, a person who tried to be very appealing, and he was, yes, very appealing. Smiling. He came in wearing a short black parka and no hat and a knitted turtleneck sweater, and he was wearing a silver chain with his name on it, and a ring with a stone. He was an unusual case, and Alexander was afraid to speak to him for too long, just talked to him a little and told him nicely to go away. He certainly wasn’t in a mood to call somebody higher up and ask them to help, because they would only say, “Why?”
    Years later, for instance, when the President of McDonald’s hamburgers first came to Moscow, he told Alexander he’d like to introduce McDonald’s to all of the Soviet Union, and Alexander made a call to City Council’s catering department, and they said, “What? What you are doing? You want to leave your job? Why are you introducing
this
?” That was why, in unorthodox cases, Alexander was reluctant to call anybody.
    He did ask Oswald how he received his name Lee, and the young man replied, “Maybe it’s my grandparents. Maybe it’s Irish.” But then, thinking there might be Spanish in this name Oswald, like Osvaldo, Alexander said,
“¿Habla español?”
and Oswald said, “No, no, no, no.” He said he wanted to stay in the Soviet Union because he felt very sympathetic to Alexander’s country; he had read Lenin, Stalin, newspapers, magazines, etc. Alexander thought his knowledge might be superficial; maybe he had read some books, but still, nothing deep. So, Alexander replied, “You know, we’re not able to do anything here.” At that time, it was difficult to extend a tour; everything had to be worked out in advance through a travel agency. Intourist couldn’t sell to you on the spot. Alexander knew many cases where persons wanted to prolong their stay but couldn’t find a way to buy new vouchers for food, entertainment, theatre, ballet, visits, trips, no way to connect at the last minute with an appropriate bureau to get vouchers. Besides, Alexander knew that if a high official were interested in having this tourist Oswald stay on, the high official would begin to take a few steps. Since Lee Oswald had been sent routinely to him, that meant nobody was interested. Alexander took it for granted that KGB knew more about Oswald than Alexander did and that it was not his business.
    Still, it was most unusual, and Oswald was very cute, very appealing, yes, smiling, charming, very quiet—yes, yes, yes, cute, cute like a teenager. And he had no hat, nothing, very poor clothes. Alexander and his two Intourist girls agreed: We ought to buy him a hat. He is not going to be accepted, so let’s at least somebody take care of him. Keep him warm.
    Alexander also thought Oswald was like an actor in some way, because he was a little different with each person, yes. Like a mama’s child, used to his mother doing everything for him.
             
    Next morning, Rimma was asked by this boy, “Do you think I’ll be allowed to stay?” and Rimma told him she didn’t know. “As for me,” she said, “I’ll do everything I can to help you.” She felt much closer to him now. He had become to her like a relative. It wasn’t romantic on her side, although she felt there might be something on his side, because he certainly seemed sure she would only do good for him. He was sweet and natural, and maybe back then when she was young she was a little more coquettish. A little bit. She couldn’t say she liked him very much: He wasn’t her type. Maybe it was a small amount romantic, but certainly they did not kiss each other. She was like a sister to him, you see. He was in such a difficult position in his life; he needed someone. And who was there to rely on but herself? So, they were friendly, very friendly, and she was upset also, and uneasy. She had thought official response would be quicker. That there’d be more interest. But nothing happened on