Where in the World is Cat?

It's mid-April, and things in Moscow are blooming. The sun has been out at least half the week (a miracle for Russia), temperatures are warming up and more and more people can be seen walking leisurely on the streets. I leave Moscow in two and a half months, and with the city showing her other half, I was starting to regret leaving so soon.

Then I was reminded what the people here can be like year-round.

After a day at my internship and a couple hours of sitting at my desk working on my thesis, I needed a break. So I decided to run to the university gym, which, according to their schedule, is open to 11pm. I usually go late, I'm a procrastinator, it's my style to give myself just enough time before the gym closes.

So imagine my surprise, when at 10:35pm, in the middle of my third kilometer, the lights in the gym are suddenly shut off. Yes, I am the only one in the gym, but it's only 10:35pm. The gym is still open another 25 minutes. I defiantly finish my third kilometer, grumble under my breath because I wanted to run at least five, and take ten minutes to stretch. While I'm stretching, I notice the trainer poke his head in the gym four or five times to see if I'm gone. I'm downstairs by 10:45pm, giving my locker key in, and ask the receptionist:

"Excuse me, do you have a new trainer upstairs in the sports room?"

The receptionist smiles, and answers, "I don't know, I'm new myself."

Not wanting to give this girl a bad day at the beginning of a new job, I ask politely, "Well, is it possible to speak to one of your managers then?"

The rest goes as follows:

Receptionist: "Why?"
Me: "Because I would like to discuss something with her." (I know the manager, she is very nice.)
Receptionist: "Is there something wrong?"
Me: "Yes. I was on a treadmill upstairs, and the trainer shut the gym and turned off the lights while I was still running. He didn't even warn me."
Receptionist: (Looking at the clock) "Well, it is 10:45."
Me: "Yes, but you close at 11pm."
Receptionist: (The typical Russian "so what?" stare.) Silence.
Me: "You think it is polite to shut off the lights in a room when someone is running on a treadmill? Wouldn't you at least warn the person?"
Receptionist: (Typical Russian shoulder shrug and blank stare.)
Me: "Well, it's not. If you would please, let your manager know of the incident. I'll be sure to remind her myself." (I don't know why I said this, it will make no difference anyway.)
Receptionist: "Fine." (Also knowing it won't make a difference.)

So much for the endorphine high after a good workout.

I don't care how beautiful or fun Moscow is. This is not a place for sane people to live!