Browsing Russian Brides on the Internet

Ulyana was his first choice
she reminded him of a table dancer
he knew from the 80s
but when he scrolled down he realised
to order her he would have to remortgage.

He printed out the pictures of Tatyana
who reminded him of Nicole Kidman
in the film Birthday Girl
but decided against her
after sensing dollar signs
in her hazel eyes.

He discovered a braveness in himself
when he dialled the number
that appeared by the icon
on Irina's profile
but hung up the receiver
before it even rang
convincing himself she was
too good for him.

Although he had specified a non-smoker
in his carefully worded biog
he decided to type in his credit card details
when he read about Daniela
and could almost touch the ringlets
of smoke coming from her Russian cigarettes.

When the parcel from the agency arrived
he opened it like a toddler
on Christmas morning.
When he saw the passport photograph
he licked it like a postage stamp.

The ltter said to meet her on Tuesday
at Heathrow.
He spent the whole weekend decorating
the bcak of a Ricicles box
with her name
and when he saw her at the arrivals gate
he was amazed at how tall
183 cm was.