Dear VB,

Here's how it's gonna go down. I'm gonna learn to understand Russian. When we meet in the hallways at work, you can speak to me in your native language, and I will speak in mine. The goal is to reduce the awkwardness in our encounters by removing/minimizing the language barrier. I like you a lot, you are my favorite older doctor in the building, and we need to do everything we can to reduce awkwardness. But let's face it: the level will never be zero, what with you stealing my m&ms, thinking I'm rich because I go out of town so often, having to occasionally share my desk, etc. But at least neither of us will feel like we have to take different routes to avoid seeing each other after we've already had one (awesome but) awkward encounter, which I'm pretty sure happened because you spent the first few minutes trying to figure out how to exchange appropriate pleasantries in the weirdest language ever: English. 

♥, 
C.