I smile at him, feeling a rush of excitement at the prospect of spending the evening watching movies with him. “Deal.”
After we finish cleaning up, we get ready for our walk, adding layers as it’s another chilly day outside.
* * *
We’ve been outdoors for forty minutes when a man walking a small dog stops when he recognizes Jasper. They exchange a few words in what I now know is Finnish. When they end the conversation, the man greets me with a wave and continues on in the opposite direction.
“Did you know him, or was he one of your fans?” I ask.
“Of course I know him—that was the President of Finland.”
I stop in my tracks, my mouth agape. “He’swhat?”
Jasper laughs loudly at my stunned expression. “Yeah, that was our president. He’s a big fan of the Finnish national team and sometimes plays hockey himself. We’ve also met several times over the years at different events, like when he hosted the gold-winning Olympic team this summer at his place.”
I’m still in disbelief. I’ve never met a current president before. “What did he say to you?”
“We just wished each other happy holidays, and he commented on how it’s good to see me back home in Finland.”
I nod slowly, still processing the encounter. “But he was all alone in the broad daylight! No Secret Service or anyone else with him.”
“Yeah, he can do that here.”
“But is that safe?”
“It is. Linny used to swim at the same public pool as our former female president. She would even go to the sauna with other swimmers like it was a typical day for her, which it of course was.”
“That’s just wild to me. You must have seen the security when the POTUS or other government officials travel in the US.”
“For sure. It’s on a vastly different level, as there are way more threats. But you have to remember how small our country is.”
“I do like how you Finns seem to take things more relaxedly.”
“That we do.”
We continue walking, the scenery around us like a Christmas song. “It’s like a Winter Wonderland in here!” I shriek in delight.
A warm smile lifts the corner of Jasper’s mouth. “I definitely miss this when I’m away.”
“Do you mean when you’re back in New York?”
“Yeah. It’s hard to have two home countries at times.”
“What do you mean? I thought Finland was your home country,” I ask, furrowing my brows.
“I’m a dual citizen, so technically, I’m both Finnish and American.”
“You were born in the US, then?”
A hint of nostalgia laces Jasper’s voice as he says, “Yes, but my parents wanted me to have Finnish citizenship, too. It’s a big part of their identity.”
“Do you consider yourself more American or Finnish?”
“Finnish, there’s no question about it. That’s why I play for Finland’s national team.”
“But if I understand it correctly, you’ve only lived in Finland less than one-third of your life.”
“That’s also true, but my address has nothing to do with it.” He puts his hand on his chest, over his heart. “It’s more about what I feel right here.”
