Walter and Tatiana Zapashny: A happy marriage of convenience, a lifetime

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

In their marriage, initially there was not even a hint of romance. There was a certain tacit agreement between two sane people. Much later, feelings and awareness of the value of a family and creative union came. Walter and Tatiana Zapashny lived together for 33 years, building not only a strong family, but also creating a real strong Zapashny dynasty.

Chance meeting

She was running from lunch break when an acquaintance called out to her. And then he introduced him to his companion, who turned out to be a famous trainer. However, Walter (and it was he) did not make an impression on Tatyana. Short, bald, and almost the same age as her father. But Walter himself, in a few moments, considered in this girl what he needed. And he began to persistently invite her to a restaurant. Tanya refused, but it turned out that in this case it is much easier to simply agree. He was ready to charm her in all available ways.

Having learned where she was studying, Walter organized a creative evening at the Polytechnic, showing up there with a tiger on a leash. Naturally, he was guaranteed success. And he rode to her house on a black horse and wearing a cowboy hat. She was embarrassed, blushed and did not know how she would make excuses to her neighbors for this performance under her windows.

Neither he nor she was in love with each other at that moment. But Walter firmly decided that this girl would certainly become the wife and mother of his children. Tatiana saw in Walter her chance to escape her usual life, see the world, learn something new. She married without any romantic enthusiasm and dreams.

Taming

By the time they met, Walter Zapashny was officially married, but he and Maritza had not had a family for a long time. There was a joint work and a desire to go on tour abroad. The divorce really led to the fact that for some time Walter was not traveling.

Tatiana and Walter signed almost four years later, when their two sons were already growing up, and at first Walter began to accustom his young companion to circus life. He tried to do everything so that she was constantly with him, not giving her a chance to think about something else or about someone else. He gradually tamed her, accustoming her to himself. And endlessly jealous, although she never gave him a reason.

He was domineering, partly even despotic. And at the same time he was truly gentle and affectionate with those he loved.

When love is born

Tatyana Zapashnaya always says that she did not immediately fall in love with her husband. But very soon it began to belong to him entirely. She was used to a completely different person leaving the cage. He could swear dirty, and after that he did not remember his outbursts of unfounded anger. Tatyana understood: in this way tension and fear came out. At first it offended her, she even tried to leave several times. But she couldn't.

She experienced a real all-consuming feeling after the birth of her eldest son Edgard. It was at that moment, when she looked at the newborn baby, that she realized her complete belonging to her husband, who gave her the miracle of motherhood. A little over a year later, Askold appeared.

They wandered from city to city, and young Tatiana could no longer imagine life without a circus, without Walter. He gave her a sense of the deepest security in everything. He fulfilled all her whims and never asked where she spent the money. He was busy with creativity, and she was busy with the arrangement of everyday life. They carried a large samovar everywhere, cozy home-made blankets with pillows and a couple of paintings. And also a huge family photo archive.

Life's work

The children grew up, and Tatyana spent all the time in the circus next to her husband. At first, she performed the functions of an administrator, then she began to enter the cage during rehearsals, drove and herded the animals, and fed them. Later he entered her into his room. She tried to protest, but her husband's decisions were not discussed, but carried out. And she again got used to seeing two different people in the circus and at home. In the arena, he never felt sorry for her, he could be tough, even cruel, as she thought. And at home there was no kinder person.

When Walter needed an operation to replace a hip joint, his sons were brought into the room with the predators. And now Tatiana taught them to work with strong animals, not to show fear. And Walter felt worse and worse. He attended all the performances, made adjustments to the numbers, but never entered the cage again.

Now she has become a breadwinner, learned to provide for her family, mastered a computer, a car, and graduated from the Institute of Management.

And yet it's love

In 2003, he suffered his first stroke. And I still attended all the performances, sincerely worried about my Tatyana. She had to solve absolutely all issues related to the activities of the circus. In 2007, he suffered a second stroke, after which he never recovered. He passed away on August 27, 2007.

Tatyana Vasilievna continues her husband's work, working with her sons at the Great Moscow Circus on Vernadsky Avenue. And she does not even allow the thought of another man appearing next to her. There are no more people like Walter Mikhailovich. She always feels his invisible presence and support nearby.

The circus became a common affair of the Zapashny family. However, in a circus it is rarely different. I had my own illusion