- the story of Jokester and Elf in combat boots
How about that, Elon Musk?
345th day of the war, Friday
Notification: Elf in combat boots liked your tweet.
Notification: An elf in combat boots is now following you.
My name is Serhii, my wife is Yevhenia, and this is our Twitter Love story :)
Jokester, you are now a Twitter blogger!
"Serhii, why don't you start Twitter? There is an interesting community there. Also, there are fewer prohibitions and censorship," a friend told me in the summer.
Back then I had a few days off the service, so I managed to meet my friends. Writing is not new for me because I am a sociologist by education, so in civilian life, I wrote a lot of analytical texts. Though I didn't consider Twitter, it was a completely new format for me. So, I decided to try it.
I registered and didn't give much thought about what to write about for a long time. I used to blog about politics, but I decided to tweet about the war and my feelings.
Like after like, repost after repost, people started following me, and now I have 16 thousand followers!
To be honest, this came as a surprise to me. Sometimes I ask people why they subscribe. And they say that it is interesting to read about life at the frontline. Some are interested purely because of the war, some write that they like the photos. There are different answers from different people.
I am known on Twitter as "Jokester" (in Ukrainian – Шутнік). It's also my call sign in the war. I just love silly jokes and in critical situations, when everything around me is bad, I start joking even more :)
Twitter has also become a platform for me to communicate and help. For example, I am currently helping volunteers to raise funds for a drone or financially support the family of the deceased. And through this social network, I made many interesting acquaintances. Sometimes volunteers text me. There are people who need some contacts. They also ask what equipment to buy. Sometimes they ask for advice when someone's brother or husband goes to war.
But one day Twitter gave me much more…
Someone has liked almost ALL of your photos
I was already used to writing something about everyday life on my page when Yevhenia followed me.
I saw a pretty girl who commented on something from time to time. Sometimes I answered, but I seriously did not pay attention :)
And then I noticed that she started giving me a lot of likes. A lot of likes :)
I added links to my pages on other social networks and saw how some girl liked almost all my photos on Instagram. It seemed to me that I knew her from somewhere, and then I went to Twitter and realised: "Oh, Elf!!" (in Ukrainian – Ельфійка).
In response to the insults, I wrote to her in a direct message: "You have good taste :)". Then he spoke briefly about himself and asked if she would mind getting to know him. That's how we started talking. More and more every day.
It was August. I was on post at that time. We didn't have Starlink then, and the mobile connection only worked on the roof of one of the houses where you had to climb. Sometimes some rubble scattered around, or shelling began. So I had to sit there very carefully in order to hear everything around me and to have enough time to get off.
Then every day of my life looked something like this:
Woke up.
Climbed onto the roof.
Downloaded the Internet.
Answered Yevhenia.
Went to the shelter.
Because the shelling could start at any moment!
A month later, I was allowed to go home, where I arranged to meet with Yevhenia. During the meeting, I realised that she is exactly that girl and we started dating.
My Elf
Yevhenia registered on Twitter to influence the Western audience and support fundraisings for the Armed Forces. Her nickname, as you have already understood, is Elf in the Combat Boots" (in Ukrainian – Ельфійка в бєрцах). She is as fragile as elves and loves everything related to them. And also wears massive shoes. I like it too.
When I first started talking with her, I caught myself having feelings that I haven't had in about 10 years. I discovered her inner world and immersed myself in her personality. We could have discussions for hours.
Yevhenia has something that I have always liked in people: she is intellectual, engaged in self-development, and loves to read. But she also listens to the same music as me! For example, we both like to listen to rock metal from Western Merlin Manson or "Nightwish" to our "Тінь Сонця", "Без обмежень", "Мотанка", "Kroda". We have a lot in common: books, movies, music. She understands me from half a word.
This is my first online relationship experience. Yevhenia told me that she was touched by my look and loved the way I talk about war. And we also share ideas about aesthetics, because I used to travel a lot and take pictures. We have similar tastes in art and architecture.
Once we discussed our views on marriage, family, and children. Then the topic came up: "And what kind of wedding should it be?". We agreed that we do not like the traditional celebration with a million relatives and a veil for 3 kilometres. We liked something modest, she even suggested that we wear jeans and a shirt to the wedding. Then I told her "Let's get married", and she answered "Okay".
Half an hour and... you can kiss the bride!
I went to war on February 24. In August, I started talking with Yevhenia, and in September we got married. I proposed to her officially on the wedding day, during our third meeting.
Then at the beginning of the month, I got three days off and decided that it was time to legalise the relationship, but there was not enough time to agree on the ceremony. Fortunately, there was a free slot in one of the city's offices for the registration of acts of civil status near the embankment. There we got married in half an hour.
And before that, near the river, I made her an official proposal, standing on one knee like in fairy tales. We exchanged rings and went to get married.
The registration took place according to a simplified procedure in Dnipro. I have lived there since I was 18 years old: I studied, worked, met the war there and joined the army. Yevhenia and I got married on the third of September.
After the victory, to Crimea!
I talk to my wife every day. Sometimes, in order to catch the Internet, you have to walk through the swamp and bypass shell craters. This is especially difficult to do at night, but I always say good night and good morning to my elf. I understand, then it is easier for her and for me. Communication with close people keeps the psyche afloat.
Since February 24, I have reconsidered many things. I once thought that I would get married only after thirty. But everything changes after you sit in the trenches for a while. My wife and I dream of our own home and children. But to begin with, we want to live together for at least a while and relax somewhere near the Mediterranean Sea in some warm city. And, of course, lying on the beach in Crimea, eating baklava.
We still have a lot of plans: from a list of films to see, museums and cafes to more serious ones. For example, in which city to live next. We are thinking of moving to Kyiv. Once my wife lived and worked there, but when her workplace in Irpin was bombed, she returned to her parents in Cherkasy. I like the capital too. Maybe in the future, we will live there.