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It was in 1989 that I tried to make money in business for the first time. That year saw a remarkable event, the opening of a McDonald's right in the heart of Moscow.

The bright-coloured building and extremely tasty food (compared to poor selection of beef or chicken bones in shops) symbolised the first American or Western intervention into the Soviet culture.

It was then we realised that we lost the cold war. Yes, the long-standing ideological enemy set up a victorious bridgehead at a dangerous distance from the Kremlin as well as from the Lenin's Mausoleum.

The enormous neon sign McDONALD'S RESTAURANT could be seen from far away in all directions.

Educated in the best traditions of marxism-leninism Russians were quite used to long queues. And it took from 2 to 3 hours to get into McDonald's. There was a long queue both in summer and in winter and even when it was 30 degrees Centigrade below zero. Russians were so eager to get inside that the queue never became shorter disregarding weather conditions. The police set up turnstiles, controlled the order, prevented fights and attempts to get to the American restaurant ahead of others.

I joined a promptly formed "service company" assisting individuals to get inside ahead of the queue. Naturally, the police had their share of the dividends. My task was to stroll along the queue and call out, "Does anybody want to jump the queue?"

A lot of people responded to the call and my first earnings were prolific. So I could even afford a daily cheeseburger or a Big Mac in spite of the high prices. After some months of such alimentation I developed gastric pains. I spent a 3 weeks in bed, ate oatmeal exclusively and lost 15 kilograms.

I looked in the mirror and decided that I would forever abstain from eating in McDonald's excepting my wedding-day. At that time lots of newly married couples were eager to celebrate their weddings in McDonald's.

They were my best clients.

What kind of wedding would it be if you or your guests would have to queue? So I always tried to give them group discount and let them in as soon as possible.

I remember hoping that "goes around — comes around" law will work for me and at my wedding someone will help me and my guests as well.

Well, I guess it was one of this childish dreams that you hope will never happen when you are grown up!