In a small town in the 1950s, nine-year-old Linda befriends Natasha, a descendant of Catherine the Great of Russia. Her mother, born a countess, fled to Paris during the Russian Revolution. Natasha, imbued with eclectic interests — marrying Prince Charles, running away to the Navajo, and becoming a ballerina — has oversized influence on her erstwhile devotee. Linda sees herself as a peasant, in contrast to Natasha’s aristocratic heritage and worldly knowledge.
Their childhood time together is filled with shared music and ballet lessons, bareback horse rides, a rescued owlet, and a contraband ceremonial pipe. All too soon, Natasha is off to private school and then to live alone at the tender age of 15 in New York City, where she studies ballet and meets a young Van Cliburn. Linda at age 13 visits her, and the two tear around the city, briefly reviving their old friendship.
When the two find each other after forty years, they carry on a lively correspondence, meeting once more in Las Vegas. In the last years of their friendship, Linda reflects on how Natasha reimagined her world.

In a small town in the 1950s, nine-year-old Linda befriends Natasha, a descendant of Catherine the Great of Russia. Her mother, born a countess, fled to Paris during the Russian Revolution. Natasha, imbued with eclectic interests — marrying Prince Charles, running away to the Navajo, and becoming a ballerina — has oversized influence on her erstwhile devotee. Linda sees herself as a peasant, in contrast to Natasha’s aristocratic heritage and worldly knowledge.
Their childhood time together is filled with shared music and ballet lessons, bareback horse rides, a rescued owlet, and a contraband ceremonial pipe. All too soon, Natasha is off to private school and then to live alone at the tender age of 15 in New York City, where she studies ballet and meets a young Van Cliburn. Linda at age 13 visits her, and the two tear around the city, briefly reviving their old friendship.
When the two find each other after forty years, they carry on a lively correspondence, meeting once more in Las Vegas. In the last years of their friendship, Linda reflects on how Natasha reimagined her world.