THE INTERRUPTION OF SAMSARA

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THE INTERRUPTION OF SAMSARA

– I liked it. Quite a lot – she said finally.
– Come on, go, so you won’t miss the bus. Where is your Paunche, don’t you lose him.
– No, I won’t, he’s not a needle, so easy to lose. He’s here somewhere.
Sofka got up and began to take the pieces of clothing from the linden tree one by one. Ivan Petrov continued to lie down. He felt completely exhausted, but he couldn’t admit it. And he wanted to rest a little more. When she was ready, he too began to dress.
– Surely they are waiting for you at home?
– They are waiting for me.
– Your husband won’t beat you for being late?
– No. He is not like that.
Ivan Petrov fastened the belt of his trousers and took out twenty levs from his back pocket.
– Take it.
The Roma girl was shocked, did not reach to take them.
– Take it, take it. For the child.
– No. I don’t want to.
– Take it, girl! They aren’t for you! For Pauncho!
She hesitantly took the money.
– Uncle Hristo forbade me to take money from you. If he finds out…
– He won’t find out.
– You are a good man, Uncle Ivan.
Ivan Petrov laughed.
– At one time, women told me that I was a handsome man. And it did’t occur to them to say that I’m a good person.
– Have you had many wives?
– A lot – Ivan Petrov lied. – I don’t remember their number. But there was no one like you.
Sofka blushed. In any case, she did not say anything.
Pauncho appeared from somewhere, hung on her arm and began to hum:
– Mom… Mom, mom… Mom…
Did he see everything, Ivan Petrov wondered.
– I might come again soon – he said vaguely. – To supervise my property. You can’t stay at home all the time. It’s cooler here.
– Come – answered the Roma girl shortly. – I’m at work every day. On Saturday – until lunch. I’ll wait for you.
Ivan Petrov hesitated whether to kiss her at parting, but gave up. It would be funny if they acted like they were in love – he at his age, and she with that child… Maybe next time. Maybe even tomorrow.
He started to get out of the shade of the linden tree, to send them off at least with a glance, but the shadow was no longer there. There was also no woman with a child.
It had got dark.

AuthorElena Aleksieva
2022-07-12T11:35:44+00:00 July 11th, 2022|Categories: Prose, Literature, Blesok no. 144|Comments Off on THE INTERRUPTION OF SAMSARA