Trafika Europe 13 - Russian Ballet

Two Stories

vision. The f irst thing to come into focus was a bluish glass of wine on the windowsi l l . And there, deeper, and to the left, the expected corner of the table was ecl ipsed by the edge of a curtain and something broad, and f leshy. His f irst thought was: it ’s a woman with a thick back. But the torso was male, and entirely naked. Leaning sl ightly over, the man stood at the table as though preparing a hors d’oeuvre. His measured, close movements resembled the sl icing of meat or vegetables. And only later, having gotten a better look, did the boy notice a woman’s raised heel – it was white and glaring above the shoulder of the standing man, twitching involuntari ly in synch with his rhythmic labor. This might have seemed l ike a rape were it not for the tender hovering of the narrow, fami l iar palm along the back toward the hips of the rapist.

* * *

When he was leaving for the last time, the dog was nowhere in sight. After two sleepless nights he called D. only to hear that she just returned, she missed him so much, she is waiting for him! The boy placed the handset down and asked himself, what is it that ought to be rightfully called “the

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