Trafika Europe 7 - Ukrainian Prayer

Tango of Death

large plywood box filled with sand, and in it there were – carrots, parsley, celery, and beets. He could make use of all this other than the preserves, just because there were too many of the latter. Yaroshmade wine from them, adding to the grapes instead of sugar. Another cumbersome thing remained after aunt – an old Austrian piano, it looked imposing and functioned as a safe for Yarosh, where he kept money and documents. On top of the piano lay a small album, which usually in older families is called a “memento book” or a “Stammbuch.” Here house guests would inscribe greetings, good wishes, poems, and also draw something. Every young girl could boast about such an album, sometimes several of them. Yarosh flipped through several pages, among the variety of patterns – mostly

Each jar carefully had the date and the name of the products. And in dark bottles berry juices, plugged and covered with wax, reddened and yellowed. Coal and firewood were still kept in the cellar even though a gas line long ago had been connected to the building, but auntie had her own views on life. Yarosh was not even surprised when close to the top of the ceiling in the cellar he found some smoked hams that were resting in stockings. When he pulled them out to taste, he became convinced that nothing was wrong with them, just that they had dried out a bit, but cut into thin strips, they were fantastic for sandwiches. Little bundles of garlic, onion, red hot pepper, dried dill, and caraway were hanging on the walls of the cellar along with little bags of nuts. Apples and pears lay on the shelves in straw, in the middle of the cellar stood a

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