Trafika Europe 13 - Russian Ballet

Naum Vaiman

for Pyotr Naumovich, and he broke into infectious laughter. “Well, if that’s the case,” he visibly cheered up, “then one last. That’s it, the last one” (addressing Lena now,) and began pouring the brandy. “To your health!” We clinked our shot glasses. “If they only decided...,” he pronounced somehow off to the side. “I hope it all blow over” I said just in case, even though the general wasn’t pretending to be some dime-store provocateur. “They’ll make some noise and stop.” “Well, no,” Pyotr Naumovich waved his head decisively, “this isn’t some backyard quarrel! History has tied a tight knot for them.” “You’re telling me,” I say, “wherever there are Jews, there, some sort of history is undoubtedly bound to happen.” The general, smirking, shook his finger at me. “Your being ironic misses the point here, young man; that is exactly how it is. Wherever there are Jews – there... Well, if you’d like: there is history. And where they aren’t, or if they leave some or other country, then these countries often find themselves, as it were, outside of history….” “I think you need to get some rest,” said Lena; she wasn’t enjoying the direction the conversation was taking.

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