Trafika Europe 13 - Russian Ballet

A Light in the Night

Afanasiy opened his hand. Instead of the larger coin, a few smaller lumies rested upon his palm. – Your change! – exclaimed Afanasiy, stretching out his hand. The expression on Ilya Ilych’s face when he was asked for a coin apparently did not escape his attention. – Keep it, – said Ilya Ilych. – I haven’t got room for them. – There is always room for money, – countered Afonya, but the lumies quickly disappeared. Ilya Ilych brushed the bottom of his jacket, and inserted his hand into the inner pocket where he normally kept his passport 6 . The passport was gone, of course, along with everything else. All the pockets were completely empty, like after the dry cleaners which failed to remove his stain despite all their marketing promises. But now Ilya Ilych knew that he could make himself a new passport should the need arise. Only would he actually need a passport around here? – I was placing the coin down at my feet… – said Ilya Ilych, and added, just to try on the new word: – right on the nihil. – That isn’t necessary. The main thing is to take out the money and make the wish. If the money is not enough, nothing will happen. Just don’t start throwing money around until you figure out the prices and everything. I’ll help out at first. Now why don’t we get out of here, 6 In Soviet times, one’s passport was the standard form of identification, often carried along in the same way most Americans carry a driver’s license.

289