Trafika Europe 13 - Russian Ballet

Two Stories

From the previous year ’s crop, contestants three and seven had reappeared, and they were joined by four new ones and the lone wolf Chechen, Beslan. According to family legend, uncle Marik finally succeeded in locating the whoring aunt –first in the arms of the Chechen, then in a drunken stupor, then in a filthy coat, face down in the mushy sleet. And each time, aunt Ada would be driven home, attentively cleaned up, and slathered with lotions. The legend did not go into details, of the warlike blows which the uncle inflicted on the terrorist from the Caucasus. But you can be sure of one thing about their routine: hot water and scented creams. So that now, the growing boy felt for uncle Marik a sort of mixture of contempt and compassion. Never, he would say. Such a thing will never happen to me. To save her, pick her up out of the dirt – that ’s OK. But to forgive her betrayal and start off again with a clean slate, as though nothing had happened?! Fat chance.

* * *

He was already judging as a budding man, from the heights of his propitious and wholly secret bank of experience. Her name was D. She was employed in the modeling industry. Every dog in town recognized

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