Trafika Europe 2 - Polish Nocturne

“I’ll just tell him I’m waiting for him.”

Occasionally they’d let her in. If not, she’d squeeze through a hole in the fence. She knew all the holes, after all. Even when they saw her wandering around the site they didn’t drive her off. They turned a blind eye. If someone from management had seen her they had a good excuse, that they’d not let her in through the main gate. Besides, she was quiet, all she did was walk around the main yard. She never stopped anyone, never asked any questions. If some- one came along she wouldn’t hide anymore. No one asked her any questions either, everyone knew. Sometimes she’d sit down somewhere and lose herself in thought, like she didn’t even know where she was. From time to time I’d cross paths with her when I happened to work late on the site. One time it was almost evening, she was sitting on a crate.

“Oh, Miss Basia,” I said.

“It’s not ‘miss’ anymore,” she said. “I’m married. Who are you?”

“An electrician, Miss Basia.”

“Oh, right. I remember you from the cafeteria. I used to think you were cute. You were a shy one, I remember. You

37