Trafika Europe 6 - Arabesque

georgi gospodinov

bugging out big time, there’s no way you haven’t noticed. I want to invite you to join in. I want you to come up with ...days, everyday life. I know that ’s a tall order. The holidays are easy, those I can manage. But these folks need a script for daily life. I’ve already got some clients interested in that.” He went over to the bookshelf and pulled out a few of my books. “I’ve got them all. You gave me the idea to a certain extent, I’m indebted to you.” “Oh no,” I try to protest. “I never gave you the idea of bloodying up my brow.” “That whole inventory of socialism was a brilliant idea, along with the stories from back then, too. I use them as a handbook, we recreate a lot of those things. People drink Altai soda and cider,

we brought back those old bottles of Vero dish soap. We’ve already got a few manufacturing workshops up and running here in town.” “This is a nightmare, okay, I’m going to wake up now...” I have the worrisome feeling that I can’t control the plot of the story or even my own lines. “No, this is a story that you just think you’re writing, but actually, you’re inside it. I’ve known you since childhood, you’ve always been a space cadet, it ’s not hard for you to flit off somewhere.” “Am I under arrest?” “Let ’s just say you’ve been invited to join in your own project. Don’t forget that it ’s your idea, I’m only the manager.” He takes a sip from the glass, I barely touch my lips to

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