Poem

501 Couple|              people out on the road. Rare pedestrians passed by indifferently.~
502 Couple|         saying a word. In fact, they rarely spoke - only the essentials.~
503 Couple|            along, we'll walk it," he rasped, setting off.~"Where? It'
504 Couple| psychological and social analysis to reach an understanding of the
505 Couple|           the head of the household, reacted solemnly:~"Get my good clothes
506 Adonis|        forever. Adonis waited for my reaction.~"It is very well frozen,
507 Adonis|              body of the young girl, ready to confer the same demonstrative
508 Adonis|              s your choice..."~I now realized what he was driving at and
509 Adonis|             advised me not with good reason not to leave my dead father
510 Adonis|              watching him, he smiled reassuringly at the corpse as if to say "
511 Adonis|           what he was getting at and recalled how young girls were made
512 Couple|           four hours early, and were received courteously. Rather embarrassed,
513 Adonis|              relatives wouldn't even recognize you."~I thanked him, although
514 Adonis|         arrived to pay his respects, recommended that I contact Adonis, the
515 Adonis|             we put this one?" He was referring to the old-age pensioner.~"
516 Adonis|            We have no idea about the regulations and don't know anyone there
517 Adonis|       something."~"Sure," I replied, relieved.~That evening, we lifted
518 Adonis|            but, I must admit I don't remember the agronomist's being quite
519 Adonis|             people like yourself."~I remembered what the doctor had told
520 Adonis|          which were occupied. ~"I'll remove the one on the bottom. He'
521 Adonis|            do with you. I am here to repair the walls."~"Oh, sorry,"
522 Adonis|             father, who did him?" he repeated, trying to make himself
523 Couple|           more than evident from his reply that he wanted to attend
524 Adonis|             must say," I mumbled and requested that he help me carry the
525 Adonis|            at the extent to which he resembled the rigours of his profession.~
526 Adonis|             on in," said Adonis in a resolute manner, once he had made
527 Adonis|           Listen," he then suggested resolutely, "I think it'd be a good
528 Couple|              was at its zenith, they resolved to take a city bus to the
529 Couple|         people listened to his ideas respectfully and nodded. A young girl,
530 Couple|              murmured an appropriate response, not without pride in their
531 Couple|              her husband deeply. She rested her head on his knee.~He
532 Couple|             and drank a bit of raki, retaining an air of distinction. From
533 Couple|              The husband was wont to return home after work, light himself
534 Adonis|              This he did in a quiet, reverent, almost ritual manner and
535 Couple|          They are just trying to get rid of us because we are from
536 Adonis|            to which he resembled the rigours of his profession.~His unkempt
537 Adonis|              if he were checking the ripeness of a watermelon, gave it
538 Adonis|              quiet, reverent, almost ritual manner and noted earnestly:~"
539 Couple|              at the same time as the rock-and-roll group. ~The bus back to
540 Couple|         woman in public. Placing his rough hand on her head, he stroked
541 Couple|      stammered the bride's father in routine fashion.~The couple murmured
542 Adonis|             joint.~"Sorry," I gasped ruefully.~"Why've you gone so pale?"
543 Couple|         little blossoms on it, which rustled as they carefully carried
544 Couple|         placed it on a cupboard. The rustling of the paper could be heard
545 Couple|        obliged to do so for custom's sake. In this particular case,
546 Couple|           gesture and gave a sigh of satisfaction. She was now sound asleep.~
547 Couple|             the essentials.~The wife satisfied her female passion for gossip
548 Couple|           departure.~The next day, a Saturday morning, they set off before
549 Adonis|              the corner of my eye, I saw Adonis fiddling with the
550 Couple|             She huddled against him, screened from the wind. ~When they
551 Couple|           Someone showed them to two seats in a corner. Thereafter,
552 Couple|       walking, but then looked back. Seeing that she would not budge,
553 Couple|         leaned against his shoulder, seemingly exhausted.~He murmured something
554 Couple|           more hint of feeling to be seen in his face.~The old couple
555 Adonis|             agronomist this time, he seized the head himself.~I was
556 Couple|             so gently. She seemed to sense the gesture and gave a sigh
557 Couple|              hands continued, "It is senseless to try to condemn and castigate
558 Adonis|            was a one-storey building separated from the hospital. It had
559 Adonis|     pondering on the eternity of our separation, Adonis, holding the door
560 Adonis|       inquired calmly. "It's nothing serious. Don't worry about it. If
561 Couple|              ll walk it," he rasped, setting off.~"Where? It's too far!"
562 Adonis|            pick me up at tomorrow at seven. Right here!" Then he lumbered
563 Couple|            time, they endeavoured to shake it off, but the journey
564 Adonis|              the head himself.~I was shaken to see that the corpse's
565 Couple|           You are going to put us to shame in front of all the people.
566 Adonis|            hand, will you, and we'll shift the old-age pensioner. He'
567 Adonis|              eyebrows, and his white shirt was covered in yellowish
568 Adonis|         misshapen. Adonis noticed my shock and asked impatiently:~"
569 Couple|               she did something that shocked her husband deeply. She
570 Couple|         devotion. "Just look at your shoes. Go and get them brushed
571 Couple|            now sound asleep.~The sun shone mercilessly, melting the
572 Couple|              A young girl, sitting a short distance away, stared at
573 Couple|           assigned to him. ~"Oh, you shouldn't have bought a present,"
574 Adonis|             father after all, but to show him proper respect and not
575 Couple|      wrapping paper had been torn to shreds.~The first thing they did
576 Adonis|             detailed explanation.~He shuffled over and opened the special
577 Adonis|         opened the freezer and began shuffling the bodies around. This
578 Adonis|             It was surrounded on all sides by weeds, most of which
579 Couple|         sense the gesture and gave a sigh of satisfaction. She was
580 Adonis|      explained my problem to him. He sighed and replied:~"I have great
581       | since
582 Couple|            full for him. He took one sip. "Have it all, I don't want
583 Adonis|            too, despite the latter's skilful attempts to hold onto him.
584 Couple|          before dawn, and had hardly slept a wink.~They journeyed into
585 Adonis|             onto the upper shelf, he slipped out of my hands and, as
586 Adonis|       picture was Adonis.~Adonis was slouching around the grounds, smoking
587 Couple|         making herself understood. ~"Slow down. Do you want to kill
588 Couple|            until the bus leaves."~He slowed down, and stopped at a crossroads,
589 Adonis|             finished breakfast." ~He slumped into the car with a "how
590 Couple|             their finest clothes and smelling of mothballs, is invited
591 Adonis|          that I was watching him, he smiled reassuringly at the corpse
592 Adonis|        slouching around the grounds, smoking a cigarette. His stubby
593 Adonis|               And so it was done. We snagged the pensioner and heaved
594 Couple|            Nothing," he replied. She snoozed. He murmured something once
595 Couple|            things in this world.~She snored lightly and snuggled against
596 Couple|               She snored lightly and snuggled against him. Her head was
597 Couple|          Knowing him well, she began sobbing and wiping her tears with
598 Adonis|           deeply entrenched in their sockets. He was thickset, had bushy
599 Couple|            due care, in order not to soil her clothes, and held it
600 Couple|            of the household, reacted solemnly:~"Get my good clothes out,
601       | somewhere
602 Couple|            married there. Their only son had since departed and they
603 Couple|         probably custom here."~"What sort of custom is that? They
604 Couple|            satisfaction. She was now sound asleep.~The sun shone mercilessly,
605 Adonis|             difficult to find a free space. He opened the freezer and
606 Couple|          them.~The old lady tried to spark a conversation with her
607 Adonis|          melt him," muttered Adonis, speaking more to himself than to
608 Couple|         because they did not want to spend money on a hotel room. At
609 Couple|           more than apparent that he spent much of his time caring
610 Couple|              took out a kerchief and spit into it to wipe off her
611 Adonis|            four bodies on the floor, spread out stiffly in different
612 Adonis|              His stubby fingers were stained from tobacco or from the
613 Adonis|             was covered in yellowish stains. His jacket hung loosely
614 Adonis|              Then he lumbered up the stairs under the respectful and
615 Couple|           agreed and sat down at the stall of a nearby shoe shiner,
616 Adonis|              At one point, he had to stand with one foot on the fellow'
617 Adonis|          quite convinced of that," I stated, hoping that the discussion
618 Couple|           she lamented. This charged statement caused him to stare at her
619 Couple|              bus to the overland bus station.~They waited and waited.
620 Couple|      anything," he interrupted. They stayed until the early hours of
621 Adonis|                 But," interrupted my stepmother, who had lived with my father
622 Couple|            behind him, taking little steps. In no time, they were drenched
623 Adonis|        himself than to me. I'll then stick this other fellow on the
624 Adonis|             on the floor, spread out stiffly in different directions.
625 Couple|            was a taciturn and rather stoic individual.~"No, I didn'
626 Adonis|               I asked.~"No, no, just stomp on it for a moment, will
627       | Stop
628 Adonis|           the bottom tray and..." He stored the second one on the bottom
629 Adonis|              that in his mind he was straightening out my nose, too.~After
630 Adonis|              his hammer. There was a strange metallic vibration.~I was
631 Adonis|           After surveying the entire street, he hollered: "Oh, you're
632 Couple|         couple meandered through the streets, looking at store windows
633 Adonis|              newly-arrived deceased, stressing that he never took money
634 Couple|        dinner, the couple decided to stretch their legs and go out for
635 Couple|           rough hand on her head, he stroked her grey hair ever so gently.
636 Adonis|             my nose, too.~After much struggle, we hoisted my father onto
637 Adonis|             smoking a cigarette. His stubby fingers were stained from
638 Couple|            took out a plastic bag to stuff it with leftover meat.~"
639 Couple|            the cap on the bottle and stuffed into her purse. ~Once again,
640 Adonis|            metallic vibration.~I was stunned. Adonis invited me to give
641 Adonis|            switched to his favourite subject:~"The best thing is to clarify
642       | Such
643 Adonis|            body by the shoulder and, suddenly, as if he were checking
644 Adonis|              He never refused me. He suffered his whole life long for
645 Adonis|              well.~"Listen," he then suggested resolutely, "I think it'
646 Adonis|          cousin left the rest of her suggestion open. In fact, this very
647 Adonis|               She probably committed suicide."~"Why?"~"How should I know?"
648 Couple|            to wipe off her husband's suit. This she did with swift
649 Couple|            was now sound asleep.~The sun shone mercilessly, melting
650 Adonis|             logical advice came as a surprise to me.~"Where am I supposed
651 Adonis|         disinfect the corpses. I was surprised at the extent to which he
652 Adonis|           the fallen plaster. It was surrounded on all sides by weeds, most
653 Adonis|              in his underwear. After surveying the entire street, he hollered: "
654 Couple|           because they were the only surviving paternal relatives of the
655 Couple|          waiter pretended to have to sweep the floors around their
656 Adonis|               he answered coolly and switched to his favourite subject:~"
657 Couple|              wrapping paper onto the table and took his place ceremoniously
658 Couple|             you know that?"~He was a taciturn and rather stoic individual.~"
659 Adonis|             bottom shelf and, having taken a deep breath, looked at
660 Adonis|             work. It was not an easy task. At one point, he had to
661 Couple|         began sobbing and wiping her tears with a white kerchief conveniently
662 Adonis|           obvious she's frozen. But, tell me, how did she die?"~"The
663 Couple|             us our change. There are ten leks missing. You can see
664 Adonis|             of a grimy, dust-covered tenement building. He insisted that
665 Adonis|             married.~"Oh," I replied tentatively, " probably the women...
666 Adonis|              cement floor, causing a terrible thudding din. He was now
667 Adonis|               I did so. The body was terribly cold. It had lost all its
668 Couple|               As he expounded on his theory, the young man dexterously
669       | Thereafter
670 Adonis|             in their sockets. He was thickset, had bushy eyebrows, and
671 Couple|           his face, he's a heartless thief." They set off, not knowing
672 Couple|           the afternoon. For fear of thieves, they went into a cafe on
673 Couple|          they were soon covered in a thin layer of dust. From time
674 Adonis|          with my father for the last thirty years of his life, "how
675       | those
676 Adonis|              handed him another five thousand leks.~"It would be kind
677       | through
678       | throughout
679 Adonis|            floor, causing a terrible thudding din. He was now lying face
680       | Thus
681 Adonis|            fingers were stained from tobacco or from the solution used
682 Couple|          town?" someone asked.~"Just today," they replied in unison.
683 Adonis|       remembered what the doctor had told me and took out a five-thousand-lek
684 Couple|             piece of my mind and, on top of that, he did not hand
685 Couple|              wrapping paper had been torn to shreds.~The first thing
686 Adonis|             asked, dazed.~"Go ahead, touch him."~I did so. The body
687 Adonis|          directions. Adonis lost his train of thought for a moment
688 Couple|        present was duly enveloped in transparent wrapping paper with little
689 Couple|             about them.~The old lady tried to spark a conversation
690 Adonis|           from his shoulders and his trousers were mis-buttoned.~I introduced
691 Adonis|             earnestly:~"I am not the type of person who likes to take
692 Couple|           his march.~She gave him an ultimatum. ~"I am not going another
693 Couple|              and the heat had become unbearable.~"Come along, we'll walk
694 Couple|           sorrow in her eyes. It was unclear whether the sorrow derived
695       | under
696 Couple|          social analysis to reach an understanding of the phenomenon of crime
697 Couple|            difficulty making herself understood. ~"Slow down. Do you want
698 Adonis|        appeared at the window in his underwear. After surveying the entire
699 Couple|              today," they replied in unison. After a further half hour
700 Adonis|       rigours of his profession.~His unkempt hair rose vertically and
701 Adonis|            in the company of persons unknown.~While I was pondering on
702 Adonis|               The gesture did not go unnoticed, and Adonis hastened to
703 Adonis|          inquiring look and asked an unusual question:~"Who did your
704       | upon
705 Couple|    eventually caught up with him and uttered:~"It must be that way, to
706 Adonis|        neighbours.~I drove back home utterly exhausted and did not sleep
707 Adonis|         think we're done."~I had the vague impression that in his mind
708 Adonis|               What about the arm?" I ventured.~"Which arm do you mean?
709 Adonis|    profession.~His unkempt hair rose vertically and his eyes were deeply
710 Adonis|         There was a strange metallic vibration.~I was stunned. Adonis invited
711 Couple|             young man who, in choice vocabulary, was expounding on the necessity
712 Couple|           not without pride in their voices.~A young girl then entered
713 Couple|        enough, woman," he muttered.~"Wait a moment. No one is watching,
714 Couple|           were complimented out. The waiter pretended to have to sweep
715 Couple|             iron fence.~He continued walking, but then looked back. Seeing
716 Couple|       evident from his reply that he wanted to attend alone. His wife
717 Adonis|            It had lost all its human warmth once and forever. Adonis
718 Adonis|           checking the ripeness of a watermelon, gave it a whack on the
719 Couple|            the young man dexterously waved his impeccably white hands
720 Adonis|           surrounded on all sides by weeds, most of which had withered
721 Couple|         guests arrived and were made welcome. Two hours before dinner,
722       | whatever
723       | Whenever
724       | whereas
725       | wherever
726       | whom
727       | whose
728 Couple|             the right with his mouth wide open because of the dryness
729 Couple|           cigarette, have a glass of wine with some cheese, and ponder
730 Couple|         kerchief and spit into it to wipe off her husband's suit.
731 Couple|          well, she began sobbing and wiping her tears with a white kerchief
732 Adonis|            you could do it."~"As you wish," he said, pacified. "You
733 Adonis|             weeds, most of which had withered in the heat. The windows
734       | Within
735 Adonis|            well either. Every time I woke up, I thought about my father
736 Adonis|           whack, too.~"Go ahead, she won't bite you."~No thanks,
737 Couple|            brigade. ~The husband was wont to return home after work,
738 Adonis|        freezer door and pulled out a wooden tray on which was lying
739 Couple|          listened to his impassioned words.~After a while, the old
740 Couple|           the village, with whom she worked in a brigade. ~The husband
741 Couple|             immediately:~"If you are worried about the costs, I have
742 Adonis|             s nothing serious. Don't worry about it. If you knew how
743 Adonis|             in there. Your relatives wouldn't even recognize you."~I
744 Adonis|           fellow's chest in order to wrench the arm back into place.
745 Adonis|             and get your father."~He yanked open the freezer door in
746 Adonis|            Adonis glanced around the yard, and I had the impression
747 Adonis|            it was the heat wave that year, which did away with quite
748 Adonis|           father for the last thirty years of his life, "how is the
749 Adonis|           white shirt was covered in yellowish stains. His jacket hung
750 Adonis|           agronomist they brought in yesterday and put him on the upper
751       | yet
752 Adonis|             quite a number of people younger than he was.~Because it
753       | yours
754 Couple|             When the heat was at its zenith, they resolved to take a