Oh God, they've come again. Again they stay up till late, drink, eat, play the music too loud, and tell stories endlessly till I get bored. They remember their childhood, quarrel, curse a bit, drink some more, then hug each other and get along like brothers. I haven't seen a thing like that before. And it smells, dear Lord, so good it smells of stuffed cabbage and the excellent Isabella wine. Won't they spill some for me too? I've been their neighbour for twenty years, and only once did they give me alms. Uncle Cristache, how did it happen that I share my resting place with you?
(Translated by Alexandr Cotar / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year II / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)
Versiunea în română a acestui text se poate citi aici, în rubrica Ficţiuni Reale.