All the children were lined up in the courtyard. The teacher put me right in the front row. I gave her the flowers. She thanked me and gave me a kiss. My classmates are very nice. I've already made friends with three of them. Well done, my dear. I took my baby in my arms and squeezed him tight. I didn't tell him that I was standing at the fence and crying while watching him through the lattice as the children laughed at his worn out shoes, pushed him all the way back, and tore all five of his chrysanthemums one by one.
(Translated by Andreea-Daniela Vasilache / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by prof. dr. Nadina Vișan / Edited by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)
Versiunea în română a acestui text se poate citi aici, în rubrica Ficțiuni Reale.