The Day I Grew Old

Ioana Epure
Today I am going down to the basement. That is where I keep things I like but I don't necessarily need anymore. I wonder what is left in there. I haven't been there since the day you abruptly left me, without any warning. It's better this way, your words would have hurt me more. The slum gossiped about it for a while, then they forgot you. Remember, I told you to fix that hatch because it can't be opened from the inside and you could drop the wine bottle. As usual, you didn't listen to me. Well, it's been over 30 years since then.
 
 Titela Durnea
There were eight of us in our crew, myself being the most envied. I was beautiful and rebellious from birth. I wore mini skirts and dyed my hair forest green. I was popular, with big emerald blue eyes, and I would charm everyone. I rarely was a bundle of nerves, only when I was annoyed. Otherwise, I was the epitome of benevolence. In the meantime, those around me began to take advantage of me. At first, I sighed because of the deep wrinkle it left on my soul. Then they multiplied, being hundreds, billions. I'm looking at Venus. It smiled smugly. The old woman in the mirror muttered: Earth, it's not your fault.
 
 Georgiana Gabriela Fodor
They took my grandmother to the graveyard among the wails of her cousins whom she had thoroughly instructed during her lifetime on how to mourn her. At the edge of the grave my father said to me: Do you see what a person is? I threw a handful of dirt and we walked home arm in arm. I am throwing a handful of damp dirt now, it's spring and I say to my dad: may God forgive you, that is what a person is, you see? I went home and along the way I got old. I am one with the world. The gate remained empty. I await to grow up under the shadow of dreams. I am holding my child's hand tight. That is all we are.

(Translated by Andreea Cuprian / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)