It cost a thousand dollars in \'94 and was fabricated in \'72. It presented itself as such: gray, shiny tires, rust everywhere, dead battery, it started when pushed from behind, a 10 m smoke trail and 1L of gas every 100 kms, it didn't blow hot air, the maximum speed was 70 hm/h, but it had Recaro seats. Someone actually asked if I'd done it myself or someone had helped me. After getting it sorted out, it became my first motor love. None of the new cars which followed felt my passion as avidly as my first Dacia - 1300.
Daniela Toader
Immediately after the Revolution, the sky was a sober gray. One night, as I was climbing uphill home, a rocket landed right in front of me. We were discussing the money kept under the mattress. Dacia cars, rates, daily ratios of sugar, flour and oil. So much misery. I got out of there alive, exhaled in relief, opened the door, entered, turned on all the lights, made myself some tea and fully opened the window. Above the moon, a yellow Dacia 1310 was flapping its wings gently. I still give a start when I remember.
Silvia Ștefan
Where's your blanket from your grandma? You coming to the hill? He dropped the newspaper by the armchair, giving a roguish nod. Mm-hmm. Bring the guitar, I took care o' the rest. I can't reach the top of the cupboard. I feigned rising on my tiptoes and whirled around. I wanted him to notice my little dress and its fluttering frills. So? I did a pirouette. You're beautiful. And hard working, I added in the garage, stuffing the telescope in as I could. No harm done, we'll extend it through the window a little. Trunk's full. The Perseids, huh? Whatever you like, but I'm not blowing into the spark plugs anymore. Damn your Dacia. Shh, kiss me fiercely. Up you go.
(Translated by Ioana Ștefan / 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 Ficțiuni Reale.