Four young people are gathered around the table, sniffing the aroma of mother's skillfully prepared dishes, scrambled eggs with cream, cheese, lard, parsley, butter and homemade jam, soft-boiled eggs for equally soft, spoiled people. She looks at them and says: I'll fast for you, you starve enough while you're in the city. The priest looks at them and swallows dryly. The youngest girl, who hasn't been out in the world yet, approaches him and tells him: Father, take this bowl and eat the mashed beans up. Wait, the priest says. If you don't want to eat it, then we may as well throw it to the pigs.
Andra Toropoc
D Ever since I met you, I have thrown into the dumpster of the past foods which were bad for my soul. I was breathing love and I was only craving you, I was feeding on our love's bread, which we shared, it's true, among people and distances. Upon your last return, I gave you my heart on a little golden ring, I was confident and had big plans. That weekend, it was my turn to pay you a visit, and, hungry for you, I was looking forward to feasting on you, you waited for me at the railway station and told me you couldn't bear this double life any longer, so you became a nun.
Alex Micu
Were it not so cloudy outside, I'd walk more. There are people in the street, some on the rush, others chattier. Someone stops me. I feel I know him from somewhere. Oh, it's my next-door neighbour. I haven't seen him in a while. No, he hasn't been away. Man, what a nice chick is passing by. He tells me she's our neighbour's daughter. She was about four when I last saw her. Now she's married and has two children. You get to learn so much when you go out. Instinctively, I'm reaching into my pocket. I startle. I've forgotten, I ripped it three days ago.
(Translated by Mara Scoroșanu / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)
Versiunea în română a acestui text se poate citi aici, în rubrica Ficțiuni Reale.