She was over 80 when she died. For a while, she wandered timidly in the garden, and then she got down to work: she weeded, tended seedlings, tended the vines, and looked at all the God's flowers, whether they were climbing or not. She didn't talk much, but she smiled at everyone who came her way. More than half a century had passed, and she was still young and strong. One day Peter found her at the gate. What's the matter with you, Maria? Do you want to leave this place? No, Saint, I'm just going out for a bit, and I'll be back; I was called by the town hall to vote.
Dan Banu
Agapia lowered two forks of hay to the cow, threw a bucket of apples to the pigs, spread a pot of grain to the chickens, then went into the house. The old man had been gone for some time, and she felt that she wouldn't last much longer either. Father Pricopie had said the Holy Book was the way to Heaven. But in vain she put her glasses over her misty eyes and scattered the pages, for neither the way nor the gate was shown to her. She stooped down and, as per usual, pushed a lump of cheese to Moț, the little mouse. And how she was astonished to find St. Peter in the gate of the wall.
George Dometi
She will be buried in two days. Her grave will rise in the middle of the cemetery, a stone among stones, occupying under the sky only the place of a grave. And I will remain on the slabs, crying. I will know that she is not in the grave, there will lie the body of an old woman, her heart full of bitterness; instead, the one with her smiles, her hopes, her embraces will be standing on her feet on the fringe of my past. She will be welcomed into His kingdom at the main gate, for she has made me a man among men.
(Translated by Ana Maria Mitruș / 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.