Yuka Brevi
My grandpa lived in a village in the Subcarpathians. When spring began, he'd dress in a suit, polish his shoes with goose fat, and shave in the yard using a small, round mirror hanging from the cherry tree. Proudly, he'd pin a thread of mărțișor[1] to his chest. A token made by grandma from threads she had enchanted and twisted, meant to bring luck, chase away misfortunes, dispel dark clouds, allow the sun rise, and have clean water wash away bad thoughts. Then, before stepping onto the lane, he'd clear his throat and ask: Woman, how do I look?
[1]"mărțișor" is a small token with a red-and-white string given on March 1st in Romania to celebrate spring, often a pin or trinket
Step up, my lady. Nine times, for luck, the old man instructed. Lidia grimaced at the worn plastic of the scale and vanished into the crowd. Peasant women with kerchiefs on their heads, exuding the scent of earth, beckoned her with bundles of snowdrops wrapped in ivy leaves. From the stalls lining the alley, handcrafted mărțișoare assaulted her senses with their gaudy colors. What barbarians with primitive customs, she thought. She turned toward the boulevard. Tony awaited her in his flashy car, hazard lights blinking, with blue hydrangeas on the dashboard. Hope you're wearing your underwear inside out, so you don't get jinxed, Honey.
Adriana Patroi Miu
Something about me? I adore beginnings. Today, for instance, I'm happy. Anything else? I often burn food. It happens to everyone. To the extent that I have two scorched pots on the stove. Ah, not quite that bad. No. I enjoy listening to the rain. Okay. And dreaming. My dreams are vivid, in color. I could sleep endlessly. Ha. That's a sign of laziness. You think? I know how to make lemonade. It turns out well. You don't mess it up? I don't fry the oranges beforehand. Good, and what's that got to do with the first day of spring? Nothing. Did you want me to talk about brooches on my chest? I didn't receive any.
(Translated by Maria Loredana Constantin / 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.