Page 47 - Vol. VI #7

“She “She has many friends friends friends friends ” ” Olga pronounced “Every time time I call and and and and every time time she she she writes me me me me me the talk is is always about friends friends friends friends friends friends friends friends friends friends friends friends ” ” ” she she she said waving her her her her hand in in in in tandem with her her her her pronounce- ment “She’s like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a child Every Every person she she she she meets is is her her her her new friend friend friend friend friend ” ” ” ” Olga Olga sat up in in in in in her her her her chair and and and and and and looked at at the the portrait of of the the king of of Thailand “I “I have have have no no no no no friends ” ” ” she she said “I “I have have have no no no no no husband no no no no no family I have have nothing ” ” ” He’s the the one Galina Galina went with I I never understood what she saw in in in in in in him him He He He was was cheap loud and ir- responsible He He He once took her out in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a borrowed venicle—in those days to to to to to be even seen in in in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a venicle venicle was was was rare I I heard that Galina Galina had given him him the the the money to to to to to to borrow borrow it it it it from a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a friend They drove un- til it it it it broke down in in in in in in in in in in in the the the the countryside Then he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he told her her her her he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he was was was was going for for help He walked off leaving her her her her her alone Well day became night and and and it it it it started
Olga’s self-pity made me me uncomfortable For
to to to to to snow But she she she she she continued to to to to to sit there in in in in in in in in the the the the dark and and and cold Only God knows what she she she she she she was was was was thinking Probably that she she she she she she was was was was foolish for for for letting herself be be be abandoned When some some locals found her her her her her she she she she she she was was was was almost frozen to to to to to death And even then she she she she she she didn’t want to to to get out ‘No!’ she she she she she said ‘I’m waiting for for Pavel He’ll be be here any minute ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ Well he he he he he he he he he he he he he never returned He He got drunk with some some bums and and fell into the the the the river It was was was the the the the end he he he he he he he he he he deserved if you ask me ” “But what about Lev?” I I asked riveted to to to to to to this story As Olga Olga cleared her throat to to to to to to continue the the the the waitress arrived with with our meals Olga’s dish was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a platter big enough to to to to to to feed two two Russian soldiers An intact squid squid rested atop a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a mountain of rice and and and shellfish I watched as as she she she stabbed the the the squid squid with with with her her her her fork and and and raising it it it it it it it to to to her her her her mouth bit it it it it it it it cleanly in in in in in in two with her her her her dentures some some reason I I I had had thought she she was married married I I I had had assumed that her high maintenance looks were for for someone’s else’s benefit felt that a a a small “A
window into her real self had opened ” t t t t t that moment I “But I I I would have married married ” ” ” ” she she continued “if not for for Galina Galina ” ” “Galina?”
“Yes She stole him from from me me ” ” ” ” “Lev ” she she she finally said after swallowing and and and taking another drink of water “We didn’t see Lev Lev for for several days He was was was griefstricken about Pavel’s drowning When he he he he he he he he he he he did did show up the the the first person he he he he he he he he he he he went to to to to was was was Galina Galina The The next thing thing thing I I I I I knew they were engaged to to to to be be married I I I I I was was was hysterical Galina Galina and I I I I I shared a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a bed but after this we we we sepa- rated I I I I I wanted to to to to scratch her eyes out The The thing thing thing is is is I I I I I have proof that that she did something to to to to Lev’s brain ” ” “Yes Lev He was was was mine and and and and she she took him And not a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a month before we we were to to to to be be married ” ” Having said this she she raised her her her her her her glass glass glass and and and and and drank heartily as as as as as as as as if her her her her her her her catharsis warranted a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a toast The waitress appeared and and and refilled her her her her her her her glass glass glass “Proof ?” I I looked on on on as as as as as as as as Olga sat back in in in in in her her her her her her her her chair her her her her her her her her hand around her her her her her her her her sweating glass glass glass of ice water Unbid- den den she continued her her her her her her her narrative “Lev was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a twin Identical His brother was was an an an oaf named Pavel “Yes ” ” ” said Olga raising her her voice so so so that that the the the other customers looked at at at us us us “He became like Pavel Shiftless stingy and irresponsible This is is is the the the only kind of of man Galina can live with be- cause she needs someone to to save What do you 38
Without knowing any of the facts—or delu- sions—that Olga was was was reporting I I I I wanted to to to to dis- tance myself immediately from from this intelligence But I I I I found that that I I I I couldn’t The revelation was was was like quicksand I I I stepped in in in in “Stole?”
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