a story from skopje

7/27/2019 A Story From Skopje

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A STORY FROM SKOPJE

1.

Unusually quiet and serene spring night surmounted the city and brought to it peace, calmness and

tranquility as the bigger ones can rarely encounter.

Or was it only for that part of the city?

The moon sprinkled its pale rays over the streets. Scarcely opened buds whitened on the weak light of

the Moon, or of the one that came from the street candelabras and gave pastel reflections of its beauty,

which dashed the darkness and dared the dimness that swathe them, each of them for itself, lone, not

scared of it and its dark forces that so much want to rule over the echo of the Beauty, whatever form it

might took, and to suffocate them it its dark auspices, aware that they cannot destroy them.

Oddly calm, cool May night, coddled by a presence of a warm, nicely flavored air, herald of the love and

arouser of passion the magic power of which turns its whirls in notes that ask not for ear but for sense:

the beautiful shy awakening of the nature that gives sense to the life and adorns it, led by the

enchanting hand of the Beauty, that Regina who rules only with itself and for itself, who does not plead

for anything else but to be perfected and perfects the one that perfects Her.

Unfortunately, not everyone is able to hear its sweet, melodic call, to open their spirit to Her, to obey

Her and become part of its sweet and seducing nature.

And to raise their existence on a higher level, which transgress the transience and the weak reason of

the bodily existence.

*

In that night, precisely in that part of the city, at a street just several houses far away from the main

boulevard, where the lightning was weaker, the street candelabras stood only to embellish the

pavement edges and the Moon beams reached hardly and the darkness was thicker and blacker, a story

started over.

Story unusual both by the events and the persons that took place in it. In which the love and the hatred,

the bigotry and the friendship, the sincerity and the lie entwined, the accidence span a net of

unexpected and intertwined events, of which each was a result of a bygone, a cause for a future one and

in the same time separate and preserving its independence. A story where the fidelity stood against the

deceit, nobility won over the abjection and in which as though the luck had left the game, limiting to

remaining only a dumb but interested observer, from time to time rendering its services to the good


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ones and by the will of its caprice depriving them of them, leaving them to the low knit works of the

villainy and the senseless flow of the accidence, which only arranges the events in order and does not

take care for the ones that participate in them. In which the flow hesitated between a victory of the

malice and a triumph of the pureness, but kept its balance and where besides the many events and

imbroglios, a true victor there was not. The love, really, lost the game, but the malice did not win it. The

pureness remained, but the luck still did not become its ruler. The malice, true, did not win, but neither

had it lost.

And so, it was a row of events in which they only took their place, but did not bring much with

themselves except some kind of void feeling because of what they could cause, but were not successful.

Interesting only by its unexpectedness, but not something more than that. Unusual by their character,

but not very significant. Except for the ones that took part in them.

But let us not extend further, but tell it.

In the city, a lass was born, beautiful and darling.

It was not born with magniloquence or some miracle, but as all the others: with a pain and modestly.

She did not make many people happy, only her closest ones and some of the broader kin.

She cried, as all the others, but only a little. After only several hours, she seemed calm and joyful.

Not many people also followed her growing; she gladdened only her parents and some relative that

came to visit them, not so often but rather rarely and not precisely because of her, but because of the

family.

She grew up slowly and safely, in happiness and content, not in abundance, but in contentment, besides

her mother and father.

And grew into a beautiful lady.

Her physique became far and wide famous and her face was godly and dear. She grew into sturdy and

tall lass. Her hair was black, long and curly, her eyes green, her complexion dark. A star shone on her

forehead, spell sprung out of her eyes.

Her eye-brows were thin and lank, her eyelashes long, her nose symmetrical, her lips full, her contours

sharp but at the same time gentle, her skin smooth and soft.

Her stature was slender and thin. The shoulders gentle, the breast large and exuberant, not tooexuberant, but firm. The waist thin, slender, the hips ecstasy.

She was long-legged; and her hands finished with long and gentle fingers.

A charming smile floated on her lips almost every moment.

Yet, she did not put such clothes on her as to emphasize her qualities, but just the contrary, she wore

somewhat wide blouses or shirts and long skirts or jeans at the lower part of her body.


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And again, she was the most attractive of them all.

Spiritually also was not worse at all that lass, as God had blessed both her body and her spirit.

She was timid, modest, quiet and reserved. A dear, deep and ecstatic look shone out from her eyes,

which captivated every heart with its charming force; even the girls loved her. None neither envied her

nor hated her, but they admired her. When she was happy, everyone was glad, when she was sad, they

tried to make her happy.

Nor they were able to resist her spell.

And as for the boys, they broke their legs to conquer her heart; even as she grew up there was not a boy

that did not try to earn a right to her dearness, and when the full blossom of her beauty arrived, none of

them even dared to approach her. All of them were dazzled from her magnificence, but a few dared to

think that they could earn her.

And so the lass grew, not so aware of her originality or gifts. She simply longed to meet some boy by her

will, somebody tall, not so beautiful, but fine and dear, attractive more by his modesty and inner life

rather than by his external look.

That was what her prince was to be like. But she did not think so much of that prince, neither she

imagined him; she simply waited to show up and, she thought, he would show up quietly and meekly,

and she would know that it is him.

She was sure in it not because she considered that the dreams come through (she rarely dreamt, as a

matter of fact), but because she knew that there is such that was worth more than the others. Really,

not a perfect one, but a suitable to her; that did not mean that he would lack vices or similar, but that

she would like his vices.

She did not deem his face important; she knew that whatever would he be like, he would be dear to her.

Yasna was the name that was given to this fabulous lass.

Not so long ago, but not so recently as well, in that part of the city a wind-chaser came from

somewhere. Nobody knew exactly where from he came, nor precisely when; nor somebody knew his

real name and nothing more was known of him than his weird nickname Gandhi, and who and why

had put that unusual sobriquet, was also not known.

He, however, earned fame in more distant parts of the city by his nuts head.

Nobody in his street, neither in his district as well, did not know anything more about him than his

nickname. Some even did not have a clue who he was, he almost did not spend time in his locality.

However, his voice was gone lot in front of him and even though everybody did not know who he was,

they knew who the word is going on about when they heard his nickname.


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It was thought that he lived entirely wind-chasing life, because a voice of him and various monkey

businesses sprung out at each several days. In the street he lived in, his incidents were told at length;

each laughed at his account, because persistently at his fault or not - some follies happened and the

ones that did not know him could hardly wait to get to know him, to see what his fame was owed to.

This wind-chaser too, had heard about the magnificent lass for whose heart there was none worthy,whose smile took away the wits, whose look darkened thoughts. He got curios about what that spell is

owed to and coveted to meet her, but the life was not giving him a chance as their roads crossed over

in no way he cruised at totally different paths then hers, while she, mostly to her school and home.

But he also did not hasten too much, because he was sure in himself and his charm, knowing somewhat

what the girls are like and believing that probably all of her allure would disappear when he would meet

her, as the lasses are magic until they are conquered. He waited to meet her sometime and from pure

curiosity, to talk with her and see what her magic is in precisely.

On the other hand, she had also heard about some wind chaser who recently appeared in her proximity

(not so close, but still not much far, either) and who was not as much present there as stories circulated

about him.

As every lass, she too got curious about him. Not so much because of he himself, more because of the

fame that flew about him, curious to find out to what was it owed. But, nothing more than that.

There was one more boy also, who did not live in the vicinity where Yasna and little farther this

mysterious Gandhi did, but went into the same school she did.

What is more, he attended lessons in the same class.

He got into that class thoroughly accidentally. He was in other, he was naughty and his misfortune wasthat that class contained of, as he himself was saying, wunderkind children and he did not have anybody

of his own measure. So he bothered both the teachers and the pupils, was an obstacle in the teaching

and thorn in the eye for the teachers and in the last year of his schooling, finally, they moved him to

another class.

That was precisely the class where the lass attended the lessons.

Here he also did not behave more decently. Just here they were more prepared to look through fingers

to him and that is how he managed to attract the favor of the others and soon he became endeared.

This lad, too, was nice for looking. He was tall and attractive and not a few girls liked him. Perhaps notalways at the first sight, but as soon as he started to speak, many developed fondness of him. He was

favored for hobnob. Cheerful, talkative, witty, he presented a fine company and few did not enjoy his

proximity.

He was tall, not so robust but rather long, he had short black hair that reached his ears and big black

eyes from which a playful and attractive look sparkled.


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Few were there that had seen him not smiling.

Vladimir was the name of this boy.

Just as he stepped into that class, he noticed the lass and blessed God that He had brought him precisely

there. He became even more mischievous and restless, just so that she would like him. He threw words,

joked with the teachers (not with insulting jokes, though), said quips and always tried to notice, with the

end of his eye, whether she looks at him or not and what kind of impression does he leave at her.

But nevertheless, although she felt and was pleased by that attention, she cleverly kept quiet.

As far as it could be noticed, she was not concerned by those efforts of him. What was hiding in her

heart was other thing. But she just kept silent and was quiet, modest and untouchable as always.

And the boy did not feel it, but his heart became conquered by her charm.

He wandered why the lass does not answer to his quips, when all the girls liked them. He could not

understand what her opinion of him was; she almost did not throw a look at him, and when he would

speak to her, she was kind. Only officially, but still, kind. She was so mysterious and because of that

even more challenging

And he observed her. He observed, trying to gather some trains of her behavior, way of clothing,

speaking, so that they would tell him a little bit more about her and the enchantment started to work.

He could not turn his eyes of her anymore

He observed her sitting, contemplated over some question, and she passed her hand over her curly hair,

the long tender fingers took it backwards, unclose the face from its side and her eyes then gleamed, that

beautiful enthralling greenness, so pure and penetrating or she listened to what was being said, and

the fair profile challenged the sun that poured over it and, it seemed to him, glowed stronger than it

with its beauty.

Since then he ceased to be gone with the wind, he became more serious, did not say much foolish things

and when he approached her, cute shudder passed over his body, he was careful about what would he

say and looked at the lass with deep, thoughtful look.

And the lass became weaker towards him. She did not speak only officially to him anymore, she

became gentler when talking with him, she followed with the end of her eye whether he watched at her

or not, and some dear warmness passed through her body when she spoke with him. Well, now you

may said she with her behavior, and asked for his company, still watching whether he would offermoney, a good car, whether he would try to present himself as a macho or he would simply be nice and

careful towards her.

Taught by her previous experiences but also harboring her last rampart she waited for this last exam

also (as well as she felt fine about the attention) and she delayed a bit her last move. She delayed it the


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more and more, because she felt finer and finer, and at the end, there was no time. Because, just at the

last step of the realization of his hope, somebody interfered and delayed it much more.

Much, much more than he could and would like to imagine.

For the irony to be even greater, he was a friend of him a long time before he met the lass. He never

enlisted him among his best friends, but still, he was at the least, if nothing else, always welcomed

pleasant converser.

And when he interfered, a real war developed.

The boys did not spat at first, they did not get angry to each other, but each of them, as much as he

could, tried to drive the water to his own mill. Each used all of the means and possibilities at his avail to

win her choice. But later

The lass, on the other hand, suddenly welcomed two princes instead of one and, what was even harder,

the two were at her taste. She unexpectedly got so much attention as she had never had in the whole of

her previous life and her gentle heart found

But let we see what was happening.


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2.

So, as we previously mentioned, where the beams of the Moon reached hardly and the darkness was

thicker and blacker, where almost nobody passed and nearly nothing happened, in the security of the

hidden lane, away from the city events, two shadows, entirely carelessly, with a pace slow and

unrevealing their being scared of something or having whatever previous plan, walked as though theroad had accidentally brought them there.

In that fashion they talked, also as passengers set on a long trip by foot - carelessly. To cut the time

short, not to feel the distance.

Or only one of them talked in such fashion.

But besides that carelessness, that one of them from time to time suspiciously turned his head around

and after he would saw that there was nobody around, continued with the same slow and relaxed pace

and careless conversation.

- I say to you - said he. - Gandhi is your absolutely offbeat person. Dud, what rubbish we havedone with him, thats a miracle

The other did not seem much interested with the word of his interlocutor. He went beside him, focused

at his own thoughts and did not pay a multitude of attention to his speeches, and he did not answer to

him, but continued pensively to walk.

- Dude, what Hertzes-Mertzes, Beasts-Measts1, he alone is a separate state! reached his ears,but nothing more than that, because he turned off immediately when he heard the topic, because it was

thoroughly exhausted, being mentioned perhaps already hundredth time that evening. It seemed that

his converser couldnt speak at any other topic but it. He is not with anybody, dude but in good termswith everybody! Do you remember, baba

2, those Hertzes-Mertzes, the bullshits, the times when those

idiots formed gangbangs! continued he not even noticing that his fellow traveler does not even listen

to him. E! said he, after he did not get any answer. Those! There was not a single one of those

goofies who would squabble with him, even if he knew that the whole gang stood behind him! I tell it to

you! Some tried, but got their share. Those main ones that they had, the leaders, they all were in good

terms with him! What do you think! If you dont want to mock you there, and thats a shame for a

leader! He is very dangerous, I tell you that!

By all means, he was enchanted in a way by the one whom he mentioned. The boy that walked at his

side just threw a glance at him. He knew the boy they talked about long time ago, but these things abouthim he did not know. Actually, he knew him fairly little. He knew him as a pleasant and nice chap,

always in a mood for laughing and as a sincere and fine interlocutor. Not as a mate in the real sense of

1Hertzes and Beasts, formerly names of more significant gang-bangs in the city; the forms with initial m

Hertzes-Mertzes, Beasts-Measts are influenced from the Turkish language, conveying a concept of contempt,

belittling of the value of something.2

Way of addressing, rather comic, again probably left from the Turkish language, but implying not the meaning of

father, but the one of mafia leader, godfather, or similar. Here, a slang, an address.


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the word, but as a friend, or better, simply only acquaintance. But he would appear suddenly from

somewhere without notice and they would pass some unforgettable evening or memorable day, and

then he would disappear somewhere for a longer period and continuously like that, that was the kind of

their friendship. He had saved him some time ago from some trouble, he himself did not remember

what that was anymore, and he regularly paid visits to him from that time, although he thanked for that

and had no real reason to do it. So after some time, although he did not believe that he was seeing him

because of his good did (they are quickly forgotten), a likeliness developed in the both of them and they

had regular meetings from which both of them were satisfied.

But he did not know what kind of life he lead, nor was interested in it. Yet, this conversation surprised

him a bit.

- Yes, yes, - continued the other.Thoroughly unusual person. Theres no other like him in thecity. And for a friend, he is always first

Then, he stopped and started to observe the houses in front of him. His quiet fellow traveler stopped,

also, but one step after him, because he was drowned in his thoughts and did not hear anything; even

when he felt that he does not listen to his voice anymore, he also stopped, to notice that he murmurs

something in himself, passes his look from a house to a house and at each of them nods his head, as

though he counts them.

- fve, sx, svn, ght - incomprehensible mumbling reached him. - nine, ten eleven!..Apple trees in the court, red and white house, so we are here!.. he said, jumped over a low gate and

found himself in somebodys court.

- Come on! he waved with his hand and continued in front of himself.The other, wondering and very reluctantly, because he did not want to do that, stepped over the gateand hastened after him.

- And I say to you, baba - continued again the first one, as if he was not bothered at all from thefact that he is on a somebody elses ground, so the other thought that he would probably invite some

friend or has some business that he should finish along the road.And there was one

Damn! Not again Hertzes-Mertzes, Beasts-Measts! he thought with fear and cut his word.

Ok, but what we are doing here? he said quickly, to shut up his interlocutor, to draw his attention to

other topic and because he really did not know what were they doing there, expecting, of course, a

decent answer.

But he who was an addressee of the question turned his head after a short silence and hesitatingly

asked.

- What do you mean, what are we doing here?- Well, that I mean, what are we doing here? the boy repeated his question, surprised of his

friends wondering.


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Yet, he shortly observed him with the same hesitating look, obviously not believing him that he does not

know what do they want there, and then he raised his eyes and pointed them towards the black sky,

where all the stars were clearly visible. Then he looked as though he had understood some oversight.

- What did Gandhi tell to you? he asked sternly then, looking at him with a penetrating look andtrusted his tongue, licking his lower lip. Anyway he was very ugly, but the boy thought that that was justtoo much.

He turned his look away from the face that was unpleasant for observance and looked towards the

ground. He noticed a path until the entrance door and soil around it.

- Nothing. he answered calmly. That there was some party near his neighborhood and that weshould go there.

The other continued to observe him in enquiring manner and to lick his lip.

- Aha - he said after a short silence, still looking at him with the same penetrating look and for asecond he hid the big ugly tongue in his mouth, which was perceived as a real pleasure by his company.

Nothing else?

Nothing he said and this persistence surprised him.He said that he had some business before that,

which could took him some time, and said that he would send somebody to take me there. added

after he remembered what his friend said to him and because he thought that it might be important to

that freak.

And really, a sparkle flashed in the look of the ugly one, who did not withdraw his ugly big tongue in his

mouth nearly during the whole of that conversation. When he heard that his friend stated that he has

some job, he drew down his look and rolled his eyes.

- Well, ok, baba - he said, and the other got sick when he heard that baba, perhaps hundredthtime that night. But that was to happen after

The boy looked at him with a questioning look, wandering what was to happen after, and waited for an

explanation, but precisely when he was preparing to ask, the other rushed before him.

- Dude, we needed to do something for him, but its not important. he said.Ill tell him. saidlike he is sure his word is enough to solve anything. Here, I have some business, this fellow owns me

money, hasnt paid back already for four months, for sure a lowlife3person - the boy enjoyed using

literature expressions which he digged out who knows where from. But let me not involve you in this,it is not your business, the man is a pesky freak and if he starts to hoodwink something to me again a

fight may start also, so youd better wait for me there, to finish this thing off, and we will go on. he

said and literally chased him off that place, pushing him towards a place from which he would not be

able to watch what would happen.

3A literature word used as a slang, hard to be translated.


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The other did not know what is going on, but felt insulted of that humiliating attitude and because he

could not react so fast, obediently went back and jumped over the gate. He turned his head back and

saw again the ugly face of the other, who just watched him as he was imposing to him to stand behind

the house. He got even more furious, but still went on. Just that this time he could not wait and after he

spotted a vehicle on the opposite side of the street, where from he could see everything that could

happen, he leaned onto it and started to observe with a sharp look his non-exemplary company,

expecting him also to look at him again and to watch him obstinately precisely at his eyes.

He really did not understand anything. His friend the same day, somewhere in the afternoon, as it was

customary for him, showed up without an announcement and told him that there would be a party that

evening in the vicinity of his neighborhood. He told him that that should not be missed and although he

himself also was not officially invited to that party, he invited him also. And as he previously mentioned,

he also told him that he had to finish something that might take him some time, so that is why he would

send some friend after him. That friend of him was precisely this one, just he came earlier that it was

agreed on and called him saying that they have to help something their mutual friend, and when he

asked him what, he only answered that they should pay a visit to a house. The answer surprised him abit, but the friend of his friend did not say anything more, so he kept quiet, too.

But now he got really interested in what was meant to happen, not solely because of his obstinacy, but

also because of that curiosity, so he leaned on the vehicle, crossed his hands and feet and looked at him

with the mentioned sharp look, which nevertheless retreated in front of the curiosity when he noticed

that the other has no faintest idea to look towards him, but picks several apples and stuffs them into his

pockets forcefully. Then he sat on the cold concrete base under the window of that houses living room,

bit one of the apples and calmly waited for something.

He did not turn his look towards him even for once.

What is his idea!.. passed through his mind while he observed him with a curious look.

Soon, a stone flew over the house and stuck into the soft soil in front of his legs. As if it was the only

thing he waited, he stood, stretched entirely cold-bloodedly, checked whether his apples are safely fixed

in his pockets and rang the doorbell.

A rather old man, a bit unkempt, with thick black moustaches and noticeable eye-bags, opened the door

and looked at him with a questioning look.

- Who are you? he asked oddly, but instead of an answer he got a not so weak fist at the faceand just the same moment he already saw the boy in front of him running.

As the one who blew the punch supposed, the man immediately started running after him, after he

regained from the shock, and thought that the boy would not have time to open the gate behind him,

which was closed. But he saw that the boy manages to jump over it, on the top of it pretty skillfully, just

he did not pay attention on that detail, because he was very angry. He opened the small gate and run

fast as he could to catch him.


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However, after a while he stopped, because that rascal showed that he is really fast and prepared for

such races. He leaned, rested his palms on his knees and pensively looked in front of him.

The rascal was not there anymore.

Who could have done that to him? he asked himself. He did not remember that he started any duel

with any child, or boy or any other person recently, so he did not know what the reason for that act was.

More, he did not even have any accident with anybody at that time. He was a widower person, who led

a peaceful life.

Some time he just stood there and watched in front of him like that. He expected that perhaps that

rascal would appear again and somehow explain that act of him, or that something would tell him why

did what happened happened. But after he saw that nothing happens, already a little bit freshened, he

turned and stepped towards his home.

However, in that moment an apple rolled up beside his feet and he turned up with surprise. He looked

with a puzzled and angry look and saw that it was again that rascal.

And he, totally cold-bloodedly, stepped towards him being on a distance that guaranteed him that he

would never be caught even if a faster runner was at the mans place.

- Would you like an apple? he said from a far.The man soothed down a little from that friendly call and started to think how to catch him.

- Who are you? he said.- You dont know me. answered the rascal.- What do you want? answered the man after short silence, in which he probably thought what

can he do.

- Me, nothing. said the boy.- Well, why are you doing this? asked the man, confused, rather than angrily.- Well Eh. What do I know? answered the boy, a bit confusedly.- E how can you not know! said the man a bit more angrily, indeed feeling a little bit calmer

after the initial thought that he could be dealing with an intentional lunatic, who chose precisely him

for some reason. To what does this look like! Can you answer what all of this stupid thing is about?

- Dude, what do I know - said the rascal very calmly and got some step closer. Are you Tase4?he asked after that.

-

What Tase! said the man angrily.- Tase from Slatinski Chiflik5. answered the rascal and stepped even closer.

4An archaic name which is now considered funny and implies a peasant, usually of the way too sure in himself

than he really knows and values type.5

A village, second part of the name implying agriculture.


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- Who is that Tase from Slatinski Chiflik! cried the man, although he knew that the boy made funof him. He thought that if he would continue being a little bit more careless, he would catch him. What

do you have with me! he shouted.

- Its you, its you! said the rascal carelessly and now already approached to distance from whichman could hope that he would catch him.

The man suddenly started to run towards him, but convinced himself once more in the running abilities

of that rascal and shortly after he ceased running. He leaned once again his hands on his knees and

angry to understand that he stands no chance to catch him, went to his home. The rascal, on the other

hand, after he watched at him for some while, seemingly thinking something and after he looked at his

watch, waited a bit the man to come near his home so that he could pr oceed towards his friend, and

started carefully to walk behind him, keeping safe distance.

Just that his friend unintentionally gave him an idea for fun. He observed the both of them running in

front of him with his mouth open and after he really wondered if his, by the force of the circumstances,

newly acquired friend, would be a bit out of his mind, saw that the man later came back towards his

own house (which meant towards him also) and forgot that he does not know about their mutual

connection. And even if he did not know, he said to himself in one moment, perhaps he is simply

nervous and he would pour his anger at him, and that is why he started fearfully to think not to attract

his attention, not realizing that he already attracted it with that. He froze by the car at which he was

leaned on and did not even want to look at the man, in order not to attract his thought to himself.

However, he still peaked so that he could be able to notice if he starts running towards him too, and so

the man, after he stopped several meters in front of him and noticed his weird behavior and the fear in

his eyes, indeed ran after him and he hit the road as he had never had until then. The man, on the other

hand, whether because of his suspicion about something or only because of his wish to pour out his

anger on somebody, ran as fast as he could after him and he started to grab the air with impossiblesteps. And for his even bigger misfortune, the other also followed all of that and he prepared one more

amusement for himself.

The man, though, beside his anger, this time decided to give up early, perhaps because he was not sure

in that boys guilt. He went towards his home, thinking whether he should search and lurk for the freaky

rascal along the streets, but still at the end gave up and went home.

He entered his home, turned up the water heater to take a shower and stretched on the bed in his

sleeping room. The race exhausted him more than he wanted to admit.

He took off his shirt and lay on the bed couple of moments, panting, on his back, without anymovement.

Damn! he thought, What was my mistake to whomever ? And why should some bustard hit me

with a punch! Damn be these times, and this world, and everything else, after all

He rose to take the picture of his wife, now passed away, from the chest that was by the bed. He had a

custom to speak with her, although she was long not with him.


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It fell, he thought. But right after that he stood on his feet like scalded and started anxiously to

pick inside the drawers of the chest and pulled out of one of them silver till.

His hands trembling from fear and excitement, he found a small key, pushed it with pain into the locker

and found out that he does not need it, as the till was open. He picked inside and managed to notice

that his dearest reminiscence of his late wife, a golden bracelet sequined with Ohrid pearls6

, was notthere anymore.

Cursing his naivety and the bloody rascal, he called the police as fast as he can.

Just, it could be noticed that however angry he was in the beginning and fast while he dialed the police

number, as if his anxious and excited face expression, due to the feeling that he was deceived, was

changed by a calmer expression and analyzing look.

6Pearls found in oysters only in the lake of Ohrid, also keeping some secret about the process of their processing.


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3.

In that moment, the other boy was already finishing his flight and wondered where he is, seriously

scared that the man lurks for him from every corner and from behind every bush, being afraid that now

even if he would not be caught he would not know how to go home, because he was running along

some lanes and alleys that he did not know at all and having not a slightest clue where he was. Besides,he thought that even if he knew the place, he would not know where he is, because he was running like

headless and did not see neither where does he run, nor whom he was running from, because the man

left him much earlier. But the rascal, hisfriend, who had already planned a funny event for himself, had

jumped over several fences and passed over several house courts, because he knew that part of the city

very well and found himself on a broader, but yet dark lane precisely at the moment when the boy was

taking air and watching frightfully to every side, in order to be able to notice where from does his chaser

peak at him. After he waited a bit for the boy to turn his back towards him, he slept unnoticeably, like a

snake, over a fence, approached from his back and jumped over him. And it happened precisely as he

supposed it would: the other jumped and scrapped to save himself as though a snake had wrapped up

around his body. But the rascal hold tight and forcing himself to hide his laughing. When his franticnesspassed, flinching and seeing that nothing happens, the boy turned his head with a defeated face

expression and saw the smiling expression of the rascal, who with all of his heart expected him too to

laugh together with him and whose face expression was as if he saw Santa Claus day or two before the

New Year, feeling very happy that he succeeded to think out something of which both of them would

sweetly laugh.

- Ha, haaa! Your shit froze, isnt it, ha? yelled merrily after couple of moments, but noticed withsurprise that his newly established friend was not so happy as himself. On the contrary, after very

careful examination of his face, he saw that his feelings move along the path of anger-fury-loss of

control and he tried to smoothen the situation.- Ok, dude, ok, I was poking fun7 - said and before he was able to say anything else, saw that his

friend burst in fury.

- You were poking fun?!.. - yelled he, for whom that expression only added oil to the fire, becausehe thought that the rascal, on the top of everything, made fun with him. You were poking fun!?!

yelled even more louder and not sooner than the following moment he noticed that his own hand flies

towards the rascals face, although almost always in his life he avoided fights.

However, it was too late and the rascal found himself lying at the ground stretched as wide and long as

he was. The boy saw him looking to the sky obviously not noticing anything of it and blinking his

eyes.

But that arouse the military string in his character and he furiously rose.

7An archaic expression which can be found only in the old stories from 18-19 century and although it sounds

literary, it actually implies a bit peasantish tone and mocking with the literary form, especially in the above

mentioned situation.


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- Well, now, be also Naser and Nehrus friend, if you want - he said and hit the boy hard at hisface, but to his surprise he saw that he barely moved from his place and made him even more furious,

so soon hands and legs started to fly over in a cloud of dust and after several moments, both of them

gasping and blushed from head to toes stopped, leaned their hands to their knees and panted, silently

looking at each other.

And while the boy looked at his eyes, thinking in himself: what a fool!, a huge smile stretched at the

rascals face, he started to laugh louder and louder, and finally he tapped him friendly at his left

shoulder.

- He, heeee! he laughed with his already famous infuriating laughter and rose at his feet. Well,youve been quite good, baba! You are not a friend of Gandhi in vain!

The boy slowly rose, looking precisely at his eyes and not believing to his own eyes.

- Damn fool! he thought, walking hugged with the rascal, until he pushed his arm off his neck.The rest of the way they passed peacefully, except in one case where the rascal demonstrated again his

ability to cause a trouble and to save himself of it leaving his neighbor throwing him to the dogs. After

they passed several alleys and reached to a more illuminated one, they heard a sharp sound, which tore

their eyes as a concrete drill. The rascal saw that that was some small loafer, who was out of his house,

or of who knows where, and leaned on his elbow on a fence that was nearly taller than him, rapped a

click-clack8.

-Ej, eeej! yelled he and ran towards him to catch him for his hand. Halloo! Where do you think

you are, you peewee! It is 11 oclock at night!

And he caught the small loafer for his hand, which caused the balls to lose their flow and end hitting thechild at his hand.

- Cut it and let me not hear you again! sad the rascal.But the kid proved himself pretty militant character and answered him that if he would like to bang the

balls, he would bang them at midnight also. That made the rascal angry and cause the child to get a

strong kick in his butt and a threat that he would get two more if he does not stop that immediately and

if he does not learn to pay respect to the elders. But precisely the following moment he perceived

himself addressed as yoghurt9and got totally furious. He forcefully pulled up his bangers from his

hand, span them holding them for the one of the balls, then he threw the toy somewhere behind him,

saying: to hell with the rack-a-tack-ers and took to teach the little one some good manner delivering

8A weird children toy which is made of a ring, two strings attached on it and two plastic or similar balls attached to

the strings. The point is to knock them at each other, persistently, as long as it is possible, waving the hand up and

down.9

A diarty product more viscous than milk, but runnier than sour milk. In the slang, it is used with not quite defined

meaning, but with humiliating connotation.


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him kicks, behind-ear shots10

and garter-shots11

. But then, during that action, he heard a sound of

window breaking and immediately left the kid and took to running away hitting his nape with his heels.

The other, however, furious that the rascal had to torment the kid precisely at that moment, angry that

he caused one more trouble, but also slow on thinking, stood with his hands on the hips and received

impulses of an irresistible desire to start cursing, even though he never did that; nor at his minds enddid it come that someone might come out and ask to recompense the expense for the broken window.

But not later than the following moment he noticed a fury embodied in an image of a short, fat, shaggy,

but first and foremost a furious person, dressed in ribbed pajamas that lacked a button at the slit, like

those that City Hospital gives to their patients, who was advancing precisely towards him, not asking

anything and seeming not to be interested in anything other than to beat him out and he once again

took to escape, with his already seen speed for which he became aware some half an hour earlier. But

who knows would he be able to run that time if, still, the rascal did not help him in it. He hid behind a

tree and aimed the man with his inerrant sight and hit the man in his head, using the technic of snap-

shooting. Then he revealed himself to him and dragged the man to chase him, but he skillfully hid along

the houses and the bushes, because he was more versed in that.

Then they finally proceeded without troubles and in 10 minutes they reached to the party.

10A humiliating knock, usually not strong, behind the ears and below the nape, which shows that the one who

delivers it deems the addressee not worthy of real punch, small, or immature for a real fight.11

A knock delivered by dragging usually the middle finger backwards while the palm rests at the head of the

receiver and then letting the extended finger descent down on h is head.


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4.

Fifteen minutes later they arrived in front of a three-storey house from which a loud music echoed.

The house ascended high among the others, both by the size and the beauty. In front of it there was a

lawn, very beautiful and maintained, not very big but still very finely arranged which finished with a row

of flowers that ran over the whole of its edge. A narrow concrete path ran from the gate to the door-

step, and from the flowers until the walls of the house there was about 2 steps of free space, concreted,

on which, however, there was nobody, but everybody stood onto the beautiful grass and threw the

waste onto it, filling it with cans, pressed or not, bottles of bear, coke, pop-corn bags, stubs and

whatever not.

- we came. said the rascal, interrupting for a moment his conversation, in order to indicatewith his finger the place they should go. And I tell you, he was dangerous, a Savo from Kisela Voda

12, a

dark skinned chap Famous lad, dude! You heard about him!he continued again, and his friend startto curse the very moment he came back to the topic and did not cease talking about it for the whole of

their passed way.

They passed the gate and entered the yard. At the door-step there were a boy, tall, fair and three lasses,

shorter for a head, who argued with him to get inside. Loudest among them was the ugliest of them and

she was giving him the hardest pain.

Vladimir, the other boy, noticed him and supposed that that was the one who was hosting the party. But

the rascal did not look at him even for once, but continued the path, talking to Vladimir comfortably as

he was his really dear friend and tried to pass beside the boy not noticing him.

However, he still saw them and stopped them.

- Hey, you two! Where? said a little bit from height, when he realized that they try to bypass hispresence.

- ?!.. wondered the rascal, looking at the boy with a look that revealed to him that he is themost unimportant man in the world at that moment. Who is he? - asked Vladimir, who got confused.

But the boy was not confused by the cold-bloodedness of that rascal.

- I am the one who decides who enters here and who doesnt. he answered to that, instead hisfriend, after darkness fell in front of his eyes once more that evening, because he argued who knowshow many times with rogues like him that evening.

- ?!.. the rascal first opened his mouth, frowning his face, and looked towards Vladimir, then hereturned his look to the other boy, distorting his mouth and sending him a scornful look. Oh, my!..

sighed he scornfully and passed by him.

12A quart in Skopje


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But the boy did not agree at all with that reaction and after his eyebrows met each other above his nose

he dragged the rascal for the collar of his shirt again in front of him.

- Listen you, however ugly you might be - said he, and the rascal burst and the same momentbecame ready to fight, because if he hated anything on this world, that was to be told that he is ugly,

although he himself knew that very well, but then the words of the girls, who were developing theirstrategy to get in, reached them and both of them forgot their pains and pointed their attentions

towards them, the boy because that touched his pride and the rascal because he saw his opportunity.

- Yo, come on, Maya!.. said one of the nicer, addressing the ugly one.He wont let us in, nowwhat, will we beg him?

- Yo, what the hell, he doesnt let us? Ill get in and period! Yo, come on, dont you see that he isstupid, everybody waves him around, what a turkey he is!.. answered she and the boy immediately

forgot the rascal and approached to them.

- Beat it! yelled he with a strong and threatening voice. The rascal took Vladimir under his handand got him in.

Inside, in the living room, there was a bunch of boys and girls. The light was smothered, someone had

found records from the private collection of the owner of the house and scratched over them, someone

was taking a bottle of some alcohol from his home reserve. Beside them somebody who scrolled on a

stool and cruised over the different regions of the room passed. In the room there were two armchairs

and a large sofa. At the one of the armchairs somebody was caressing a lass, at the other somebody else

was caressing a bottle. Bunch of people rumpled on the sofa.

There was a small and low table at the end of the room, in front of the dining room and they headed

there.

From the other side, somebody was penetrating through the jam and tried to find two of his friends.

- Ej, have you happened to see a - he pulled someone for his shirt to gain his attention, but hefound that gesture inconvenient.

- Ey come on, get the hell out of here!.. Eee!.. he yelled nervously and the boy looked at himwith surprised look.

- Whats your problem, dud, I just wanted to ask have you seen a couple of two - he said with anexcusing tone.

- I didnt see! said the boy with rough tone.The boy threw a fast look towards his face and couple of moments it was like he did not know what to

do with him. Then he stood in front of him and pinched him at the both of his chicks.

- Eh, you Mishko13!.. he said to him, tapping him with the both of his hands simultaneously atthe both of his chicks and left him, not paying attention to his wondering look.

He pulled somebody else too, but he did not ask him anything.

13A personal name, diminutive from the name Dimitar, but implying an ass or a jerk.


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I know where I can find them, he said to himself and continue to make his way through the

people.

He passed next to the sofa and suddenly felt a look that was burning him.

He turned up and froze.

The most beautiful eyes that he ever saw welcomed him.

He nailed his look into them, spelled by them. How beautiful eyes were those! How intoxicating! As if

the miraculous greenness enslaved with its charm, he thought that he was losing sense of space, time

Was it true? Are there truly eyes like that somewhere? Wasnt he dreaming, was not it a hallucination?

And, they were so dear. The lass whose eyes were they did not blink; she did not move them from his

look and was watching so cherishing No, it is not true, those eyes heel, they captivate

The lass blinked several times at last, starting to feel uncomfortably and he came back to the reality. He

asked himself was that true and watched several moments, afraid that the sight could disappear in front

of him.

The lass still watched at him with the same beautiful look and could not manage neither to turn them

from him nor to rise and go. She was curious, longed to see what he would do, since he watched at her

so long, so intoxicated, so blundered out

And he approached. He came in front of her and she did not move her little eyes from his enchanted

look. She looked at him as a child, curiously, with expectation of what he would do. And he, without

moving his look off her eyes came, kneeled in front of her, because there was no place on the sofa, and

started to talk.

- The smallest daughter from the stories - he said, and she looked at him not moving her littleeyes from his eyes, even though she was puzzled at what he was speaking. The one that always run

from her home and marry the sun, the wind or the tsars son the one that turns into a fairy and waits

for her prince. Dressed in the most beautiful clothes, sequined with srma14

and gold To which

everyone envy and who is earned after lots of struggle - talked he not thinking what he is babbling and

did not care at all either. In which the nature poured the whole of the beauty, with eyes like clear

wood creeks and shiny mountain lakes. Green as emeralds

The girl excited, took deep bread, raised her eyebrows, but could not get free of that look. Her hand

stood in both his hands, over his crossed leg, because the boy found it there, took it when he kneeled totalk to her and she could not withdraw it from there, although she wanted and although a thought

quivered in her heart: I dont know him, he is a stranger Her breast went up and down, she thought

that everybody watched at her, and she, frightened, did not know what she could do should she tell

him to go away? No, she could not and did not even think of that. Should she move her hand out of his

14Golden or silver thread.


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two hands? That she could not do, either. Say something to him? What? She could not think of

anything She breathed deeply, through her nose, but was careful that to be silent, because she

thought that everybody looks at her But beside that, she could not move her little eyes from that

enchanted look and she could not close her heart in front of that captivating voice And besides that

she asked what bullshit does this boy say? She had never heard something like that. Probably will not,

also. She breathed deeper and deeper and thought that everybody started to hear her.

The boy, nevertheless, felt that he has lost his mind a little bit, moved his look away, felt uncomfortable

from those who sat beside her and thought that he should sit next to her. But there was not a place on

the sofa.

- Do rise, if youd please? he said to a fat boy, who was sitting beside the girl.But the boy had sat next to the girl precisely from the same reason from which he had kneeled in front

of her and was not ready to rise so easily.

- Why? asked he excitedly, and because of the excitement, a little bit combatively.- Those over there want to see you. said the boy, thinking that he would get him up even if he

does not want to get up himself, and the fat boy looked behind him and saw two boys who watched in

his direction and murmured something, with a bit of hostile expression on their faces.

- Why! asked he again.- I dont know. said the boy.

He rose, the boy sat next to the lass and the fat boy continued towards the ones who wanted to see

him.

- Whats your name? asked the boy the girl who, after he sat beside her felt a little bit morecomfortably, because she deemed that that way all of the looks would not be pointed to her. And she

was also satisfied that she sat beside her.

- Yasna said she.- Well, of course - answered he. I should have supposed that such a beautiful lass has so

beautiful name - said the boy.

- You like it? asked the girl, who was proud of her name.- Beautiful things go together - answered the boy and she smiled.

Then the fat boy reached the two who wanted to see him. One of them was the boy that the previous

one pinched for his chicks and called him Mishko, and the other his friend. They were watching hostile

at the other boy, and at the fat boy they looked with surprise, when they saw that he was coming

towards them.

- Whats your problem, dud! they said to him roughly when he approached.- Why did you want to see me? asked the fat boy meekly.- Who wanted to see you, you porky! answered one of them nervously. Get lost from here!

The fat boy than turned back and saw the other boy sitting next to the girl.


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But that boy also had the same luck. Then someone asked for him too, and he smiled in himself, thinking

that they want to deceit him with his own trick. However, he rose out of cautiousness and it was good

that he did it.

- Sorry, I must leave you for a moment he said to the girl and went to the host of the party, whohad his birthday that day. But he immediately sighed from a pain, because two other persons appearedbehind him, and they, as soon they saw him, told him to follow them.

Unfortunately, the rascal too, who was next to the door and had a natural gift to fall into a trouble, saw

that.

- Ey, Gandhi, are there any problems? he yelled.The boy sighed and closed his eyes with pain, but it was late.

- Problems? said one of the two man with a little bit threat in his voice. Come here!He soured, but went after them.

Vladimir, thought could not understand anything and he observed his friend and at his friends friend

with surprise.

- Where, duds? finally he asked, after he realized that they are leaving.- Where? the same one who answered to the rascal with a high tone asked him. You come,

also!

Vladimir surprised, but followed them because of the fact that both of his friends obeyed the two

persons, even though he did not understand anything.

Before he stepped out of the room, after he let all the others pass in front of him, the second of the men

saw a boy leaned on the side of the door, for whom he thought that he is laughing besides their

nervousness and the seriousness of the situation.

- What are you laughing for, you! he asked him sharply.- Yo, I dont laugh, thats the shape of my face! answered the boy with fear.- Really? Well, now well repair it, you too come with us. said the man cold-bloodedly.


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5.

After they got out of the house, they were taken by the people to a car and all of them sat on the back

seat, while the two sat in front. The short travel with the vehicle passed peacefully, apart from the fact

that the one who was picked first, whom the rascal called Gandhi, having sat beside the fourth one and

after he saw that he is confused and scared, decided to joke a little bit with him. Yo, who are you?

asked him very cold-bloodedly, and he totally muddled and confusedly answered: nobody, dude, but

the boy noticed with a fatherly voice that he cannot be nobody as well as he cannot not be somebody,

that that is a rubbish and he asked him for an identity card. He totally confused and asked help from the

ones in front, by looking towards them, who not taking care about him said to the other boy to shut up

and then not a single word was heard anymore.

After a short while they reached to some building and everybody came out in silence, entered the

building proceeding after the one of the men and followed by the other, all until they did not get into a

room in which a short, bit fat and not quite bold police commander stood. He stood with his hands on

his back and with a cigar in his mouth. When he saw them enter, he took the cigar out of his mouth with

his one hand, while the other remained on his back, saw the one whom they called Gandhi entering first

in the room and his look gleamed. But after him three more boys got into, so he got surprised a bit and

remained with his mouth open and his hand holding the cigar beside his face.

- Who are these? asked he after all of the three boys lined in front of him.- They are a side-pray. answered one of the cops, the one who was more talkative, in fact who

took all of them from the party. These two were with him he pointed to Vladimir and the rascal, and

this one he said, pointing to the fourth one claimed that his face was smiled.

He, though, although the commander did not look at him nearly at all, froze from fear, found the

thought: now will straighten his face in the commanders look and started to shake from a great fear.

But commander turned to the other three.

- So, we need you. he said cold-bloodedly, pointing with the cigar towards them.Nobody answered anything.

- Especially you. he said to the one who responded to the nick name Gandhi.He, though, looked at him with surprise.

- You, you. said the commander calmly. There was a robbery this night in this vicinity hestarted, puffing smoke from his cigar. And that is, somebody stole only one thing, which reminds us a

little bit to you

Then Vladimir understood everything, the job that his friend was to finish, the rascals odd behavior

and his slight delay. That cognizance both cut him apart and surprised him and luckily everybody


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looked at the face of that Gandhi in that moment, or else they would immediately understand that all of

that was true. By the way, that Gandhis face did not get anxious at all, he just became a little bit more

serious.

- Well, I dont know - said he, but the commander cut his word.- Shut up. he said. - The whole of some little box full with everything, but only one thing stolen.

Whom does it remind you to?

The boy put an expression to his face that meant a most surprised I dont know.

- Apart continued the commander some other rogue drove the owner out of his house byhitting him punch in his face - the commander stopped there a bit. - can you imagine? A fist, out ofa

pure peace! You seat at home, rest, watch TV or whatever and somebody rings on your door-bell and

hits you a punch! What do you think about it! said the commander angrily.

If somebody else asked the boy what did he think about that, he would answer to him that most

probably they should break the bones of that rascal so, that rascal over there - and that change wasfelt on his face, the policemen clearly saw that on his expression but there he could not say that.

Instead, he said mildly:

- An awkward act.- Really? said the commander. Awkward, ha? And who did it? Perhaps precisely this one? he

yelled and threateningly approached the rascal, who died of fear, but did not say anything.

- I dont know. answered the boy again.- So, these two had led the man away and you operated inside. the commander then calmly

draw a conclusion and Vladimir started to feel the same unpleasant feeling which was felt by the rascal,

just in a bit higher quantity, because he really did not have anything to do with it.- But I was on a party for the whole of the evening today. carefully said the boy.- What party, you! yelled the policeman.- A birthday party. answered the boy- You think you would trick us with that? You came to the party ten minutes ago! said one of the

cops loudly, looking at his watch. That was probably meant to scare the boy, among the others, but it

did not achieve that aim.

- Look now, I was at a party - started the boy, but did not finish, because one of the policemenapproached him and hit him at his stomach.

- Cut the buzzing, because we know everything. said the commander, sure in his victory. Heknew that he had caught that boy and that that night he would not get away from him, but what he didnot know was that the boy already knew that if they knew who it was for sure, they would long ago pull

the rascal from the row and started a certain different conversation with him. So, he already had

decided to do what he always did not to admit until the very end. Admit or not, there is no escape

this time! said the officer with a tone that showed that as far as that evening is considered, everything

was finished.


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But the boy shortly after thought something and suddenly something occurred to his mind, after which

the whole of him shone.

- I know! yelled he, raising his finger in front of his face, with a very happy expression.- What do you know, you? said the commander then, because he did not like that new change.

He immediately started to watch carefully at him, with a bit murky look, because he was afraid that theboy might think something with which he would again save himself. And the boy attracted the looks of

everybody present in that room and started his act.

- I know! he repeated. I know how you would see that I dont have anything to do with it! said and the policemen looked at him with even murkier look. Yes, I do have an alibi! I have it! said

the boy, and the commander got furious.

- You have alibi? he asked him angrily. What kind of alibi is that? I would really like to see it!said the policeman with a sharp tone. But the boy did not get confused, but continued with his sudden

inspiration.

- You will see it, and you will see that it is the most beautiful alibi in the world! he said fiery.You havent seen that kind of alibi until now - he continued, but he did not finish, because he got apunch from the cop that approached him, at his stomach.Ooooo - he shouted.

- What is that alibi? said the commander angrily. And talk fast, because we are going to breakyour head!

But the boy continued again.

- That alibi is the most beautiful alibi in the world! he yelled.You dont see twice such an alibiin this world! You see it only once! Not twice or thrice! Not more than once! Only once in

hudreeeeeee. continued to moan, because he got a new punch in his stomach. It hurts, dude! he

said to the policeman.

- Eih? answered the cop.- Damn with you!.. he squeezed through his teeth, but even though he wanted to continue, he

could not, because he got one more punch.

- So, are you going to talk, finally or we will have to take you down? said the commandernervously. However, he still seemed a bit calm and unsatisfied from the change of the course of the

events.

- Well, I try, but here, these!.. he yelled and got one more punch.- Talk! shouted the commander.- Ok - said the boy moaning. You will have to trust to that alibi, because you will agree with me

that it is really beautiful, when you see it, my dear commander! he said and got one more punch, and

Vladimir already started to get nervous, himself not knowing why. Something started to sting him to

think that he met Yasna, but what was the possibility for that?

- Which is that alibi? squeezed the commander, saying word after word.- Ok, - said the boy I will tell it to you finally. With the most beautiful name was baptized that

alibi! Yasna! he shouted.


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Name as name. And it did not eco as he thought it would. Even it did not ravish everybody, as he

thought. What is more than that, not everybody agreed that it was the most beautiful name. The young

cop, who did not say almost anything since the moment they were picked from the party, thought that

the name of his just married wife is more beautiful.

And surely, if the boy knew what he was thinking, he would by all means be offended. But yet, one wasconcerned. Vladimir felt as if a stake passed through his heart, and as if black blood started to flow out

of it Yasna. It was known to him who is the one for whom poems are made, people poeticize and let

out sighs For whom one forgets that he is in front of cops, counts or killers who enslaves the spirits.

How could precisely he meet her now, from all the people of the world!.. thought he embittered. In

his heart anger, bitterness and hatred mixed and he thought that black blood started to drop from it

However, that name did not impress at all the policemen, and especially not the commander. Even the

one who stood in front of him was not very excited of him. His only, whatever, reaction was still another

punch in his stomach, from which the boy bent and fell on his knees.

- I dont know whether she would be able to prove your presence there - said the commanderwith some distress in his voice, as if he was scared precisely of that. As for the boy, it seemed that it had

forgotten all of his problems, temporary and permanent, and in no way did he want to get out from his

poetic ecstasy.

- She will be, because she is the most beautiful girl in the world! he cried. O sun, do not shine,because she shines more then you, o wind, do not blow, because she is more plea - he said all that he

could say before the next punch and again bent on the floor.

But again, he did not stop. And Vladimir felt that all of it raises enormous anger in him

-

You want to kill the love in me! he said. To destroy that noble feeling which now warms myheart and ennobles my soul said and again bent on the ground. But you wont be able to!

continued. She will rise in me again like a phoeeeeeeeeenix Ay - he groaned.

The cop that stood next to him caught his hair and raised his head towards himself.

- If you dont stop he saidwell really kick that talkative butt of yours.And he stopped and rose with pain.

- Ok, - he said and leaned his elbow on the policemans shoulder, as if he was his very near friend,but he got one more punch at his stomach and again kneeled.

- What has happened to him, - said the cop has he read some book?..- Ey, do you think that I dont read? answered the boy from the part of the floor where the

policeman stepped.

- What was that?said the policeman with surprise.Youre asking us what do we think, do youread a lot? Ha, ha, ha! laughed the policemen loudly. - What was the last you read?


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- Ah, you dear child15. answered the other cop, who did not say anything until then. Thatwas his last.

The boy slowly rose and painfully stepped on his feet.

- And, what do you read, Niche? he answered them cool as a cucumber.But the two policemen turned to him with looks that did not say anything, but anything at all, well, and

there was not affection even at the commanders face. However, the biggest laugh in all of that was

found by the rascal, who, it seemed, forgot where he is and laughed so sweetly and loudly that his

laughter was heard even far out of the police station. Besides, it was so humiliating towards the cops

that they thought that the rascal would get out of the station, hugging his friend, merry as a lampion

and leave them whistling there.

But when he saw that a gravely silence spread in the room, in which his laughter was heard in kilometers

around, he shut his mouth and swallowed a big dumpling in his neck.

Right after, the policeman that stood next to the other boy approached to him.

- Funny, ha? he said to him cynically. And he changed the other boy for a moment.The other boy, though, cursed that gangling rascal, who was always staging stupider troubles that the

ones that he himself staged. He hoped that he would pass with that beating that he received until then,

trying to make the policemen beat him because of his silliness rather than interrogating the case. But it

soon came out that there was no need for that, because the commander called somebody and the man

that got the rascals punch in a short time appeared in the station. He entered the room and on the spot

of a certain face, his face turned red, his expression became murky and after that he said that he found

the bracelet at home. But when he saw the rascal, determinedly pointed to him and said that he was theone that drew him out of his home, although he could not guess why. The rascal then explain his act

with the words: it was a mistake and not explaining his real reason, he got a fine beating from the

policemen, who knew that whatever beating would not do much (but still beat him fine), because he

would not admit anything. However, that was not the precise reason because of which the cops bit him.

They simply wanted to beat him and really enjoyed doing that.

Also, the commander noticed the change on the face of the robbed man and on the expression of the

one at which his look somewhat uneasily stopped.

15A book for 2

ndgrade primary school, intended for children who just have learned the letters; children poems.


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6.

So, after some while, the boys were left from the station, each of them, nay the one who declared

himself as smiling, forced by the disposition of the contours of his face and whose expression now did

not justify his epithet because he was as serious as a grave and the least smiling of all of the smiling

faces in the world, after the cops scared him that they would put in order his contours with several well-

tempered hits. Yet, he could say that he passed very good in compare to the other two boys, especially

compared to the rascal, to whom the policemen took their revenge both for the laughing and the punch

over the innocent man; the rascal was dragged to a special room where certain measures of up breeding

and bringing reason were applied over him, after which he departed as a thoroughly different person.

Both physically and as a character: he had promised that he would never torment respectable older

persons and he really did mean it when he was saying it.

His friend Gandhi was not spared also; because of his play with his alibi, he too got his own share. The

one who passed cheapest was Vladimir, who was not even touched, but he thought that he actually

passed the most expensive: after the mention of the name he did not think of anything else anymore,

nor of the question that circulated inside his head before the victim of the rascals creative mischief

appeared in the station, nor about the need for that mischief. When the man said that he found the

bracelet at home, he allowed himself to think that the other boy perhaps did not have anything to do

with it.

As for that other boy, he left loudly, consistent to his feelings, seen off with a kick on his butt and a

behind-the-ears hit by one of the cops because of his audacity, not at all worried that he was throwing

into misery everybody around him.

- Even if you dont want to beat him, he himself would make you do it. noticed the commanderafter he went out.Yet, even if you do bit him, useless. Ones neither to beat him, neither not to do

it.

Having reached out of the station, still did not move far the boy from the station, when he started to

sing loud enough to wake the dead, as if he was stepping out from a wedding, not from a police station:

I fell in love with a lass,

With a lass, the prettiest one16

,

although he did not have a clue of singing; a window opened from the station and the smooth head of

the sparsely bold commander showed out of it and ordered the noise immediately to stop, not least

gentle. However, to state the truth, it did not bother only him, but each living creature in the vicinity,

including the rascal, who was ultimately illiterate when it came to the music: but it mostly anguished

16A folk song


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Vladimir, whose skin shuddered because of the verses, not because of the melody the sound only

contributed his hair to jump on his head from pain.

- Hey, hey, hey, heeey!.. yelled he angrily and caught his arm, because he could not bear thatanymore, to stop him. But he did that a little bit more angrily that he should and he withdraw. Cut it,

dude, this is horrible!.. added, to smoothen his reaction a bit. But the boy gaped at him with surprise.However, he did not get a time to think it over, because his attention was drawn away by the rascal,

who walked behind them and who, besides all of the beatings he got that evening, had a peacefully

positive expression on his face.

- Gandhi, oh my, are you singing - he said after the boy stopped talking. Like a rhinoceros witha sore throat.

The rascal walked behind them and had his sneaker pulled off his foot and drawn it close to his nose. He

was trying to see whether there is a stone into it, because he had it shaken for three times already, but

something was still killing him. He actually minded his own business and said something just in order

something to be said.

But his friend sighed and turned to him.

-Pf - uttered he. The right person to say it. He still has problem with the notes. Never learnt them

properly.

The rascal seemingly seedily frowned his eyebrows and spiritedly left off air through his nose. Vladimir,

though, got sick of the bull long ago, but now he really thought that it was truly exaggerated and waited

for a gap in their conversation in order to interfere and to change it. Actually, he wanted to find out

something, and that ate him a lot, so he was angry to each and everything. Just, it lasted a little bit

more.

- Gandhi, how very stupid little man you are he proceeded with the conversation that he wasactually leading with himself, as if he was talking with a three-year old child. If you can sing

But his friend pulled Vladimir for his hand and said to him: Look now!, quietly.

- Shvrke17!.. he said, because that rascal responded on the nick name Shvrke. - ...I bet you neverheard what a treble clef is.

- Hm, what, a clef18? Keys, Gandhi, I think that are in relation with the locksmiths - he said notraising his look. - I dont know what kind of your problem you have with keys now. If you need a

locksmith, go to Mirko

19

in the Bazaar. he said not because he did not know what a treble clef is, but sothat the conversation would flow.

17A nick name which meaning is batty, looney.; Battyers; Looniver.

18In Macedonian the word key is used literallyviolin key.

19Formerly the most renown locksmith in the town, his name was Mirko. He was stationed in the Old Bazaar, the

Turkish part of the city.


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- Didnt I say to you? whispered the boy to Vladimir. He is The Proliferation of the Evildoers20.Hey, Shvrke! he turned to him. If you went to school, you would learn something.

- What?! Who goes to school, dude? You? agitated the rascal who, indeed, went to school, butvery rarely reached there. He found the whole of this very interesting. You shut up there, dude! Did

you attend Oxford, maybe? He finished only two classes of school and one main break!..

The boy though laughed in himself and enjoyed with that rascal.

- You dont have even the main break!.. said to him. You always leave before the main breakstarts

21!.. Even, before the lesson starts. The first one.

But Vladimir then thought that the rubbish crossed the red line and stopped them although the rascal

opened his mouth to say something.

- Ey, can we change the subject? he said a bit angrily, because even if he was in a good mood,that conversation would bore him until now. But the boy felt the impatience in his voice.

- Whats your problem, dude! - asked and did not achieve to accomplish his thought and saythat he looks a little bit weird that night when just then, on the one of the street lights, saw that there

are some bruises on his face, too.Ey, whats that there, dude! said touching him at the face. Ok,

dude, it was me that ate the beating in the station, Shvrke was putrefied, but where your bruise from?

Nobody touched you! he finished.

- A, that - said Vladimir, when he remembered, because he had totally forgotten that he foughtwith the rascal.Well, nothing - he said. We had a slight misunderstanding with your friend.

- What misunderstanding? asked he curiously.- Nothing scary. answered Vladimir.He needed a lesson- so he got it. finished the rascal.- I dont know quite!.. returned Vladimir.- I dont know, too!.. answered back the rascal with a similar tone, and the boy interrupted

them.

- Yo, what are you doing, dudes, I sent you to be friends, theyVladimir gaped at him from surprise and wanted to say to him: Are you normal, man! A friend with this

person!.., but he did not utter that because still he felt awkward in presence of the rascal, but then the

rascal responded.

- Well, we are friends, what! said he with a sincere friendly intonation and Vladimir thought thathe want to kill himself.

But right away he remembered his problem and found his chance to ask about what was itching him.

20An Old Church Slavonic coinage of our days. The meaning is above mentioned: swelling caused by the laments of

boring persons, only coined as it would be in Old Church Slavonic, used for a boring person, implying a punishment

in hell: dying from swelling caused by a boring person. Slang.21

It starts between the second and the third class.


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- Ok, ok!.. he said, forgetting the previous topic. The girl! Is it really that some girl has turnedyour mind so much? asked he carefully.

- What? Ah, my friend - said he when he remembered that and immediately got captivated byhis former ecstasy. I think you can understand me. It is not about turning the mind

- Really, Gandhi, - the rascal interfered again and this time he gained the attention of the both ofthem. what on the Earth I heard there, in the station. You romped the cops over there or you really

pattened22

?

But this infuriated his friend and he immediately turned to him and forgot Vladimir.

- O, you dunce! he said to him. If they leave you on a deserted island with five fat women, youwould do nothing!.. Besides, - he continued with a lot nobler tone you, who have huge ears, are too

rude and unpolished to be able to understand what kind of feeling is the love The love is perfect, it is

an exalted feeling - again was taken by the ecstasy the boy, but the rascal very quickly draw him out of

it.

- O, you Ugly23! he said to him. Are you the one who is perfect!.. Go and buy yourself a mirrorand see what you look like! stopped a little bit and then continued again. Besides, are your ears

better! He cannot rise more than 30 when he drives a motorcycle!.. made a digression the rascal and

the boy laughed in him and persistently provoked him.

Vladimir again wanted to burst from pain, but he did not know what he could do. His friend, though,

enjoyed to provoke the rascal, because he found a lot of laughter in that.

- You have a square head and your brims24 are fat like niggas soles! he said and instantlystarted to laugh in himself, enjoying in the burst of rubbish that was on its way.

- Are you the one who would speak, you mug25! said the rascal really angrily after that.I dontknow why you dont buy yourself a mirror! He doesnt keep mirrors at his home, dude! he spoke toVladimir. There is not a single one! They burst from pain when he watches himself in them! He would

talk for ears! Yo, let them not give him marmalade to eat! When he laughs after, he makes wreckage out

of those ears of them! And if he doesnt have them, he would laugh around his head! And that nose of

him! Go there to Shar Mountain! They dont have ski jump take-off ramps there! And if he doesnt have

that nose, when he yawns he would swallow his own head!.. he threw a flood of nonsense and felt

that he has no inspiration anymore, to the satisfaction of his friend, who tore from laughter in himself,

while Vladimir did not believe his own ears. When the laughter passed, he turned to him.

- Its ok, Tashko26!.. said he to him, but the rascal readily waited him.

22Slang. Allusion is to a person who wears pattens, or slippers, which is taken as a symbol for a person who crawls

after his wife or girl and does everything she says. Here: did you really became such person? 23

Game of words: Gandhi (in pronunciation Gandi) is just one letter different fro m the word Gadni (which means

Ugly).24

Lip. A word that is pejorative for someones lip is used.25

The reffereance is to an ugly face.26

A name, but already perceived as archaic and very awkward one. It even contains some allusions to a name like

Dick or similar, because of its similarity with the Turkish word.


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- Whats up, Krle27! he gave back to him. I am leaving here! he announced very loudly afterthat, because he had reached to the place where he should leave them to go home.And dont try to

keep me! I wont stay! his anger had passed, as if the only thing needed was to release some feeling.

Ay, Gandhi, dude, where did I found you to mess with! he yelled, diverted at a lane at the right side

and left them.

- Fuuu, is he normal, dude? then Vladimir asked, because he had not seen such person untilthen. By the way, he felt an enormous relief when that happened, because he could ask for everything

that he wanted to know without anyone to bother him.

- I dont have words. answered his friend, still trying to stop laughing. He tried to add somethingmore, but he did not find words and kept quiet.

- Well, youll see just everything, to three hundred28! said Vladimir and already started to thinkhow to approach again to the topic, while his friend also could not think anything smart and like him,

thought what to say. And precisely when he prepared to say something, precisely his friend himself

eased his job.

- We spoke about love, I think!.. he cried suddenly with the same inspired tone with which hebabbled for the whole of the time.

- Yes, - said Vladimir, before he could say something else, feeling that he was not eaten by agueanymore, after the rascal left them. And, was that girl at the party? he said with a tone whose

easiness surprised him also.

- Precisely so, yes, on the party, and yes, it was the most beautiful party - continued he, livinghis poetic ecstasy.And the girl - but did not finish, because Vladimir surprised him.

- Was she one with a dark skin, black hair, green eyes - he said and the boy got curious.- What, do you know her, maybe? said he wondering.- No, but I saw her too. startled Vladimir, but he soon found a way out of it. His hopes that it

was not that Yasna drowned into water. And I inquired a little bit about her. he said, because

something else came on his mind.

- And? asked the boy, not so inspired.- She allegedly had a long relationship. answered him.- What?! A long relationship?! E why was she alone?- I dont know, its what I understood. said Vladimir. Six years with somebody.- Six years? frowned the boy a little bit.If she also has a long relation- What? asked his friend.- If she also has one of the stupid long relations in which nobody loves nobody and the one is

bored by the other, but each is scared to stop it because he does not believe that he would find other

partner, than to hell!.. said a little bit murky.That would be pity

Vladimir, though, found himself in that, because he knew that when he would be with her, he would

stay with her ten years also, if it was required, and did not comment anything.

27Another awkward name. Not quite clear what does it mean and with no allusions, but no person with clear mind

would give it to his child nowadays.28

A curse. Shortened from to three hundred devils, or something rudder.


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- In this weird city no one dates anybody shorter than five years. continued his friend. Ah, theworld is weird and the life is very interesting If it is not her, then certainly there is something better

there

Vladimir felt a stone falling from his heart. Now, that raised his spirit. Just, however, in order to be

thoroughly careless, asked one more thing.

- Did you manage to take her something, a phone, or to deal something?- No. answered the boy shortly and he felt thoroughly free of his burden.

Several steps further they came to a small crossroad and the boy left him, saying that he should

continue to the right, shaking hands in friendly fashion with him.

a story from skopje

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