Hello, how are you?
I am fine, thank you, how are you?
I am well, thank you. I haven’t seen you for a long while. How’s your family?
We are a small family now. My brother, you knew him, he passed away. My parents, in my country, they passed away. My older sister, she lived with our parents, she passed away. Now I am, with my younger sister. We are the family. But what can you do? If people must go, they must go. When they have stayed enough, they leave us. … How is your family?
The girl I was playing chess with said ‘thank you’. Her father, behind her, visibly jumped in his chair. The girl saw his reaction in my eyes and smiled secretly.
We counted hippopotamuses in pyjamas until the thunder cracked. The storm was far away we found and the hippopotamuses kept our fear as far. We were safe in our pyjamas, holding hands at the window.
Mother did the washing in the washing machine. She was like that. Grandmother cooked fish in it when Mother was not there. She was like that too. Everyone was usually happy.
simonsalento 