Zorka allowed herself a few minutes guilty pleasure by staring at his handsome profile as she watched him talking to Mr. Ian Woon, the merchant who sold fresh food at the market. Mr. Ian Woon was always curious about the world around him, and never passed up the opportunity to strike up a conversation with the foreign visitors.
Her tummy did a little flip flop as he saw her out of the corner of his eye and flashed bright smile at her. “What gorgeous dimples,” she thought to herself.
“There you are,” he smiled at her, “Are you ready to get some lunch?”
“I’m famished,” she replied with an answering smile of her own.
“The choices here are almost endless with all of the fresh fruit and vegetable markets.” He waved his arm expansively to encompass the entire square.
“I’ll just have a fresh fruit salad. No coffee, but a bottle of water would be nice.” She said.
Rico turned to Mr. Ian Woon and said, “Two fruit salads and two bottles of water please,” as he pealed some Euros from his wallet.
Zorka and Rico sat down to eat their lunch and just enjoyed the comfortable silence while they enjoyed the fresh fruit. As Rico finished his last bite of fruit, he met her eyes and asked, “Tell me little Zorka, have you ever seen any of the world?”
“Oh yes. When I finished with my school days, I took a trip to the United Kingdom. I visited London, Bath, and the Cotswolds. I love Shakespeare and wanted to go visit his birthplace. Stratford upon Avon was beautiful. I especially like Anne Hathaway’s cottage, “she smiled at the memories.
“Have you ever been to the United States?” He asked curiously.
“No, but I think I might like to visit it someday. I’m pretty sure that I would love see what it’s all about, but I know that it will be way too modern for me.” She replied nervously.
“You don’t think you’d like to live in America?” He queried.
“Oh no, I’d feel so lost and unsophisticated in such a big modern place.” She said somewhat shyly.
“You would love California. When you decide to come to the States you can come to California and I’ll take you to Disneyland.” He promised.
“Oh, I’ve always wanted to go to Disneyland. I almost made it to Euro Disney once. I absolutely love Tigger. “She squealed with delight.
“I can see similarities between you and Tigger. You are both happy, fun loving and bouncy.” He teased.
“How would you know that? You just met me last night.” She teasingly asked.
“Zorka, I’ve heard all about you for years now. My Baba is your Kuma, she brags about her Godchild all the time. I just didn’t expect to find such a beautiful young woman. In my mind you were still a young child. You have definitely been a pleasant surprise.” He complimented.
She flushed with pleasure at the compliment and answered with a noncommittal, “Thank you.”
The squealing of the children in the school yard caught her attention, and she looked at her watch, “Oh look at the time. I’ve got to go!”
Count Dracula suddenly walked up and said, “I want to drink your blood.”
At the startled looks of the patrons in the square, Dracula looked around and said, “Oops. Wrong story.” And drifted out as quickly as he came.
“I’ll be here when you finish teaching this afternoon,” Rico told her.
“Why?” She asked.
“Because I’m going to walk you home and hopefully talk you into taking a long walk with me this evening.” He stated matter-of-factly.
“I will agree to a walk with you, if you will come speak to my class about America.” She negotiated.
“I would love to speak to your class, but I am not very good at Serbian.” He said a little uncomfortably.
“I try to teach my students that it’s important to try something, even if they are not completely comfortable with the situation. You talking to them in Serbian when you aren’t sure of yourself will be a lesson in risk taking. My students are from this small village and may never see anything outside of it. Many are third or fourth generation who have never been outside the village walls.” She enthused.
“Why don’t you see what fits your schedule and I will come and talk to the students? I have promised to take Baba to Belgrade for a couple of days to visit her cousins but I should be available early next week.” He conceded.
“I will plan a day for you and let you know when you get back. Now I really do need to go, the kids are ready to go in.” She said with regret obvious in her voice.
“I’ll be back here at 3:30 to walk you home.” He leaned over and gave her shy peck on the cheek.
She blushed with pleasure and murmured, “I’ll be waiting.”
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Chapter 2
Chapter Two
I’ll give anything and everything and I’ll always care.
Zorka was humming happily to herself as she walked into town to meet her three girlfriends for their morning coffee. The four of them had been friends since they were toddlers. They called themselves the Body Sisters. They had learned to speak English as well as Serbian growing up and had always had a fondness for languages, so when they were little girls they decided to play around the with the English language and gave themselves the nicknames of Some Body, No Body, Any Body and Every Body. Zorka ran up the walkway of the square and greeted Some, No and Every with a quick hug.
“So tell us all about this handsome Rico we’ve been hearing stories about.” Some demanded as Zorka approached the table.
“Yeah Any, did you see him?” No joined in.
“Did you spend time with him? Come on spill? Inquiring minds want to know!” Every picked up with the teasing.
“Well my sisters, he’s definitely going in the cupboard! He’s very handsome. I thought he would be much older too. And he’s sweet, he’s not overly confident like some of the American men who have come here to find a wife.” Zorka stated emphatically.
“Is he looking for a wife?” No asked.
“No. He came here to take look after his Baba.” Zorka replied.
“Sigh. A handsome, nice man who looks after his Baba. Do you think he would want a wife? I wouldn’t mind finding a man like that.” Some sighed dreamily.
“Some back away, Any gets first dibs on him. He’s here with her family,” No warned her sister teasingly.
“Some you can have him. I have no interest in finding a man. I want to see the world before I settle down here. After my trip to London a couple of years ago, I know there is a whole world outside of Zitiste, where so many of the villagers have never ventured. He’s coming here for lunch today.” Zorka said.
“The usual, girls?” asked Lori who served them their coffee every morning. “What would you like in your coffee this morning Zorka?”
Lori is an American girl who travels around the world and writes travel books for the publishing company Nano. She has been staying in Serbia for the past year doing research on the surrounding area and has become a friend to the group of ladies who meet here every morning for their coffee.
“Hmmmm…What do you suggest?” Zorka asked Lori.
“Well, how about garlic pickle juice?” Lori suggested adventurously.
“Let’s give it a try.” Zorka agreed.
Zorka and her friends took their coffee to a table and sat down to finish their morning chat before going their separate ways for their morning duties. As they sat down, Zorka tasted her coffee, wrinkled her nose in distaste and pushed her cup aside.”
“Did you girls happen to notice the gypsies who have settled on the road up the hill to Baba Mira’s house?” Every asked.
“Oh, I hadn’t been up that way in a few days. Are their young children? I hope we can get any children to school,” Zorka looked at her watch, “Oh look at the time, I need to get off to work.”
Zorka rushed into her classroom as sat down to catch her breath for a minute before the kids started arriving when she heard a tap at the door. She looked up to Rico in the doorway, arms loaded down with boxes and bags. She flushed, cursing herself for the unexpected rush of pleasure she felt at the sight of him.
“What do you have there?” she asked him curiously.
“I have school supplies. Pencils, notebooks, paper, crayons, erasers, scissors, and paper.” He answered, heaving the packages on the counter under the windows.
“Well thank you! The kids will appreciate it! These things can be so hard to come by here!” She exclaimed excitedly.
“It’s my pleasure. Are we still on for lunch today?” He asked.
“Of course we are! Oh, here come the kids now. I’ll see you in a few hours!” She responded already getting distracted with the opening plans for her day.
I’ll give anything and everything and I’ll always care.
Zorka was humming happily to herself as she walked into town to meet her three girlfriends for their morning coffee. The four of them had been friends since they were toddlers. They called themselves the Body Sisters. They had learned to speak English as well as Serbian growing up and had always had a fondness for languages, so when they were little girls they decided to play around the with the English language and gave themselves the nicknames of Some Body, No Body, Any Body and Every Body. Zorka ran up the walkway of the square and greeted Some, No and Every with a quick hug.
“So tell us all about this handsome Rico we’ve been hearing stories about.” Some demanded as Zorka approached the table.
“Yeah Any, did you see him?” No joined in.
“Did you spend time with him? Come on spill? Inquiring minds want to know!” Every picked up with the teasing.
“Well my sisters, he’s definitely going in the cupboard! He’s very handsome. I thought he would be much older too. And he’s sweet, he’s not overly confident like some of the American men who have come here to find a wife.” Zorka stated emphatically.
“Is he looking for a wife?” No asked.
“No. He came here to take look after his Baba.” Zorka replied.
“Sigh. A handsome, nice man who looks after his Baba. Do you think he would want a wife? I wouldn’t mind finding a man like that.” Some sighed dreamily.
“Some back away, Any gets first dibs on him. He’s here with her family,” No warned her sister teasingly.
“Some you can have him. I have no interest in finding a man. I want to see the world before I settle down here. After my trip to London a couple of years ago, I know there is a whole world outside of Zitiste, where so many of the villagers have never ventured. He’s coming here for lunch today.” Zorka said.
“The usual, girls?” asked Lori who served them their coffee every morning. “What would you like in your coffee this morning Zorka?”
Lori is an American girl who travels around the world and writes travel books for the publishing company Nano. She has been staying in Serbia for the past year doing research on the surrounding area and has become a friend to the group of ladies who meet here every morning for their coffee.
“Hmmmm…What do you suggest?” Zorka asked Lori.
“Well, how about garlic pickle juice?” Lori suggested adventurously.
“Let’s give it a try.” Zorka agreed.
Zorka and her friends took their coffee to a table and sat down to finish their morning chat before going their separate ways for their morning duties. As they sat down, Zorka tasted her coffee, wrinkled her nose in distaste and pushed her cup aside.”
“Did you girls happen to notice the gypsies who have settled on the road up the hill to Baba Mira’s house?” Every asked.
“Oh, I hadn’t been up that way in a few days. Are their young children? I hope we can get any children to school,” Zorka looked at her watch, “Oh look at the time, I need to get off to work.”
Zorka rushed into her classroom as sat down to catch her breath for a minute before the kids started arriving when she heard a tap at the door. She looked up to Rico in the doorway, arms loaded down with boxes and bags. She flushed, cursing herself for the unexpected rush of pleasure she felt at the sight of him.
“What do you have there?” she asked him curiously.
“I have school supplies. Pencils, notebooks, paper, crayons, erasers, scissors, and paper.” He answered, heaving the packages on the counter under the windows.
“Well thank you! The kids will appreciate it! These things can be so hard to come by here!” She exclaimed excitedly.
“It’s my pleasure. Are we still on for lunch today?” He asked.
“Of course we are! Oh, here come the kids now. I’ll see you in a few hours!” She responded already getting distracted with the opening plans for her day.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Part 5. I started getting a little goofy here.
Rico helped Baba up the hill to her brother’s house and went back to the car to gather their belongings. He forced himself to keep his mind on his Baba and his reason for being there. He didn’t need the complication of thinking about a beautiful, young, teacher. No matter how blue those eyes were.
After three days of traveling all Rico wanted to do was to wash his face and sleep. His tete showed him where to put their things and he laid down and promptly fell into a deep, exhausted, sleep. Was it an hour later? A day later? Two days later? Rico had no idea how long he had been asleep when the rumbling of his reminded him that he hadn’t eaten. He followed the delicious odors permeating the small home and found his Tete and Baba, in the kitchen standing near an old fashioned wood cook stove. Tete Mila was stirring the pot of beans and meat that would make up the Corbast pasulj they would have for the afternoon meal.
After the afternoon meal the village neighbors started stopping by to visit Baba. The noisy chatter and excitement kept the afternoon lively. The lozo poured freely as Serbian conversation flowed excitedly around him. Rico had grown up in a Serbian neighborhood in America and understood it quite well, but had never quite been able to master the proper pronunciation of the foreign words. He was enjoying the atmosphere and noticing the glow on his Baba’s cheeks as she greeted old friends and family, when suddenly his pulse quickened as he saw a familiar sight. He hadn’t dreamed it. She did have the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen. Who is this woman and why was she in his family’s home? This trip just got interesting Rico thought to himself.
Zorka smiled a bit shyly at Rico and headed into the small kitchen area when she greeted Tete Mila with a kiss on her weathered cheek. Rico’s eyes followed her as she helped herself to a cup of coffee and then reached up to dig through the ancient cupboard. She stood on tiptoe and stretched to reach into the overhead cupboard. Her hand grasped around for something on the shelf that was out of her site. “Can I help you reach something?” Her startled eyes flew to the owner of the voice. “I’m Rico. What are you trying to reach up there?” He asked her curiously.
“Whatever you can find to put in my coffee.” She answered somewhat sheepishly.
“Well, let’s see. There is powdered cheese, dried onion, and coriander.” He grinned at her.
“I’ll take the powdered cheese.” She said somewhat nervously.
“I thought you wanted it for your coffee.” He asked confused.
“I do. I hate the taste of coffee, but I need it to give me energy after a long day of work, so I’m trying to find something good to add to the coffee for a creamer. I will try just about anything.” She stated emphatically.
His eyes danced with curiosity and amusement as he watched her sprinkle powdered cheese into her coffee, take a sip of it and set it back down and walked away.
“I’m Rico.” He said putting offering his hand.
“I know who you are Rico. I’m Zorka.” She replied, grasping his hand in a firm handshake.
“The only Zorka I know is a little girl. The last time I was here Tete Nadia was pregnant with Zorka.” He added.
“She wouldn’t still be pregnant 22 years later you know.” She said bemusedly.
“Well little one, you sure grew up. I was sixteen the last time I was here in Serbia when my Uncle Andrej married your Tete Mila, you weren’t even born yet. You forgot your coffee.” He pointed out with amusement dancing in his eyes.
“I’ll pass on the cheese coffee,” she said wrinkling her nose in distaste at the foul tasting concoction she had tried. She bent down to pick up the calico kitten that had come running in at the sound of her voice and was rubbing lovingly against her legs. “Cappie, meet Rico. Rico this little darling here is Captain Morgan.” She rubbed her cheek on the soft fur as she purred.
Rico absently scratched the calico kitten between the ears, but his eyes never left Zorka’s face. “You are the teacher?” He asked.
“I am.” She replied emphatically.
“You speak English very well. I just wish I could speak Serbian half as well. Being raised so close to Baba, I have been around Serbian my entire life and understand most of what is said, but I can’t seem to figure out how to speak it as well.” He admitted somewhat abashedly.
“Well, I will be your translator while I am here.” She stated matter-of-factly.
“Thank you Zorka. How will I manage to repay you?” He asked.
“That is not necessary. You are a visitor to our village, you are practically related. I’m offering you the basic hospitality that all Serbians offer to visitors. Now I must get home, it’s getting late and I do have to teach tomorrow.” She said as she stood to leave.
“I’m going down to the village tomorrow. May I buy you lunch at the platana?” He asked somewhat shyly.
“That would be nice. I’ll see you at lunch time tomorrow then. Bye now,” she called over her shoulder as she scurried out the door with Captain Morgan following closely behind.
Rico’s eyes trailed after her until the darkness enveloped her retreating figure, and still he stared into the darkness imagining her sparkling eyes and retreating backside, unsure which view he enjoyed the most, as he slowly turned away shaking his head ruefully and walked back inside to greet his relatives.
After three days of traveling all Rico wanted to do was to wash his face and sleep. His tete showed him where to put their things and he laid down and promptly fell into a deep, exhausted, sleep. Was it an hour later? A day later? Two days later? Rico had no idea how long he had been asleep when the rumbling of his reminded him that he hadn’t eaten. He followed the delicious odors permeating the small home and found his Tete and Baba, in the kitchen standing near an old fashioned wood cook stove. Tete Mila was stirring the pot of beans and meat that would make up the Corbast pasulj they would have for the afternoon meal.
After the afternoon meal the village neighbors started stopping by to visit Baba. The noisy chatter and excitement kept the afternoon lively. The lozo poured freely as Serbian conversation flowed excitedly around him. Rico had grown up in a Serbian neighborhood in America and understood it quite well, but had never quite been able to master the proper pronunciation of the foreign words. He was enjoying the atmosphere and noticing the glow on his Baba’s cheeks as she greeted old friends and family, when suddenly his pulse quickened as he saw a familiar sight. He hadn’t dreamed it. She did have the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen. Who is this woman and why was she in his family’s home? This trip just got interesting Rico thought to himself.
Zorka smiled a bit shyly at Rico and headed into the small kitchen area when she greeted Tete Mila with a kiss on her weathered cheek. Rico’s eyes followed her as she helped herself to a cup of coffee and then reached up to dig through the ancient cupboard. She stood on tiptoe and stretched to reach into the overhead cupboard. Her hand grasped around for something on the shelf that was out of her site. “Can I help you reach something?” Her startled eyes flew to the owner of the voice. “I’m Rico. What are you trying to reach up there?” He asked her curiously.
“Whatever you can find to put in my coffee.” She answered somewhat sheepishly.
“Well, let’s see. There is powdered cheese, dried onion, and coriander.” He grinned at her.
“I’ll take the powdered cheese.” She said somewhat nervously.
“I thought you wanted it for your coffee.” He asked confused.
“I do. I hate the taste of coffee, but I need it to give me energy after a long day of work, so I’m trying to find something good to add to the coffee for a creamer. I will try just about anything.” She stated emphatically.
His eyes danced with curiosity and amusement as he watched her sprinkle powdered cheese into her coffee, take a sip of it and set it back down and walked away.
“I’m Rico.” He said putting offering his hand.
“I know who you are Rico. I’m Zorka.” She replied, grasping his hand in a firm handshake.
“The only Zorka I know is a little girl. The last time I was here Tete Nadia was pregnant with Zorka.” He added.
“She wouldn’t still be pregnant 22 years later you know.” She said bemusedly.
“Well little one, you sure grew up. I was sixteen the last time I was here in Serbia when my Uncle Andrej married your Tete Mila, you weren’t even born yet. You forgot your coffee.” He pointed out with amusement dancing in his eyes.
“I’ll pass on the cheese coffee,” she said wrinkling her nose in distaste at the foul tasting concoction she had tried. She bent down to pick up the calico kitten that had come running in at the sound of her voice and was rubbing lovingly against her legs. “Cappie, meet Rico. Rico this little darling here is Captain Morgan.” She rubbed her cheek on the soft fur as she purred.
Rico absently scratched the calico kitten between the ears, but his eyes never left Zorka’s face. “You are the teacher?” He asked.
“I am.” She replied emphatically.
“You speak English very well. I just wish I could speak Serbian half as well. Being raised so close to Baba, I have been around Serbian my entire life and understand most of what is said, but I can’t seem to figure out how to speak it as well.” He admitted somewhat abashedly.
“Well, I will be your translator while I am here.” She stated matter-of-factly.
“Thank you Zorka. How will I manage to repay you?” He asked.
“That is not necessary. You are a visitor to our village, you are practically related. I’m offering you the basic hospitality that all Serbians offer to visitors. Now I must get home, it’s getting late and I do have to teach tomorrow.” She said as she stood to leave.
“I’m going down to the village tomorrow. May I buy you lunch at the platana?” He asked somewhat shyly.
“That would be nice. I’ll see you at lunch time tomorrow then. Bye now,” she called over her shoulder as she scurried out the door with Captain Morgan following closely behind.
Rico’s eyes trailed after her until the darkness enveloped her retreating figure, and still he stared into the darkness imagining her sparkling eyes and retreating backside, unsure which view he enjoyed the most, as he slowly turned away shaking his head ruefully and walked back inside to greet his relatives.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Part 4. I really start trying to pad my word count here!
As the small car rumbled up the rough barely passable road to the gate of the village Rico could feel the excitement rising within him as he sensed the excitement in his Baba. He heard the squeals of small children enjoying the beautiful spring afternoon as they played childhood games in the school yard. They parked the car and prepared to walk up the steep hill to Uncle Andrej and Teta Mila’s home. The kids playing in the yard of the school building stopped to stare at the strangers. Rico’s eyes met those of the teacher as she walked to the doorway of the building to see why the children had fallen silent. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked into the most beautiful pair blue eyes he had ever seen. She was so young but he couldn’t help noticing how beautiful she was. If only he were ten years younger he thought to himself, as he dragged his attention back to the task at hand.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Part 3
Rico and Baba hugged their family good-bye as they made their way to security to get to their flight gate. Baba had been too excited to sleep as she anticipated the fifteen hour travel time to get to Germany followed the two day drive to Serbia. Rico knew it was going to be an exhausting trip and he needed to make sure that his Baba rested and ate properly so that the trip wouldn’t be too hard on her. They planned to stop in Austria to spend the night on the drive to Yugoslavia from Berlin.
Is anybody reading this at all?
Is anybody reading this at all?
Monday, November 24, 2008
Continuing the Nanowrimo Thing
Rico was mentally making notes of what he had left to take care of before he left on his trip as he put his potato in the oven to bake, his steak on the grill and tossed his greens with feta cheese and Greek dressing. He wanted to make sure he had gifts for his relatives in the old country. He planned to take Levis, shirts and socks to the adults and candy and jackets to the children. Rico had also collected pencils, notebooks, backpacks, erasers and crayons for the small one room school house in the small village where he would be spending the next several weeks. It wasn’t much, but the poor villages in the hills of Serbia have very little and are always appreciative of the treasures they bring. Though they have very little they are so generous with what food and drink they have. His mouth watered as he recalled the prosciutto and laozo his Tete Mila served whenever she had guests.
Rico absently removed his dinner from the heat and sat down at the table with a notebook and pencil in hand to make notes of what he had left to do as he ate. He hadn’t been away from home and work for six weeks at one time since he graduated from college, and started his life as an adult. He was getting excited at the prospect of a vacation and visiting the homeland as an adult and at a time in his life when he would appreciate learning about his family history.
He turned off the lights and looked back over his shoulder at the home he was leaving for well over a month. He made a mental check of his baggage. Rico was going to drive the two hour drive to his parent’s house to spend the night so that he and Baba could leave for the airport early the next morning.
He was prepared for the barrage of questioning and advice from his parents and siblings. They couldn’t understand why he wasn’t married. Why he wasn’t at least looking to find somebody to marry. He had tried telling them that he really didn’t think there was anybody made just for him and he wasn’t going to settle for less than his Jedo and Baba or his dad and mom. They were the role models in his life for what a marriage should be. Both of his siblings had found wonderful spouses too. Rico came to the conclusion a lot time ago that if there had been a girl meant just for him that she must have been in an airplane crash or hit by a bus or something, because there had certainly not been anybody crossing his path that had captured his attention for more than a few months at a time.
Rico absently removed his dinner from the heat and sat down at the table with a notebook and pencil in hand to make notes of what he had left to do as he ate. He hadn’t been away from home and work for six weeks at one time since he graduated from college, and started his life as an adult. He was getting excited at the prospect of a vacation and visiting the homeland as an adult and at a time in his life when he would appreciate learning about his family history.
He turned off the lights and looked back over his shoulder at the home he was leaving for well over a month. He made a mental check of his baggage. Rico was going to drive the two hour drive to his parent’s house to spend the night so that he and Baba could leave for the airport early the next morning.
He was prepared for the barrage of questioning and advice from his parents and siblings. They couldn’t understand why he wasn’t married. Why he wasn’t at least looking to find somebody to marry. He had tried telling them that he really didn’t think there was anybody made just for him and he wasn’t going to settle for less than his Jedo and Baba or his dad and mom. They were the role models in his life for what a marriage should be. Both of his siblings had found wonderful spouses too. Rico came to the conclusion a lot time ago that if there had been a girl meant just for him that she must have been in an airplane crash or hit by a bus or something, because there had certainly not been anybody crossing his path that had captured his attention for more than a few months at a time.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
My Nanowrimo Start...HA! HA!
Remember that this was just for fun and written quickly. It is only a first draft.
Chapter One
I do swear that I’ll always be there.
Damn! There goes the phone. “Hang on! I’m coming!” Rico shouts to the door as he struggles to move the grocery bags into one arm, while digging his house key out and trying to insert it into the lock. The phone kept ringing. “Don’t hang up Baba. I’m coming!” Rico continued to call through the door into the sparsely furnished bachelor apartment. Rico was sure it was his maternal grandmother on the other end of the impatiently ringing telephone. “Finally,” he breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the door give away under the pressure of his shoulder simultaneously shifting his load just in time to keep his dinner makings from tumbling out of the bag and scattering all over the floor.
Rico, quickly sat the parcels down on the table and lunged for the phone, “Baba, is that you? I just walked in.”
Rico, being a confirmed bachelor at the age of thirty-eight was raised in a very close Serbian family in central California, was especially close to his Baba on his mother’s side. Baba was planning a trip back to her home village in Serbia and Rico had agreed to accompany her. He knew that Baba wouldn’t have a lot of trips back to homeland left, and he wanted to make sure she was taken care of while he had the chance. He had arranged to take six weeks’ vacation from work to escort her to visit her brother who was still living in the former Yugoslavia. They were scheduled to leave in three days and Baba was getting so excited about seeing her family again for the first time in ten years. Rico, himself hadn’t been to Serbia since he was a teenager when his parents had taken his brother, sister and him just before his Jiedo had died leaving his Baba a widow. Rico had enjoyed seeing his uncles, tetes, and cousins.
Growing up the Radanovich family traveled to Serbia every four or five years to visit the family members who hadn’t immigrated to the United States. He was always surprised by the difference in the world of Serbia and the world of California. Many of his relatives lived in small villages in the hills of Serbia and had no electricity or running water, but were so accommodating and generous with their hospitality when their American relatives came to visit.
“Yes, Baba. I’m almost ready. I have to finish packing my clothes and then I’ll be ready to go. I have my passport ready, and have made arrangements to pick up the rental car in Berlin to drive to Yugoslavia,” Rico murmered distractedly into the phone.
I do swear that I’ll always be there.
Damn! There goes the phone. “Hang on! I’m coming!” Rico shouts to the door as he struggles to move the grocery bags into one arm, while digging his house key out and trying to insert it into the lock. The phone kept ringing. “Don’t hang up Baba. I’m coming!” Rico continued to call through the door into the sparsely furnished bachelor apartment. Rico was sure it was his maternal grandmother on the other end of the impatiently ringing telephone. “Finally,” he breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the door give away under the pressure of his shoulder simultaneously shifting his load just in time to keep his dinner makings from tumbling out of the bag and scattering all over the floor.
Rico, quickly sat the parcels down on the table and lunged for the phone, “Baba, is that you? I just walked in.”
Rico, being a confirmed bachelor at the age of thirty-eight was raised in a very close Serbian family in central California, was especially close to his Baba on his mother’s side. Baba was planning a trip back to her home village in Serbia and Rico had agreed to accompany her. He knew that Baba wouldn’t have a lot of trips back to homeland left, and he wanted to make sure she was taken care of while he had the chance. He had arranged to take six weeks’ vacation from work to escort her to visit her brother who was still living in the former Yugoslavia. They were scheduled to leave in three days and Baba was getting so excited about seeing her family again for the first time in ten years. Rico, himself hadn’t been to Serbia since he was a teenager when his parents had taken his brother, sister and him just before his Jiedo had died leaving his Baba a widow. Rico had enjoyed seeing his uncles, tetes, and cousins.
Growing up the Radanovich family traveled to Serbia every four or five years to visit the family members who hadn’t immigrated to the United States. He was always surprised by the difference in the world of Serbia and the world of California. Many of his relatives lived in small villages in the hills of Serbia and had no electricity or running water, but were so accommodating and generous with their hospitality when their American relatives came to visit.
“Yes, Baba. I’m almost ready. I have to finish packing my clothes and then I’ll be ready to go. I have my passport ready, and have made arrangements to pick up the rental car in Berlin to drive to Yugoslavia,” Rico murmered distractedly into the phone.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
New Blog
So if you've been looking for me, I've made some changes. I will continue the creative writing on this site and will be working on a pet site. I do have cute pet gifts for sale and I'll try to get that up and going tomorrow. In the meantime my political blog is at writingbylori.com I have some other stuff in the works. If you have any ideas, suggestions, blogs that you want to post please let me know! I love you all for remaining faithful as I'm trying to figure it all out.
Thanks!
Thanks!
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