This is the last of this story. I'll write another story for tomorrow if I get the chance.

He was standing outside the old school house when the kids came barreling out the door chattering excitedly and squealing with pleasure at the end of the school day. They were free now to play, laugh, and run to their hearts content. As the last two little girls came walking out the door whispering behind their hands to each other and giggling, they tossed curious looks in his direction and giggled again as they jumped off the porch and ran toward their classmates. Rico peeked in the doorway and watched her clean the board. He was content to just watch her gorgeous backside sway as she moved her arm back and forth cleaning the blackboard. He allowed himself to enjoy the view before she felt his eyes on her back and turned to see him smiling lazily at her.

“Is there anything I can do to help you?” He asked her lazily.

“You startled me, and no thank you. I’m finished for the day.” She answered a little self consciously, as she bent behind the big teacher’s desk and opened the bottom drawer to pull out her purse. She took a moment to compose herself and slowly put her purse strap over her shoulder and he intently watched her every move. “I’m ready when you are.” She said standing up slowly and meeting his eyes.

“Let’s go.” He said as he reached out and took her arm in his while simultaneously removing the keys from her fingers as they approached the door. He held the door open for her as she passed through. Then closing it firmly he placed the key in the keyhole and locked up the classroom for the night.

“I’d like to walk up the hill,” he told her as they started strolling through the platana on their way out of the center of the village. “I started walking this way this afternoon and I spotted a camp of gypsies. There were two small children. I’m guessing they don’t go to school.” He said questioningly.

“No, the gypsies who come through here are usually from Romania and come here via Belgrade. I always try to get to know the families and see if I can convince them to let their children attend classes for a while at least. Sometimes the families are open to the idea and others are not quite so supportive,” She explained a bit nervously.

They strolled in comfortable silence up the hill toward the old house at the top of the field until they got to the spot where he had seen the gypsy children and their settlement just a couple of hours ago. When he got to the curve in the road where the children had popped up out of the bushes. He stopped and gripped her elbow and turned her to face the area where he had seen the camp. They stood silently as he pointed in the direction he had observed earlier.
She peered through the growth of brush and bushes and spotted the camp set up. They stood in comfortable companionship and watched as gypsies went about their business of setting taking care of their camp, while waiting to catch sight of the children. Suddenly about a dozen children ranging from toddler to young teenagers came running around one of the trailers, squealing in delight at the game they were playing.

As he watched her delight in watching the children, he suddenly felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. For the first time in his life, he felt the desire to have children of his own. He knew that just having children would not be enough, he knew that he wouldn’t be satisfied until he had children with this particular woman. This woman that he had known for less than twenty – four hours. What was wrong with him? What had gotten in to him? Why would he be having these fantasies about children and marriage and Zorka? How could this be?

His mother had always told him that someday a woman would come along that he wouldn’t be able to resist and when the right one came along he would know it. He had just assumed he was meant to be a lifelong bachelor. Not that he didn’t like the company of women. He did. He had been involved in many relationships over the years. He had come close to proposing once, but the words of wisdom from his mother kept coming back to him, “When it’s right. You’ll know.” He had never understood what that meant. Now he knew. He knew with everything fiber in his being, that Zorka was the woman for him. But how could she be the woman for him? They live a fourteen hour flight apart. It wasn’t like he court her, and win her heart. How do you date somebody that literally lives on the other side of the world? Her life is here in Serbia, his is in the United States of America. He suddenly felt very old and very sad. Wouldn’t you know it…. After all of these years, he falls in love, and it’s with the completely wrong woman. He knew that he had had no choice in the matter. She was his destiny, his soul mate.

He shook the thought out of his head and resolved to spend as much time as possible with this love of his life as he could during the next few weeks. He would make enough happy memories to last him a lifetime. He would bring her as much pleasure as he could. He would have pleasure of knowing that he does love deeply, and that he will do whatever it takes to make Zorka’s life the best life she can have. He loved her enough to want only the best for her, and he had to admit to himself, that sadly, he was not the best for her. He could never ask her to give up her family and her life and move half way around the world with him.

He managed to avert his eyes just before she turned toward him. “I wish they could come to school. The world is changing. Even here in the hills of Serbia it is becoming necessary to have an education. They need to be able to read and write. They need to know how to do simple math and count money.” The words rushed out of her fervently. She blushed somewhat shyly, as she caughter herself getting passionate about the children. He thought she was adorably charming in her passion.

He wished he could see her eyes sparkle and her cheeks flush with a passion turned in his direction. He wanted that passion turned in his direction. He shook his head to bring his thoughts back to the here and now.
He grabbed her hand in his and gently guided her back to dusty gravel road and continued up the hill. “There is a small cottage at the top of the hill.” He told her, “Do you know if anybody lives there?”

“Baba Mira lives up there.” She answered quickly. She had caught the look in his eyes before he turned away and was confused by what it meant. It was a very deep and personal look with a hint of sadness. She had to wonder if she had done something to upset him.

“Do you think she would like some company?” He asked curiously?

“Oh can we go see her?” She asked him excitedly. “We haven’t seen her come down the hill in a few weeks, and I’ve been concerned about her. I have been meaning to get up there to see her. She’ll be happy to see us.”

He held on to her hand as they traveled in comfortable silence the rest of the way up the mountain.

“Baba,” she called quietly as they walked up to the door, “Baba Mira? Are you here?”

“Zorka? Is that you little Zorka?” They heard a weak voice call from inside the cottage.

“Yes, Baba. It is me Zorka. I have a friend with me. “Kum Rico is with me. He’s here with his Baba Nada. Kuma Nada came to visit Uncle Andrej and Tete Mila.” She gushed as they were approaching the last few steps to the old weathered door.

Rico’s eyes strained trying to adjust to the dim light in the little cottage. . It was a square room with a rustic ladder leading up to a loft. There was an ominous black wood stove for cooking against one wall, flanked by dusty shelves, covered in cobwebs on each side. There was a rough square table and two obviously handmade chairs in the middle of the room, and nothing more.

This was a million times worse than he had even imagined. He suddenly stopped at the horrible thought that suddenly pushed its way through his brain. “Where is her bathroom?” He meekly asked her.

“It’s around back,” her eyes twinkled with amusement.

“You can’t be serious!” he exclaimed.

“Oh, but I am.” She intoned, not even trying to conceal her laughter.

He couldn’t imagine this sweet little lady living up here by herself with no running water and an outhouse. “What does she do for water?” he asked skeptically.

“She has a barrel set up outside to catch the rainwater. It rains a lot up here so she catches and funnels the rainwater. As long as she boils it in the kettle on the wood stove the water is potable.” She explained patiently to him, noting his incredulous expression.

“But she’s really old. How old is she? How can she do this all by herself? Does she have any family to help her out?” He demanded.

“It is getting harder for her, and she’s in her late 80s. Her only son has passed away and her two granddaughters have moved away. One lives in Belgrade now and the other moved to the United States. My friends and I take turns checking in on her. She’s pretty independent though and doesn’t like to be fussed over.” She continued trying to set his mind at ease at the same time trying to convince herself that it really was going to be alright.

“Baba? You don’t look well. What’s wrong?” Zorka asked lovingly as she went to the old lady laying on her bed, too weak to get up and greet her unexpected guests. Zorka reached out her hand and felt the old woman’s forehead. When she felt the heat and perspiration on the wrinkled, leather like face, she got immediately worried. “Baba? What is it? You aren’t well?”

“I’ve been down to the doctor. I’m going to be alright. The doctor gave me some antibiotics and some other medicine. He says it’s pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.” Baba answered weakly trying to raise up on the bed, but giving up and just reaching out her hand to pat Zorka’s arm comfortingly.

“Pneumonou what?” Zorka asked trying to wrap her tongue around the very large, very foreign word.

“Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis,” Baba Mira repeated.

“pneumonoultramicro?” Rico tried to repeat.

“Say it slowly.” Baba instructed. “pneumono”

“Pneumono,” Zorka and Rico repeated together.

“Very good. Now add “ultra” to it.” The older woman instructed. “Pneumonoultra”

“Pneumonoultra,” the two younger people repeated diligently.

“Very good. Now add ‘micro’”, She continued. “You’ll have pneumonoultramicro”

Chapter 3

Chapter Three
Through weakness and strength, happiness and sorrow,for better for worse, I will love you withevery beat of my heart.

The hours of the afternoon stretched on as Rico waited impatiently until the time he could be in her company again. He chided himself for his foolishness. Here he was thirty-eight years old and he was acting like a fourteen year old boy with his first crush. When he wasn’t with her he thought about her. When he was with her he wanted to be closer to her. He thought about her, dreamed about her, yearned to be with her. Damn, the afternoon was dragging on. One more hour until he can see her again. He had to get out, to stop the daydreaming and do something productive. Rico decided to take a walk toward the hills to pass the next hour away.

Rico spotted the old cabin up high on the hill sitting by itself. He decided to walk up and check it out. Rico was lost in thought imagining a pair of gorgeous blue eyes when a rustle in the bushes off the side of the road startled him. He suddenly stopped in his tracks and listened. First it was just a slight rustling and then he heard a soft giggle. Then a dark head popped up out of the bushes and were quickly followed by a second head of dark hair and dark laughing eyes. The two small children giggled at him and the scurried away back into the brush.
His eyes followed them to a camp set up. There were wagons and tents set up on the side of hill, partially hidden from the road he walked on by the bushes. These must be gypsies he thought to himself. Being from the United States he knew about gypsies, but had never had the opportunity to see real, live gypsies up close and personal.

He glanced at his watch and realized he had spent too much time pondering the gypsy children and decided he didn’t have enough time to finish his walk up the hill, so he turned back to go meet Zorka and walk her home. He planned to convince her to invite him to dinner tonight, since he and Baba were going to be gone for a couple of days, he wanted to spend as much time as possible with her, so that she would miss him while he was gone. Where had that thought come from? He chided himself. He was only here for a couple of weeks. He had his career in the United States and she was here in Serbia, what good was it going to do either of him for her to miss him? Or him to miss her?

Their lives were so far apart and so different that he couldn’t let himself get involved with this woman. Besides she was just a child. She had her whole life ahead of her. What would she want with a middle aged man like him? “Get a grip on yourself!” He ordered himself impatiently.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.