It doesn't need to be re-written. I'm bored with tragedies. And
comedies. And romances. Et al. Balance is what I like. Ups and downs,
ins and outs. This isn't the whole story. Just part. And it's fine the
way it is.
Canela
> wow... i can't believe i am saying this but there is (incredible) no
> bad news from romania... just talked to the grandfather on the
> phone... some news but no real bad ones. wheeeeeee.... hahahaha...
> i'm happy!
>
> so is the grandfather. he says:
>
> you know, zsoka, i was so worried cause you didn't call. (but
> grandfather, i can't always call, it costs a lot and sometimes i
> don't have the money for a phonecard) oh okay. but i was still
> worried. the mrs. reverend gave me the money for fixing the water but
> you still hadn't called, so i was worried. (but i am calling right
> now, see?) good, good. the water will be fixed in a week and a half,
> the plumber is doing a job in szentgyorgy and he will be available
> after. you'll see when you come, i'll have the bath working and
> everything. when are you coming. (i can't right now, grandfather.
> maybe i'll try in the fall, okay)
>
> oh and i have really good news, he says. okay, i say, i can use some
> good news, so what is it. guess what, he says. mihaly left to work in
> hungary, he left last night. wow, i say, that is incredibly good
> news, you mean he finally got off his ass. he finally did, he says,
> and now it will be easier for melinda and the kids. there is some new
> law in hungary, he says, so they don't harrass people from romania at
> the border, they actually want them to come and work. and jozsi has
> good contacts there so mihaly can use those. now we will see how he
> does. i'm really happy to hear this, i say. cause it was really hard
> on me, not helping them. he says, but probably the best thing, this
> way mihaly was finally forced off his, forgive my expression, behind.
>
> heh... grandfather, as he puts it, is a gentleman, so he does not
> like to swear in front of a woman.
>
> and jozsi, i ask, how are they doing. well, he sighs, iren is once
> again in the hospital. but at least now jozsi can pay the nurse, and
> so he is not in the hospital all day. he takes care of his kids,
> grandfather says.
>
> well --and this is to you guys, and not grandfather-- the only thing
> that may save iren (and even that is just a 50% chance) is openheart
> surgery. which is very expensive, at least 1000. we can't do it, i am
> sorry to say. but what we are doing now is providing medicines,
> nursing care, and food for the family. for these difficult months.
> but you already know that.
>
> back to grandfather: yes, i bought katika the graduation present,
> thank you zsoka. i bought her a little piano, not a real piano but a
> little thing with batteries. she loves it. yesterday, we brought it
> over to melindas so that janoska and marci can play with it too. (oh
> that's nice). the kids are all okay, they are all healthy. (oh that's
> really good to hear). melida is a bit sick, with the same thing she
> has had for a long time, you know, when she loses her voice. the
> doctor said she needs to go to the hospital for a treatment cause she
> may lose her voice forever if she doesn't. and then she would be
> mute, zsoka. (but that is impossible, with mihaly gone to work, there
> is no one else to take care ofthe children) yes. there is no one else
> to take care of the children.
>
> there is nothing to be done, he says. so lets just hope for the best.
> true, i say. at least now, with mihaly working, they will have enough
> to eat and all that.
>
> prices have gone insane, he says. yes, i know, i say. do you know
> that the price for a chicken, that used to be 10,000 lei per pound is
> now six times as much. i figured, i say. he sighs. but we are okay,
> we're eating. it's lucky that i send your food money in dollars, i
> say. and the reverend keeps it in the bank in dollars so that when it
> goes up you get more lei. lucky, he says.
>
> i have a request, please forgive me for it, he says. okay, what is
> it, i say. well, he says, you know, in september, when school starts.
> when the school starts and katika is in second grade. would it be
> possible then for me to buy her, you know, a little dress. and a
> school bag. so she could be more like the other little girls, he
> says. would that be possible. we'll see, grandfather, we can figure
> something out i am sure.
>
> the next time you come, he says, i would like to go to court and have
> melinda officially relinquish katika to me, you know, on paper,
> legally. i have been raising her since she was a baby, as you know.
> but i am an old man. i would like to make it legal, and then i would
> ask you to be entered as guardian for katika if anything happens to
> me. sure, i say, i would do that. if anything happens to you, that
> is. but you just stay healthy. oh i try to take good care of myself,
> he says. but katika is just a little girl and i would like to make
> sure that if anything happens there will be someone. and that she can
> continue to learn. i'll do it gradfather, don't you worry. legally,
> he says. legally, i say.
>
> hey grandfather, i say. what if katika was able to go to highschool
> too. oh, that's very expensive, i hear, he says. no, i don't mean
> university, i mean highschool, that's like elementary school, four
> more years after, i say. oh, he says, is there such a thing. let's
> dream a little, i say. you know, she is an industrious little girl.
> who knows, i say. we can try. we can dream. you can dream a little, i
> say. a real future for katika, wouldn't that be nice.
>
> and the next time you go to get the food money from the reverends.
> take katika along. the mrs. reverend said she hadn't seen her since
> you moved into the house. and she said she sure would like to see her
> again. so take her along, i said. it would be nice for everyone. show
> off your nice little girl, i say.
>
> so then katika comes to the phone. so what are you doing, katika. i'm
> reading a book. i have a book she says. what's in your book, i say.
> it's a book with stories about the sun, she says.
>
> so that was my phonecall to romania this morning. i'm kinda happy,
> right now. and i'll ask the reverend noemi to give katika some more
> books. she likes to read. isn't that great.
>
> -e
>
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Sun Nov 18 2001 - 12:13:00 PST