“There, there,” he said, stroking the dog’s head. “I’ll sew it up and it’ll be top as new, you’ll see. but now not right now. the next day. I’ll bring in a needle and thread.”
That’s when he realised he didn’t have a domestic any extra.
He stood, hesitated, and put on the brown smock he wore for paintings. He took a few gauze from the primary aidcontainer inside the office and tied it spherical the dog. that could do for the moment. He sat down at his desk and gazed at the gaps on the bookshelves, the spines of the books, and couldn’t bear in mind the last time he’d had a tidy.
He’d moved in here, and as such, it was higher to maintain matters neat.
He had no home – he’d been living right here a while now.
This became now his home.
all of it started some months ago, or maybe it have been a year already, while his pay had did not come. He waited patiently for two weeks after which made his manner over to Headquarters, wherein they advised him it became mostprobably a few type of administrative mistakes, and they would take care of it, obviously. no longer to worry, it would berectified. That’s what they said, rectified. As he skipped down the marble steps at Headquarters, he got to thinking how administrative errors happen.
Does a person forget to take a few papers from one workplace to some other?
Do they fail to press a button?
Or signal a document?
He waited every other week, but considering that there was nevertheless no signal of his pay on his account, he went back to Headquarters, wherein this time they told him it wasn’t genuinely an administrative error.
He’d notion as a lot, he nodded.
He introduced that he hadn’t visible the renovation finances for the library on his account both, and now not most effective may want to he not buy any greater books, but that the finances to cowl the heating, the cleaning, or some thingelse to do with the upkeep of the library have been a long way from, hmm, being in vicinity.
They advised him there was a restructuring in vicinity, and at every level, no less.
“What sort of restructuring, and what do you suggest, levels?” he puzzled aloud; for, he notion, you may restructure levelby level, however restructuring every level immediately regarded not possible to him. it may handiest result in chaos and helplessness. As he stared into the bureaucrat lady’s face earlier than him, she told him that from now at the machinecould work consistent with new policies.
would he nevertheless be paid beneath these new policies? He requested. The woman gave the look of a personwatching for a little greater information, below the situations, after which answered that he’d need to wait his turn, for many other colleagues had been in similarly regrettable circumstances; that it was inevitable with the creation of a brand new system, however that not all of us moaned so much, now not every body came into her office expecting pity or trying to pick out a fight.
“I’m not seeking to select a combat in any respect,” he said and almost blushed.
“well thank God for that, it changed into beginning to appear to be it,” she nodded.
“become it?”
“sure, but that’s all right. We apprehend your concern, certainly.”
He stated not anything. Who was this ‘we’? He questioned. was he not one in all them, then?
“We’ll allow you to recognise,” said the woman and closed her record.
“about while to anticipate my pay?”
“That too. And the new system as well. i can’t promise any greater right now.”
“And…when will you be letting me know?”
“soon. thank you for coming in. Oh, and any other factor. Do you trust in God?”
He was altogether dumbfounded.
“I don’t understand.”
“We’d want to recognize.”
“but…why?”
“Don’t be shy, you could inform me. sure or no?” she smiled.
He left Headquarters without some other word and in no way went again. He suspected now that the gadget could now not assist him at all. After that, they regarded to neglect all approximately him. there was still warmness and mild within the library. Water got here out of the faucets, and there had been no greater bills, nor carrier prices for the constructing to pay. He once in a while found some newspapers or magazines in his letterbox, though they got here extremely quixotically and it changed into impossible to tell which he could anticipate receiving often. He had nothing left to live off. He had used up his meagre savings.
He bought some things from the flat – the clock, his remarkable grandmother’s brass mortar, a painted stool with tulips on it, plates, the set of cutlery they’d in no way used, his spouse’s clothes. He concept he’d take a book or he’d never cared for anyway (concept they have been famous, this is while human beings nevertheless got here to borrow books from him in any respect) right down to the neighborhood little second-hand keep. however the books he should effortlessly promotesoon ran out, and he hadn’t the coronary heart to touch the classics. And anyhow, the second one-hand book supplierwouldn’t have desired them anyway, sitting there caressing the earrings of the little blue stamps within the books he added him.
“We’re weeding a few matters out,” he said.
“I idea you did that already a few months ago.”
“Do you want them or not?”
“Who should I make the invoice out to?”
“The library, of route.”
in spite of everything, he pondered as he walked domestic, this too have to be a part of the new device. He wasn’t the most effective one being weeded out, he had absolute confidence about that; and he ought to consolation himself with the concept that they’d forgotten all about him inside the procedure, perhaps for ever, and he’d finally have a few peace. it would flip out one way or the other or different in the long run.
He bought his flat for half its really worth, or as a minimum very cheap, but it turned into a buyer’s marketplace just then and besides it changed into pressing, he was almost going hungry. So he let the 2-and-a-half rooms slip via his hands at 1/2 price, the area his wife had died. He stored simplest the sofa, the television and the radio. those he introduced into the library, and from then on, that’s in which he lived.
He lived in the library; what else could he do? It turned into all a part of the new device.
It had all been calm till nowadays. but then something lousy had passed off.
On wet days when he nonetheless had the flat, when the streets had been all covered in slush, he’d bring the canine in on his arm. Later he no longer needed to convey him in at all, for they lived within the library and though the dog wasn’t really alive, he’d had him so carefully and so properly crammed that he virtually couldn’t have asked for extra. againwhilst there had nonetheless been readers, a few had even patted him, at the same time as others were nervous; he might snigger and say, there’s nothing to be afraid of, Burkus wouldn’t hurt a fly. once in a while he’d take the dog out into the park in front of the library and prop him next to a bush or on the thick inexperienced lawn, simply as if he’d been taking him for a walk or a wee. from time to time, he’d even lay him down inside the grass – Burkus turned into rolling round, rubbing his back on the ground – Burkus became having a whale of a time. He had a little ball he’d roll over to the canine; then he’d stroll over, walk back, and throw the ball again. so they performed. Oh sure, Burkus had appreciated to play while he become alive.
This changed into simply what he became doing when it befell; he’d simply positioned the ball, sticky from the fall grass, lower back in his pocket, and grew to become away for a second. It changed into a moment too lengthy. That little white beast had come and knocked Burkus proper over. He was simplest half of his length, but he turned into tearing into him, biting him frenziedly. a bit manner away a woman stood looking on. She didn’t a lot as pass. She had lengthy gray hair, a white mac, and high laced boots. She held the little monster’s lead in her hand. and then he too misplaced his head, ran over to the canine and gave it this type of kick that it went truely flying, the lead tensing in the lady’s hand. The dog landed a few of the lifeless leaves, twitched a bit, and become nonetheless. The girl looked at her canine and became slowly towards him. Her face betrayed no longer a trace of emotion. He reached down, scooped up Burkus and ran returned to the library. He didn’t appearance returned. It turned into at the entrance that the rage sincerely hit him. when he had in the end calmed down and, putting the primary aid box back in its location, changed into considering his existence, there has been a knock.
The woman stood at the edge, her canine held in her fingers, her white macintosh covered in blood. She slowly came into the library foyer, preventing earlier than his desk. She looked at Burkus, who changed into now not alive. Her dogbecome not alive, either.
“I’ve referred to as the police, with the aid of the manner,” she said in a colourless voice, her voice being the equal shadeas her hair. The little canine’s blood glittered ruby below her nails. The police? That turned into quite thrilling – as a long way as he ought to recollect, a policeman had by no means set foot within the library; a fireman or a neighbourhood watchman at most, uniformed and in an official ability, after which there had been those soldiers that point, but they’d simply wandered in, polite but a little under the influence of alcohol. but a policeman? His books had never seen the like.
“won’t you sit down down?” he stated, pushing over a chair.
The woman sat down. there has been a knock a moment later and before he could say “are available”, the policeman had entered.
“Did a person call the police?” asked the beefy, blond, heavily freckled policeman.
“hiya,” they each responded.
there was a silence. The policeman looked them over, but for the moment didn’t say something. He looked at his bandaged dog and then the lady’s lapdog, dripping blood.
“He killed my dog,” she stated softly in her bland, colourless voice, as though she were telling him the rain had stopped.
“It changed into self-defence,” he stated.
“That thing attacked you?” the policeman asked, observing the lifeless lapdog in wonder.
“It attacked my canine. with none provocation. He’s not even alive, you spot,” he explained. The policeman conceptapproximately that, went over to the shelf and dragged his index finger alongside the spines of the books, like a babydragging a stick across iron railings. He made a face.
“If it become lifeless besides…I suggest in case your canine was already deceased, how ought to you kick any other dogto demise in self-defence? mainly a lapdog?”
“I only kicked him as soon as.”
“Is that true?” the policeman became to the girl.
“sure, simply as soon as. One large kick,” she spoke back.
They had been silent; the lady sniffling. Blood was nonetheless dripping from her dog.
“The canine, my dog, is an vital family member,” he stated. “that is, he was.”
“That’s what they all say, I’ve heard it all before. however a useless canine continues to be a lifeless canine.” you couldinform the policeman didn’t care for the situation at all. losing time with something like this.
meanwhile all of it got here pouring out of him. He become almost beside himself.
“Burkus he was, this is, his name’s still Burkus. He became with me returned then. The day my spouse died, at domestic. there has been clearly no signal that there was something the problem together with her, that there has been some thing brewing; it turned into an embolism, ought to’ve came about to everybody. i discovered her whilst we were givendomestic that night time. She become mendacity at the kitchen floor. She’d beaten six eggs. precisely six. The gas turned into on as nicely. Sorry, you don’t need to realize that. however the canine, Burkus, became so stressed all day, and at thevery moment my spouse maximum likely died, he started whining. He become nearly not possible to deal with; I needed to take him out into the courtyard, because again then… again then we nevertheless had readers. Burkus become whining inside the courtyard and that i knew there was something incorrect. after which i discovered my different 1/2… my spouse in the kitchen. but that isn’t what I desired to say. What I meant to mention changed into, what if I’d cherished my wife? If I’d felt she virtually was the only for me? If I hadn’t felt some extraordinary, involuntary alleviation come over me when I noticed her twisted corpse on the kitchen floor?”
He fell silent, mopping his forehead along with his handkerchief. God, he was speakme lots!
“Our existence collectively wasn’t proper at all. by hook or by crook, we didn’t…match. There were no arguments, no rows, however someway it wasn’t any desirable. It wasn’t proper for her, both. at the funeral, I wondered what it wouldhave been like if I’d cherished her, if we’d been true together. It happened to me that Burkus would nevertheless have whined when she died. If I’d cherished my wife and no longer felt relief whilst she died, however eating grief, he couldnevertheless have scratched away at my ankle, whining, attempting to inform me there has been something wrong. I owed him so much. He became a good canine. constantly geared up for something exact. None of it was down to him. You understand? when he died, I had him stuffed by a without a doubt superb craftsman who used to return here to read.”
The female stood up, sat back down.
“That’s no motive to kill every other being!” she said, a bit greater loudly. “I need to press prices. Cruelty to animals,” she said, searching on the policeman. He nodded and produced his pocket book. They had to deliver their names and otherdetails. while the lady said her call, something all of sudden happened to him. He went over to the loans e-book and commenced leafing thru it excitedly.
“You,” he stated, lifting his gaze to the woman, “are past due with a e book!”
The lady blushed, and this regarded to bring her alive. It turned into as if her hair, too, had gained a few color.
“sure, you’re right, i'm,” she stated softly.
“You took it out years ago, years ago this month. The dog Lover’s guide. You by no means back it. The mortgage periodwas weeks. I despatched you three reminders. but you didn’t carry a lot as a finger.”
He never raised his voice, but laid out the fees in a gradual and measured tone.
“Do you've got any concept of the size of best I’ll should problem? With interest it’ll run to tens of thousands of forints.”
“I…I desired to convey it lower back,” the female entreated. The policeman appeared from one to the alternative. His mouth changed into agape. “Fuck me,” he muttered to himself.
“however you didn’t.”
“No.”
“Why?” he felt effective once more come what may, his confidence became returning. disgrace he turned into wearingthis smock. then again, perhaps not. The smock turned into a signal of his legitimate fame.
“because…because…” the female glanced at the dog in her lap. “Pincsi tore it to portions. I’d been that means to deliverit lower back for some time, but I left it on the carpet by way of accident and…and alongside came Pincsi.”
The policeman became rubbing his face in his fingers, like someone trying to wake himself from a few not possible dream.
“All right, you’d better sort this out among yourselves, then,” he stated hoarsely.
“we can, constable,” he nodded.
“I’ll be going then,” nodded the policeman, glancing at the woman.
“exceptional,” she stated. “move ahead, that’s all right.”
“goodbye,” stated the policeman and left.
They stayed behind with the two lifeless dogs, one in every of them nevertheless bloody. but it wasn’t bleeding any extra. The girl was distracted; she changed into the one who had suffered irreparable damage, yet right here she turned into, the accused.
The librarian were given to thinking.
“look, I realize it’s in reality very difficult to fill an opening like this. I’m sorry, I without a doubt am. allow’s forget aboutapproximately the satisfactory. Or as a minimum, I’m willing to neglect about it. It’s now not crucial. Why don’t you leave…depart…Pincsi right here. I’ll have him crammed too, I’ll ensure they do a terrific task. while he’s prepared, you may take him domestic. Or you can leave him right here. They’ll get alongside first-rate with Burkus and you can come on every occasion you need…to look him. Or just don't forget.”
The girl stood hesitantly up and laid Pincsi down in front of Burkus. Burkus seemed to be watching the lapdog.
“very well then,” she said.
“What?”
“Have him crammed, and i’ll come on occasion.”
So the librarian had Pincsi filled, and he became just as reasonable as Burkus. She without a doubt did come and noticehim, and knocked once more some days later; her coming quickly became a dependancy – she stayed longer and longer. even as she changed into there, she’d water the plant life, sweep up, dust the books or unwrap and serve some chopped liver sandwiches she’d made at home. Then someday whilst they have been looking on the dogs and reminiscing, the librarian touched her on the shoulder.
“Bertha, Bertha, it’s just as if this have been a cemetery! allow’s take them for a stroll.”
so that they took Burkus and Pincsi out into the snow-covered park, beside the bushes, and stood them in the snow. even as they installed and organized the animals, a percent of crows played frenziedly the various leaves of the evergreen ivy.
youngsters squealed and threw handfuls of snow. A snow-plough went noisily to and fro before the library, and now he threw the ball to Pincsi too.
“Pincsi! Pincsi!”
“correct canine, Pincsi!”
Then they went again in to heat up. The lady put on some tea and they stood the puppies beside the radiator to dry their legs. Pincsi’s stomach was soaking.
They sat, searching at the dogs, remembering. It turned into all so very first-rate. a touch puddle grew under Pincsi’s belly, capturing the mild of the electric bulb. And as he took Bertha’s hand, it passed off to the librarians that he mighthave taken The canine Lover’s handbook to the second one hand book provider long ago.
It’s one he could have offered for positive.
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