At work

(1979)



She stands on the corner. Like all the other nights, there is no mistake
about the way she dresses. This is not a job one can quit easily. Now
she looks at me, and I try to figure out the expression on her face. I
look at her a long while. She is at her post.

She hesitates, then she crosses the street.

"Well, well", she says in an ambiguous tone. Without one word we walk
down the street together. I believed I could save her from this life,
which was probably an idea of no avail.

We turn around the corner. The entrance is number 24. As we take the
stairs, there is some creaking under our feet. The room looks
surprisingly neat. The bed is untouched, at least so far tonight. She is
standing with her coat over her left arm.
 
"No more now", I say looking at her. I had imagined this quite
differently.

I tried to say something that would make some sort of sense. She looked
at me with sad eyes. She knew what I was thinking. It was useless. I was
only making a fool of myself, in believing I could change anything.

We indulge, however, in a rather interesting conversation - according to
some sort of down-to-earth philosophy -  we are aware of the conditions,
no change is possible, at least not during the stipulated half-hour.

I was only making a fool of myself, in believing I could change
anything. It was useless. She knew what I was thinking.

She looked at me with sad eyes. I tried to say something that would make
some sort of sense. I had imagined this quite differently.

"No more now", I say looking at her. She is standing with her coat over
her left arm. The bed is untouched, at least so far tonight. The room
looks surprisingly neat.

As we take the stairs, there is some creaking under our feet. The
entrance is number 24. We turn around the corner. I believed I could
save her from this life, which was probably an idea of no avail. Without
one word we walk down the street together.

"Well, well", she says in an ambiguous tone. She hesitates, then she
crosses the street. She is at her post. I look at her a long while. Now
she looks at me, and I try to figure out the expression on her face.
This is not a job one can quit easily. Like all the other nights, there
is no mistake about the way she dresses. She stands on the corner.





[790714; translated into English 2003]