The Checkup

            His work day had finished and Latchezar was walking home. He had nowhere to hurry for and wanted to move somewhat after the long hours behind the desk. There were quite many people in the street and nevertheless the city noisiness, the chaotic movement around made him feel a pleasant sense of vitality. He was gazing at the shop windows absent-mindedly, almost without paying attention to the goods on them and kept an eye on the passers-by.
            He remembered he had nothing to eat at home but decided to order a pizza and watch some movie. He had almost reached his home when his attention was dragged by the conversation between a young couple he had overtaken.
            “Of course, it is important for two people to get along” – the man was speaking in a response of the girl’s catchword.
            “I mean that the most important thing is to show interest to each other,” – she said. – “to feel the person by their side, his or her moods...”
            “Sure!”
            “...and if they lose this relationship, sooner or later, everything between them will die. I even don’t mention the care...”
            “The care is something important.”
            “...and that’s why they have to hear each other, not only to listen when they speak but really to hear what the other one says...”
            “It should be so.”
            “...because if this relationship between them doesn’t exist, they are going to lose each other from their sight, they are going to drift apart...”
            “Naturally” – the man interrupted her again and waved his hand. – “When there’s a problem, it should be confronted directly, they both should sit down and eliminate it otherwise, nothing will work. Everyone thinks about something, just supposing what the other one thinks, however quite often they are wrong and it gets messed-up.”
            Latchezar was watching the man’s curtly gesturing and almost bumped into the woman who had slowed her pace down.
            “Excuse me.”
            She only nodded, stopped at one place and gazed ahead where the man whom she was with kept walking, waving his arms confidently.
            “If the things do not become clear on time, the misunderstandings occur...”
            A step, two, three... the man was walking and talking without turning back. Latchezar had stopped and looked at the woman who was staying without moving. He smiled.
            Four, five...
            “...and then the scandals begin” – the man kept babbling.
            Six, seven...
            The woman noticed his smile and felt embarrassed for a while. Latchezar raised his eyebrows and stretched his arms to her crossing fingers.
            Eight...
            “Come on! Where have you gone?”
            “I’m coming” – the woman smiled sadly. – “Something... the shoe...”
            Latchezar hardly helped laughing after them. “People” – he laughed silently, turned back and went into his entrance.

~~~~~~~~~
Translated by: Vessislava Savova