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Monday, April 4, 2011

4. (24-25) Opium Sanity

Slim Novel 4 - http://adventuresofkimi.blogspot.com - See Homepage


24. Tour
“We got three-hour sunlight; so we tour.” Mamka says leading leisurely with Olga on her left, who asks “Where can I squat to pee?” and Mamka points to outhouse.
   Inside, Olga finds a sod floor and shallow trench. She is relieved she had not forgot from Tokyo her chirigami paper wipes, part of travel aids that serve the young Japanese woman – wife, prostitute or goodbye virgin – not only for wiping self but also for wiping the man right after sex.
   Olga has repertoire of scat lyrics for an occasion. Now she sings:
In days of old when knights were bold and toilets not invented.
They dropped their load along the road and went away contented.

   Exiting she sees Boris sitting on a rock beside an about 100-centimeter (40-inch) diameter size shiny metal concave reflector disc. Mamka is not in sight, and Olga sits down on Boris's right knee, giving him honeymoon kiss. Just then Mamka steps out from rear door, teapot in right hand and tray with 3 cups and a strainer net. She places the teapot on ground in front of the disc, pivots disc to catch sun's rays, and adjusts distance to focus on the pot.
   She turns to Olga. “Wait a little and it boil. Sun ray not strong in late afternoon but not much water need for three cup so will boil in minute.”
   “Where'd you get it?” asks Olga
   “Is invention of her man, Andreyev,” Boris answers and Olga proudly thinks. Bo knows it all and he's my man.
   Water in pot starts to boil and Mamka pours the boiling water over the strainer which Olga sees is filled with green plant shreds. Mamka moves the strainer deftly to make 3 small steaming pale purple cupfuls of tea. She test tastes then hands to Olga and to Boris, saying “Sip slow and in-between we talk."
   They each take first sip. Hot-watery, thinks Olga, Some kind of herbal brew; I guess? Is this old gal a witch?
   Mamka comments: “The reflector save fuel. As long as sun in sky I cook, boil, and it keep me warm.”
   Olga sips. “Hey, I feel exquisite! What's in here, opium?” She asks jokingly.
   “Yes, dry poppy seed, petal, leaf. I grow” she points a plot of flowers.
   Boris sips but feels called on to express Communist Party disapproval of opium and Mamka listens respectfully. When he finishes, she lifts her arms – like priestess – indicating the natural surroundings: “I old woman, vanishing race, no children and no more husband. Have time of loneliness and fear in winter when snow cover house and temperature minus forty. Opium drink keep me alive, no worry, happy.”
   Boris asks. “Minus forty centigrade or Fahrenheit?” and Mamka shoots back “Boris boy! You not know minus forty magic temperature? Is same minus forty centigrade, clesius or Fahrenheit.”
   And Olga thinks: Old gal's a bloody genius, as well as a witch!
   Mamka continues: “Then I think, Life, what? Eat, drink, sex – animal routine end by sickness, accident? Opium drink good." She drinks down her cup's remainder. So too do Olga and Boris. Mamka points right index finger to face. “What source sadness? See, my eyes – Everyone die and me too!  It weigh on me now I old and near end. So I drink and it give feeling life is joy, and it stop fear. All of us live for moment pleasure but must be practical too and plan for future.”
   Olga feels bubbles of joy just beneath skin and her anxieties are sea-changed to calm and hope for a future she intends to manage and be part of. She thinks: Yes,  I shall take more interest from now – by reading, by Seminar, by deep thought.
   Then she thinks: It is the opium. It stirs good ambition.
   Boris too is lost in thought. As the opium level rises in brain he thinks: Now I feel sane. My caveat? It was Party line from Puritans.
   Olga remains quiet, deep in thought.

25. Fellow Feeling
They approach the lake, a caldera crater of inactive volcano a mile deep and Olga comments “I love caviar and smoked sturgeon. Do you get them from this lake?” and Mamka answers “Long ago I eat other animal but for long time now no more. Now I got fellow feeling.”
   Suddenly Olga gets a strange urge and goes down on knees and kisses Mamka's bare toes where they jut from the wood clogs and then gets up and says “I understand” and Boris thinks How strange my Olenka acts; can it be opium sanity?

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