He tells me the pizza isn’t ready yet
His accent is heavy…what language? I cannot tell
He tells me the price…
I search for the change to make 58 cents
He tells me not to worry about it
It doesn’t matter, he smiles
Then he tells me about the kids that come in after school; hungry
He asks them what kind of pizza slice they would like
They tell him, ‘we have no money’
He tells me how he likes to give them pizza anyhow, just to
see them smile
He tells me again; ‘it doesn’t matter
It’s just money and I have enough to get by’
I tell him, 'those kids will remember you forever'
His voice is husky with emotion as he tells me 'I hope so'
I tell him, 'those kids will remember you forever'
His voice is husky with emotion as he tells me 'I hope so'
He tells me then, with sudden tone change
I had two once; and a wife
He tells me about the war in Yugoslavia
Poof! and everything
he had was gone
He tells me that life in Canada is good
I ask him about his loss; how long ago?
…and he tells me; long ago, thirteen years
I tell him, but thirteen years isn’t that long
With tears he tells me, no, it isn’t
And he tells me when I ask, his first language was Serbian
His second language was Russian; no good in Canada
He tells me he took six months of English school…
He owns two pizza shops and life in Canada is good
© Janet Martin
this happened a few hours before I wrote this. Yes, it is true.
this happened a few hours before I wrote this. Yes, it is true.
