Bob and Buddy

At the end of the village lived old Bob. He had his hut and a dog. Hed go around the
village, collecting bread crusts and thats how he fed himself. He never separated
from his dog, whose name out of mercy was Buddy (friend). Bob would go through
the village, knocking on peoples windows and Buddy would always stand next to
him, wagging his tail. As if hes waiting for his share. People told Bob: It would be
better if you got rid of that stray dog, because you cant even feed yourself. Bob
would look with his sad eyes, hed look - but wouldnt say anything. Hed call his
Buddy, and move away from the window without taking the bread crust.
Bob was a gloomy man, hed rarely talk to anyone.
Winter has come, bringing an angry blizzard with it, snow dust is everywhere,
creating big snowdrifts. Bob walks through the snowdrifts leaning on his stick, he
breaks his way through the snow from house to house, while Buddy runs along his
side. He clings onto Bob, looking at him compassionately like he wants to say: Nobody wants us, nobody will embrace us, were alone, you and I. Bob would look at
his dog, hed look as if hes reading his thoughts and silently, silently say: - I
only need you, Buddy, dont ever leave me.
Bob walks with his dog, waddles to his hut, that old, cold hut. Hed look at his
earthen fireplace, then hed look all across the room, every corner, but he doesnt
see a single piece of wood. Bob would look at Buddy, as he stands next to him
waiting for his housekeepers words.
Then Bob would say gently:
- Ill harness you, Buddy, Ill put you in the sleighs and well head to the forest,
collect some firewood, and then bring it back. Well light a fire and warm ourselves
up by the fireplace.
Bob then harnessed Buddy in the sleighs, brought the firewood, warmed up their
sleeping place, hugged Buddy and cuddled him. Bob was thinking by the fire, he
was remembering his past. He told Buddy his entire life story. He told him his whole
sad story and added with pain:
- You, Buddy, youre not answering me, you dont speak words, but your grey
eyes are smart I know, I know you understand everything.
The blizzard got tired of screaming. The snowfall was thinning out, you could hear
dripping from the roof. The snows are melting, pouring. Bob sees winter is passing,
he sees and speaks to Buddy:
- Well live once again, Buddy, once spring arrives.
The red sun started dancing, making the streams flow again pouring. Bob looks
from his window, the ground underneath it can already be seen. Buds started
coming out on the trees, you could feel it in the air that spring has arrived. But the
years deceive Bob, the spring moist breaks through to the old man. His legs started
tottering, cough was suffocating him in his chest, he had pain in his loins, as if they
were torn apart, and his eyes were already completely blurred. The snow had
melted. The ground had dried. The white willow had spread its leaves under his
window. But the old man had started going out less. He was lying on his bed, he had
trouble getting off of it. As he was getting off with difficulty, hed cough, and with a
sad face told to Buddy:
- We were guessing too early, back then, Buddy. My death will come, soon, Im
afraid; its not dying, but leaving you thats whats hard for me.

By now, Bob couldnt get up, he couldnt leave his bed, but Buddy wouldnt move
from the bed. The old man feels it death is nearing, thats what he feels. He hugs
Buddy, crying bitterly:
- To whom, will I leave you, Buddy. All people are strangers to us. We lived
together you and I we spent our whole lives together, but death is
separating us. Goodbye, my dear Buddy, I feel that death is nearing, my
breath and chest are getting colder. Goodbye and if you can, visit my grave
sometimes, remember your old friend.
Bob hugged Buddy around his neck, tightly pressed him against his chest, trembled
and his spirit left him. Dead Bob lies on his bed. Buddy realized that his Master had
died. Buddy goes from corner to corner walking, mourning. Buddy gets close to
the body smells it barks sadly.
People started talking amongst each other: why is Bob not coming out? They agreed
to check whats going on, they came they saw - they flinched. Dead Bob was lying
on the bed, the hut had a deathly smell infectious. The dog sits on the bed,
huddled.
People took the deceased, prepared him, bathed him put in a coffin, but the dog
wasnt moving away. They took the deceased to the church, with Buddy along his
side. They were chasing the dog away from the church, not letting him inside the
temple. Buddy breaks through, rolls on the church doorstep, howls from sadness
and hunger, his legs are shaking.
They brought the deceased to the cemetery, brought him and in the ground they
buried him. A man who wasnt needed by anyone had died and no one shed a tear
for him.
Buddy is howling at the cemetery, howling - pushing aside the dirt with his paws.
Buddy wants to dig out his old friend, dig him out and lay together with him. The
dog doesnt get off the grave, he doesnt eat, he mourns. Strength had left Buddy,
he doesnt get up, he cant stand anymore, a shiver goes down his spine, he relaxes
his head, relaxes is, silently shivers once more and passes away on the grave
The flowers started whispering, they told the birds the beautiful story about
friendship. A cuckoo flies by the grave, and lands on the weeping willow. It was
sitting
there,
grieving
sorrowfully
over
the
grave
Translated by Ivan, for Camille. FORGIVE THE BAD ENGLISH AND SORRY FOR
MAKING YOU CRY, I PROMISE TO DO MY BEST NOT TO DO IT AGAIN UNLESS ITS
HAPPY TEARS OR ME BEING A SB. BYE LOVE YOU BYE