Crumbs by Miha Mazzini Page B

she smiled at me,’ he finished his sentence.
    Ooooooh, damn spring. Damn shit.
    Ibro’s face was radiant. Shining like the sun. He was floating. He put his arm around my shoulder and whispered in my ear, ‘You see, I’ve got every chance…’
    I didn’t know what to say, what to do with myself.
    â€˜Yes, yes…’ I mumbled.
    There’s no greater confidence than that brought on by the smile of a beautiful woman. Ibro suddenly seemed taller.
    â€˜Tell me honestly. Is she beautiful or not?’
    â€˜She’s beautiful,’ I admitted.
    â€˜Like a picture?’
    â€˜Like a picture.’
    A new admission.
    â€˜Have you ever seen eyes like that? Eyes so deep you could drown in them?’
    I agreed. With all my heart.
    And felt more and more awkward.
    At last it was our turn to get the broth with ribs. I got three portions and a kilo of bread.
    Ibro was surprised.
    â€˜How can you eat so much and not put weight on? You’re as thin as a skeleton.’
    I smiled and waited with the answer until we sat down. Ibro tried to push nearer to Ajsha without success. The only two empty chairs were right at the other end, next to the counter. I broke the end off the bread loaf and started chewing it. I took the ribs out of the broth, shook off the sauce, and wrapped the ribs in paper napkins. Then I put them together with the bread into a plastic bag I had brought with me.
    Ibro was looking at the three bowls and the bag. Iexplained before he asked.
    â€˜It’s not for me. I’ve got a friend who doesn’t eat anything. Unless people bring him something. When he’s by himself he just forgets about food. Because people visit him rarely he doesn’t often get to eat. I’m going to see him tonight.’
    He looked at me to see if I was serious and then he mumbled, ‘Whatever next.’
    He pulled the ribs out of his broth, wrapped them, and gave them to me. He was a good soul. I was even more embarrassed.
    I offered him the three bowls of broth.
    â€˜Have these if you want.’
    â€˜Don’t you want them?’
    â€˜No.’
    He pulled the bowls towards him and started to spoon up the food.
    â€˜The work made me very hungry. It was gruelling.’
    â€˜Yeah,’ I said emphatically and nodded.
    â€˜At least I’ll sleep well,’ he added.
    The type who always finds something positive in everything. An incorrigible optimist.
    Nothing can screw up a person like that apart from a woman. Probably. I didn’t know him enough to be able to determine that yet.
    Suddenly he stopped eating. He looked towards the wall on the right and beamed a terrible smile with his whole mouth towards Ajsha, who had just pushed her tray through the hatch and was leaving the canteen. She was looking in our direction. I smiled at her.
    She returned the smile.
    â€˜Oooooooh,’ sighed Ibro. Three beans flew out of his mouth and rolled on the table. Ajsha had gone. Iconcentrated on chewing the bread crust. Ibro twisted in his chair and couldn’t take his eyes off her.
    â€˜What’s the matter Ibro? Did this one forget to put on her arse and tits before she went to work, too?’
    I really shouldn’t have talked about her behind. The loose coat didn’t show any more than the fact that it couldn’t have been disproportionately large. And you could only imagine her breasts under the heavy material.
    He blushed and started fidgeting.
    â€˜I was only joking. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.’
    I nodded understandingly.
    â€˜I was only joking, too.’
    He couldn’t eat any more. He was looking towards the door through which his beloved had left.
    â€˜Let’s go!’ I said.
    I pushed the bread in my pocket.
    We took the trays back and went out.
    She was leaning on the fence, warming herself in the sun. She undid her coat. She was wearing jeans and a grey blouse with a barely visible floral pattern. It