Chapter 6

If you want to identify someone look at the way they treat those who are inferior to them and not their equals.

He was a man, in his thirties, with a plump face and small square glasses.

He spoke to me in Russian but I didn't understand a single word of his tirade.

- I don't speak Russian, I say in my language.

- No problem I speak English! Exclaims the chubby fellow with a hideous Russian accent.

I smile stupidly at him, not knowing what else to do.

- Are you lost? he asks me.

- Somehow

- Follow me my little lady, my Inga has prepared beef a treat!

Even though I've always learned not to trust strangers, this stranger seemed less dangerous to me than Ivan and his men.

Neither one nor two I followed him up and followed him to a small row house not far from where I jostled him.

He opens the door to his house and hangs his coat on the coat rack.

- Inga we have a guest! he shouted.

A woman came out of what must have been the kitchen, she had an apron on and was doing the dishes by hand.

She called out to me in her mother tongue but her husband told her that I spoke English.

- Well, young girl, did you get lost?

- More or less

- Don't worry, you're going to explain all this to us, but before you go sit down, you must be hungry.

On her soft and maternal words, I pulled out a chair to sit down on. The house was small but very warm, it was decorated in a very kitsch way, yet we felt good there.

When the so-called Inga came into the dining room it was to carry a large saucepan. She lifted the lid and a tantalizing smell escaped. My stomach rumbled reminding me that I had not eaten since I was in company. couch.

Inga served me a plate of ratatouille while her husband asked her why she hadn't made beef.

- You're never happy Donatello, Inga sighs.

We start to eat, I hold myself back so as not to throw myself on the food, I'm so hungry.

- Hey, Knopka, you look hungry, how long has it been since you've eaten?

- Since Monday

- Olala it's Wednesday night! What happened to you?

An intuition told me to trust this family who had taken me in then, as if I had known them for a long time, I told them everything.

From the beginning to the end of my story neither of them interrupted me, sometimes Inga dropped "oh" or "ah" but she never interrupted me.

- That's how I ended up on this street, I finished.

- My God, Elisabethchka, that must be atrocious, my little darling! She said taking me in her arms.

- I'm sure it's a trick of these delinquents!

- Donatello shut up, don't push her around like that, his wife reproached him.

- What ? I asked.

- Nothing at all, we'll talk about that tomorrow, for the moment you must be exhausted, come with me, I'll show you the guest room and give you some clean pajamas.

I smile at her and follow her.