CLOUDLET

because the children will return and if not the children, their grandchildren will return and there should be fire live in the fireplace and bread on the table. Or else if the fire is gone they may not find the road back. Fireflies are not enough by themselves.

(Tsvetan enters carrying a big postal envelope.)

TSVETAN: Oh Tsranka, come see what I brought! What's the rush Tsranka, come see, since when we have not received letters in our village!

TSRANKA: (continues to knead the dough) Since Kosta died and the state wanted some money for his health insurance after we buried him. Now what do they want?

TSVETAN: It is not the state. At least not ours, I would guess!

TSRANKA: To get to here it should be written for whom it is.

TSVETAN: (puts his glasses on) It is written, everything is written! Here, it is written that it is for Entcho but personal and confidential. Hm, personal, that young little postman had left it in front on the window, everyone could have snatched it. When I was the postman – there were no such outrageous cases!

TSRANKA: Come on, who will take it here in our village where there are only you and me left.

TSVETAN: Don’t you even talk to me about it! I am hitting the road tomorrow, will go catch the bus to Sofia and give it to Entcho hand in hand!

TSRANKA: (smiles) And you don’t forget to put the uniform hat like in the old days! Who knows, a fair lady may like you, like Dantche once upon a time. She was laughing that she married you because of that hat alone.

TSVETAN: It was not only because of the hat! Dantche first met me when I had all my decorations and medals on. So what if I am on the short side, but my boots were polished, you can see your face in them, the belt at the last hole, the medals were shining. I was a ringing bachelor. If she agreed to come here I should have been, right!

TSRANKA: Sure, ringing... That is what medals are for, ringing. How typical of men, when you start recalling who what and where, you are all heroes, and the ones that had to plow and dig while you were at it – they never get a medal. Let it be! (covers the tub with dough with a cloth and goes around the counter to wash her hands.)

TSVETAN: Yeah, we let it and it went without a trace. I don’t need medals for me, I thought they were for the children to remember who their grandfather was. Slavka, she is a girl, does not need medals, but I was thinking about Tsvetish, he to get them. His mother said that in their lands these medals are not cherished, that is it, they bring back bad memories. They will go with me my medals. I wish I knew where Dantche put them. Since she passed away, I have not taken them out... So what if I pull them out, who will recognize them since Kosta’s gone? He still remembered which ones I had and which ones we both had and which only he had.

TSRANKA: Entcho also knows, but is keeping mum about it. This letter to him, it look