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ofpanic.Shedidherbesttoavoidallpublicgatherings
andofficialevents–theonlyonesshewasunable
toskipweretheregular1stofMaydemonstrations.She
wasforcedtomarchalongwitheveryoneelseintown,
paradingbeforestandssetupinthestreetsfor
governingpartyofficialstoposeandlookdownfrom
atpassingcrowds.Partyofficialshadnoideawhat
itmeanttobeherdedtogetherandsqueezedsotightly
youcouldhearhumanbonescrunchingandcracking
beneathpeople’sskins.Theyhadnoideawhatitfelt
liketostruggleforasinglebreath,likeanoutofwater
fish,especiallywhenyou’reasmallchildforcedinto
acattlewagonwithlotsofstrangers,mostlyadults,all
tryingtostayalive.
Theambulancebouncedalongthecobblestone
roads,forcingNiusiatoforgetthepastandfocusonthe
present,amomentarylapseinrememberingshewas
gratefulfor.Thepastwasnotaplacesheeverwanted
toreturnto.Thedrivelastedonlyafewminutes,and
assoonasshewasdeliveredtotheemergencyroom
adoctorlookedherover,checkingherheadcarefully,
thenaskedwhethershewasfeelingqueasyorlight-
headed.Onlythendidheallowhertositup.
“Waitamoment,youareNiusia,”saidasecond
medicwho’dbeencalledintohelpexaminethe
patient.Withabroadsmileheasked,“Howarethings
withTadeusz?”
“He’sfine.It’shisbirthdaytoday,”Niusiaanswered
asifitmatteredatallunderthecurrentcircumstances.
Thiswaswhensherealisedshewasmissingher
shoppingbag,theonecontainingherhusband’s
favouritecognac,broughtespeciallyfromArmenia
byafriendofthefamily.Shedidn’twantTadeusz
