The Central European Short Story Issue kicks off its second week with a short story that harks back to Prague’s more fun and disreputable days of the early 90s.
“That afternoon he took a taxi ride, bought a second-hand violin on the street of Alchemists, visited museums, had lunch and drank the best Austrian wine, all for free. He didn’t even pay for his postcards. After midnight he found himself in an all-night bar, one of the worst shitholes in the city. A place where all the whores of the Warsaw Pact congregated. Here you could find everything: from Russian soldiers who sold amphetamines to child pornography. Most of the clientele were black marketeers, pickpockets, small time dealers in grass (when that was still in), local alcoholics and ex-politicians: very interesting indigenous fauna.”
– From “Legend” by Zoran Ferić, and translated from the Croatian by S.D. Curtis
Why “all for free”, you ask? Well, that has to do with the 100 reichsmark note and the scam artists and, naturally, legendary political martyr Jan Palach. And if that doesn’t make perfect sense then read the story.
For all the Central European Short Story Issue click here
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