Lumm ja ärkamine * Spell and awakening

Pärast einet, täis kõhust rahulolu tundes möödus aeg neile aeglaselt - autode müra nendeni ei kostnud, kadudes nende ja maantee vahelisse valgusküllasesse ruumi. Selles venivas heleduses kutsus Thomas ettekandja ja tellis endalegi pirukatüki ja veel ühe kohvi, ta kaaslane aga otsustas end hellitada ja tellis jäätise puuviljadega, "Värskendav nauding," kommenteeris ta oma valikut. "Mu tütre meelistoit - kui võimalik, toituks ta vaid jäätisest" - "Oh, tehtud, Itaalias. Küll vanemana, kuid vaimustus oli nagu lapsel. Ja teie tütar, te mainisite ta vanust, aga te pole öelnud ta nime." Aeg naasis koos argisuminaga, Thomas ärkas justkui lummast ja talle meenus, et ta ei ole selle võluva olevusega kohtamas, vaid tööintervjuul ja vastas: "Emma, Emmalee. Ta nimi on Emmalee, kuid enamik kutsub teda Emmaks või Em´iks". "Kõlab küpselt" - "Ongi - ma mõtlen, ta on nangu väikest kasvu täiskasvanu..." ja ta vaikis, ta kaaslane langetas pilgu. Õige, see tüdruk on ju kaotanud ema. Thomas kõhatas ja naases oma rolli. Ta küsis, millal oleks Elsal võimalik nende juurde tulla, Emmaga tutvuda ja leppisid kokku kolmapäeva õhtu peale. Lainetena tulid ja taandusid tundmused, mis olid teda vallanud eine ajal, kohisesid tema kõrvades. Korraga tundis ta ennas väga ebamugavalt, vaatas kella ja vabandas, et peab lahkuma; palus ettekandjalt arve, maksis härrasmehelikult ka daami arve ja lahkus kiirelt, veelkord vabandades. Elsa vaatas teda naeratades, muigas korra kelmikalt, võttis siis oma käekoti ja kindad ning lahkus samuti.



*** A try to translate: ***


After the meal, feeling contentment from the full stomach, time passed slowly to them – the noise of cars passing by didn’t reach them, it disappeared into the luminous space in-between them and the street. In this lingering brightness Thomas called for the waitress and ordered himself a piece of pie too and another cup of coffee, his date decided to treat herself and so ordered ice cream with fruits, “A refreshing delight” she commented her choice. “My daughter’s favorite food – if possible, she would eat nothing but ice cream” – “Oh, done that, in Italy. Much older, but the adour was like of a child’s. And your daughter, you mentioned her age, but you haven’t told her name”. Time returned with the everyday buzz. Thomas felt like waking from a spell and remembered, that no, he is not on a date with this charming creature, it is a job interview and answered: “Emma, Emmalee. Her name is Emmalee, but most call her Emma or Em” – “Sounds mature” – “She is, a little adult…” and shut up. His date lowered her eyes. Right, this girl has lost her mother. Thomas coughed and returned to his role. He asked at what time it would be possible for Elsa to come to their place, to meet Emma and they settled on Wednesday evening. Feelings and sensations what had had a hold on him during the meal were gushing over him like waves, once leaving, once coming. Suddenly he felt very uncomfortable, took a look at his watch and said, that he must leave now; asked for the bill from the waitress, like a gentleman paid for the lady as well and left in a hurry, apologizing once again. Elsa watched him with a smile, then gave a canny smirk and took her purse and cloves and left too.