WHY DOES THIS KNOT ON MY HEAD HURT SO MUCH
By Aleksandra Djordjevic
The first time we disagreed, my husband said, “Well, that’s pure nonsense!” There are certainly many gentler, subtler, and more tactful ways to disagree, but this one is among the most direct.
Did I love him more at that moment? On the contrary, it shook my foundations. Yet every day after that, I loved him more, because he never pandered to me, fed my vanity, or flattered me. We worked on mutual acceptance, which meant that even in disagreement we acknowledged one another’s autonomy.
THE LANGUAGE OF MONEY
By Aleksandra Djordjevic
I was on the bus, on my way to my first job interview, when forty euros were stolen from me. Even today I cannot shake off the feeling of disorientation whenever I misplace a banknote, and I feel most at ease when small, tidy sums rest close to my heart.
October in Belgrade was already deeply yellow when an advertisement rustled through the leaves. It wasn’t so much about a coveted position in a private language school as it was about the experience of presenting myself to a stranger. Just at that moment when the sky seemed open to everyone.
