Charmaine Sia - Small Favours


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Small Favours There are days when Silver wakes up, grumpy, because it is too early for the sun to be shining. There are days when Silver thinks it is not true that teddy bears’ fur is thick enough to see them through winter. There are days when nothing goes right, and Yannochka can’t talk on the phone tonight. There are days when Silver takes a pencil and starts sketching, but isn’t satisfied with her work, and concludes that teddy paws were not made for drawing. There are days when Silver misses William and Ib and Andrei and all her friends back home, even though good old Teddy keeps her company. There are days when Silver receives a letter from Yannochka, and is happy for the entire day. There are days when Silver wonders why she is studying economics, because it is all a game to her. There are days when Silver doesn’t understand why she’s so sleepy, even though it’s (yawn!) only 8:30 pm. There are days when Silver thinks it is all the fault of that yellow Topology textbook she refuses to let go of. There are days when Vladimir visits, and Silver is delighted, even though he will be leaving for Austria in two days’ time. There are days when Silver misses Yannochka, terribly. There are days when Silver accidentally falls onto the floor, and that is not all right, because teddy bears should not be dirty. There are days when it rains, and Silver is happy snuggled under her covers, because rain is good for thinking, but not for teddy bears to be caught in. There are days when Silver pulls Crime and Punishment out of the bookshelf, because Sonya and Raskolnikov are her inspiration. There are days when Silver talks to Yannochka over the phone, and it’s enough, even if it’s only for ten minutes. There are days when Silver gazes at their photograph and laughs, because Yannochka’s ribbon is in a mess, and he insisted it was all right. There are days when Silver thinks about Euclid and the stars, and life and love and tears and you, as the last line of Pushkin’s poem goes. There are days when Silver wakes up, thinking, I love you, Yannochka.

Copyright © Charmaine Sia

Small Favours

There are days when Silver wakes up, grumpy, because it is too early for the sun to be shining.

There are days when Silver thinks it is not true that teddy bears’ fur is thick enough to see them through winter.

There are days when nothing goes right, and Yannochka can’t talk on the phone tonight.

There are days when Silver takes a pencil and starts sketching, but isn’t satisfied with her work, and concludes that teddy paws were not made for drawing.

There are days when Silver misses William and Ib and Andrei and all her friends back home, even though good old Teddy keeps her company.

There are days when Silver receives a letter from Yannochka, and is happy for the entire day.

There are days when Silver wonders why she is studying economics, because it is all a game to her.

There are days when Silver doesn’t understand why she’s so sleepy, even though it’s (yawn!) only 8:30 pm.

There are days when Silver thinks it is all the fault of that yellow Topology textbook she refuses to let go of.

There are days when Vladimir visits, and Silver is delighted, even though he will be leaving for Austria in two days’ time.

There are days when Silver misses Yannochka, terribly.

There are days when Silver accidentally falls onto the floor, and that is not all right, because teddy bears should not be dirty.

There are days when it rains, and Silver is happy snuggled under her covers, because rain is good for thinking, but not for teddy bears to be caught in.

There are days when Silver pulls Crime and Punishment out of the bookshelf, because Sonya and Raskolnikov are her inspiration.

There are days when Silver talks to Yannochka over the phone, and it’s enough, even if it’s only for ten minutes.

There are days when Silver gazes at their photograph and laughs, because Yannochka’s ribbon is in a mess, and he insisted it was all right.

There are days when Silver thinks about Euclid and the stars, and life and love and tears and you, as the last line of Pushkin’s poem goes.

There are days when Silver wakes up, thinking, I love you, Yannochka.