Lucky

"Hold him!"

"There he is! I can see him!"

Lucky raced with all his might. Someone's front garden flew by. He jumped over a pot of geraniums without looking and deftly slipped between a couple of onlookers who whistled after him. Still, the pursuers were not far behind.

Oh, and how well it all started! He had noticed that little cozy house long ago and managed to sneak into without a hitch. The thing he was looking for was there, all ready for him. And, alas! — on the way back he happened to run into a hostess who'd decided to wake up earlier. Her scream still seemed to ring in Lucky's ears.

The village! They always meddle into their neighbours' business, Lucky panted to himself. Many of his friends who were more determined and stout had long moved to the city Solkhan. A nice cozy place yet he, out of some silly sentimentality, was still living here, in the sticks, where you can't even sneeze without half of the city knowing about it!

The narrow street going down to the square suddenly bristled with steps. A fubsy fat woman from the Green House was slowly climbing upstairs, breathing heavily as she was carrying a bucket full of water. They met halfway up the stairs. She gasped and let go of the bucket which almost made him roll over as he was properly doused with icy-cold shower. A vile curse lashed his ears. The bucket clattered down the steps.

Silly goose! the thief snorted to himself, spitting water. True they say: if you meet a woman with a bucket in the morning, you'll be in trouble!

Fortunately, the square was a straight shot. Lucky was immediately dazed by the blinding sunlight, deafening chorus of voices and a huge variety of smells. A big man with a basket of apples blocked the road. Lucky darted sideways, trying to avoid him. The porter stumbled, tripped over his feet, and dropped the basket. The apples clattered on the cobblestones. The thief was already scurrying away, weaving between the colorful tents, followed by the laughter of passers-by and the curses of vendors.

The man who was chasing him got stuck somewhere, thank Heavens. Alas, the noisy boys from Sand Street, his old enemies, joined that "catch Lucky" game. Oh, my... these won't back off so easily! Lucky thought to himself. He knew that for sure. That wasn't the first time their paths crossed.

A welcoming fence grew up on the left, so comfortable to climb. The thief strained for a jump, and immediately a stone hit the fence right above his head. The boys knew all his tricks too well.

Lucky ran even faster, so that the signs on the shops which he had once used to learn how to read merged into a complete mess. Come on, it's not over yet. The saving street could already be seen between the buildings. Now he will definitely escape! That street was quite short, blocked by an openwork gate leading to a lush garden belonging to a local rich man. He will easily slip through the gate like a knife through butter, and let his pursuers beat their foreheads against the iron gates.

That trick was used by all Lucky's friends and it always worked. The new hope gave him strength.

***

A couple of hours before that dramatic chase, the old man was sitting on the porch of his house in Solkhan. The neighboring courtyards were still asleep, the rhythmic breathing of the sea could be heard in the morning silence, the blue silhouettes of distant mountains were seen in the depths of the peninsula. The old man sipped his tea, watching the morning sun saunter across the rooftops. A new and wonderful day began.

Since his children and grandchildren had moved away, he was living alone in his empty house, like a pebble in an echoing shell. Still, he had some distant relatives living in a small mountain village. They were all old people too who had already put down roots and abandoned their intentions to conquer the big world. Every summer the old man would visit them up there, pick up his cheese, milk and some groceries. He did this with the pedantry of an elderly man who has a lot of free time and sometimes suffers from a lack of variety in life.