YASHKA

YASHKA. A story by Andrey Rubanov
.... The human flock was innumerable, like a torrent streaming underground into the subway. They all looked alike, not like sparrows. Above their heads, white vapor rose from their mouths. Having no feathers, they suffered from the cold much more than birds and had been forced to protect their skin with pieces of cloth. Still Yashka respected people. It was impossible to fully understand the life of people, and in fact, there was no need for that. People lived separately from sparrows and did not take their interests into account. They were the lords of bread and could afford a lot of it. Usually, if a man throws bread on the ground, he does not act for the benefit of the birds, but simply relieves himself of a burden. People often take pieces they can not eat on their own.