THEME 5

Nous avons profité de l’étang tout l’après-midi. Nous n’avons rien fait que discuter et
dormir, et nous réveiller, nous chauffer au soleil et discuter. Etrangement, Kyabine n’a pas essayé
d’attraper d’autre poisson. Je le voyais par moments contempler la surface de l’eau, d’un air
heureux et mystérieux. Je me demandais quel goût avait eu son poisson.
Quand s’est approchée l’heure de rentrer au camp, Pavel a proposé d’aller jusqu’au camp de
Kossarenko, dire bonjour à des gars que nous avions connus dans la forêt cet hiver.
La compagnie de Kossarenko avait construit ses cabanes dans une clairière à une heure de
marche de la nôtre. En allant chercher du bois sec nous avions plusieurs fois rencontré les mêmes
gars qui faisaient la même chose que nous. Alors, assis sur des souches, on avait fumé des cigarettes
ensemble en discutant de la façon dont on chauffait nos cabanes. Ensuite on discutait de nos
compagnies. On cherchait à savoir dans laquelle il valait mieux être. On s’apercevait vite qu’il y
avait du bon et du moins bon dans chacune, que c’était difficile de choisir, et que finalement ça
n’avait pas beaucoup d’importance. Que l’hiver finisse et que nous sortions de la forêt, voilà les
choses qui en avaient, de l’importance, et qui nous mettaient tous d’accord.

Hubert Mingarelli, Quatre soldats (2003)

VERSION 5

That afternoon, Mick walked into the city. He visited the Jobcentre first, but it was closed.
“ DUE TO LACK OF STAFF” it said on the door. He stood in the doorway to shelter from the wind
while he buttoned up his denim jacket and decided what to do next. Sweet wrappers, crisp packets
and sheets of newspaper tumbled past on the pavement. Mick managed to read a few headlines as
they went by. One said, “WAR DECLARED ON SCROUNGERS”. A police car cruised by and
Mick looked up and down the road busily, as if he was about to depart, rather than just loitering
there with nowhere to go. He could not go home yet: his mother would still be in and she would
accuse him of not looking for work. But he could not face traipsing round all the firms again and
seeing the same NO VACANCIES signs on board after board, or meeting gatekeepers and
receptionists, who, with a supercilious look and smug shake of the head, seemed to revel in his
misfortune. It was humiliating. It made him feel ashamed, like a beggar.
He would go for a drink instead. Have a game of Pool. That would get most of the afternoon
over. It would be nearly tea-time then. He felt in he pocket of his jeans and counted his money. Shit!
He would have to do with a cup of tea and a walk around the shops instead. He would find a fresh
route this time. Find a fresh café. […]
He looked at his watch. It wasn’t there. He had forgotten that it was broken. It would remain
broken a long time, too, unless matters improved drastically. Anyway, he was better off without it. If
he had been wearing it, he would have been looking at it every few minutes, and the time would
have passed more slowly then.

Barry Hines, Looks and Smiles (1981)