White Niggers
Chapter 61
Vienna City Hall, Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz 1, 1st district of Vienna
Friday, September 20th, 2019, 13:45
"Lisa?" Buba says. "Are you alright?"
"Yes. I just remembered something," Lisa says. "What were we talking about?"
"We were talking about this 'decency' that you hold in such high esteem." Buba says.
"Yes, yes," Lisa says.
She is still a little shaken from the flashback.
I feel like half my brain isn't working, Lisa thinks. Every thought requires effort, because my mind needs to separate memory from the present.
And that's hard, because somehow the present seems like a repetition of the past.
Like how the second Maidan was the repetition of the first, only worse.
"And about what decency means in this day and age," Buba says.
"Really? What does it mean?" Lisa says.
"It means you need to help you mother move to Europe," Buba says.
"Buba, I am not comfortable with this conversation," Lisa says. "Can we change the subject?"
"No," Buba says. "When you get to the root cause of someone's problems, they often feel uncomfortable. You need to persevere and confront the pain head-on."
"Buba!" Lisa says. "I am really not feeling well."
"Exactly. You never feel well when you are getting out of the comfort zone," Buba says. "It's called a comfort zone for a reason."
"I really don't want to talk about it," Lisa says.
She rises and starts to walk outside.
"Speaking of decency," Buba says. "Do you remember our deal from two weeks ago?"
Lisa stops walking.
"Yes," Lisa says.
"You promised to do what I tell you, especially if it feels uncomfortable," Buba says. "Remember?"
"Yes," Lisa says.
Buba points with his hand at the empty chair where Lisa previously sat. Lisa sits down.
Buba retrieves his mobile phone from his pocket, unlocks it and hands it to Lisa.
"I want you to call your mother," Buba says. "Tell her to start preparing the documents for her visa application."
"Buba!" Lisa says. "I don't want her around me!"
"Did you or did you not promise me to follow my orders?" Buba says. "Does a decent person keep their promises? Are you a decent person?"
"Yes, yes, OK, I get it!" Lisa says. "All right."
Lisa calls her mother and tells her to come to Vienna.