Sometimes

The short story "Ponekad" (Sometimes), featured in Večernji list's "Ranko Marinković" series, unfolds as a poignant reflection on memory and displacement. The narrative begins with the protagonist recalling his childhood fascination with swimming, a skill he practiced diligently under the guidance of older boys. He remembers the sharp, hot stones along the riverbank and the playful imitation of movements, the splashing of icy water, and the shared laughter with girls watching from the shade.

A pivotal childhood memory involves being told he was ready to swim. The sun beat down intensely, the scent of figs filled the air, and a sense of urgency permeated the moment. As he prepared to enter the water, he noticed a pair of flip-flops left near a towel. He moved them closer to the riverbank and looked up to see a girl engrossed in a crossword puzzle, a smile playing on her lips. In that instant, his focus shifted from the physical act of swimming to a nascent emotional connection.

The story then transitions to a starkly different scene. The protagonist wakes to a cold room, his mother urging him to hurry as they are leaving. Whispered conversations about fear, cigarette smoke, and the scarcity of bread reveal an underlying tension. The family departs the city almost unnoticed, their journey resembling a simple trip for pastries. His parents evade his questions, his mother nervously clutching a bundle of papers.

Their departure is halted at a checkpoint near Vrgorac by flashing lights. The father, attempting to appear calm, is confronted by a stern voice demanding their destination. His mother pushes the papers towards the interrogator. The protagonist feels a wave of nausea, the world seeming to shrink. He recalls the river's spray and the girl's smile, but the immediate reality is overwhelming. When asked who they are, his father, instead of answering directly, states, "Mi smo Srbi!" (We are Serbs!). The story concludes with the implication that this declaration, and the father's subsequent reassurance that the boy was merely scared by what he'd been hearing, eventually allowed them to pass, though not without a chilling warning.

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Mi smo Srbi!