Elbeszélések és tárcák

A cold, rain‑soaked October evening cloaks the Palermo Café, where owner Bresztler keeps a weary watch over his modest establishment. Inside, a troupe of young women huddle around their instruments, their tentative music drifting through the damp air as they exchange nervous glances with the few late patrons. Among them, the frail, black‑eyed Bencze girl slips in late, pleading for understanding while her mother’s illness hangs over her like a shadow.

The door then opens for Taraszovics, a hulking, gold‑chain‑adorned Serbian trader whose reputation precedes him, prompting the staff to bow and the musicians to resume with heightened vigor. He orders a generous measure of brandy, watches the band with a scrutinizing eye, and commands the room’s attention without uttering a word. As the night deepens, the contrast between his commanding presence and Bencze’s quiet yearning hints at hidden tensions waiting to surface.