The Wrong Bookshop

Lucas ordered a coffee and sat in the empty corner of the café. He took out his book and tried to read. But the man at the next table was watching him.

Lucas je naručio kavu i sjeo u prazan kut kafića. Izvadio je svoju knjigu i pokušao čitati. Ali čovjek za susjednim stolom ga je promatrao.

"That's a very old edition," the man said. Lucas looked up. The man was wearing a heavy jacket, even though the café was warm. "I used to sell books like that one. Around the corner. The shop is gone now."

"To je vrlo staro izdanje," rekao je čovjek. Lucas je podigao pogled. Čovjek je nosio tešku jaknu, iako je u kafiću bilo toplo. "Nekad sam prodavao takve knjige. Iza ugla. Dućan više ne postoji."

"Gone?" Lucas asked. He felt awkward, but he didn't know how to leave the conversation. "What kind of shop?"

"Ne postoji?" upitao je Lucas. Osjećao se neugodno, ali nije znao kako izaći iz razgovora. "Kakav dućan?"

The man laughed quietly. "Old books. Forty years. Then the building was sold to a bank. The bank closed too, three years ago. Now it's a clothing store." He looked out the window. "Every time I pass by, I forget for one second. I almost go inside."

Čovjek se tiho nasmijao. "Stare knjige. Četrdeset godina. Onda je zgrada prodana banci. I banka je zatvorena prije tri godine. Sada je to trgovina odjeće." Pogledao je kroz prozor. "Svaki put kad prođem pokraj, na trenutak zaboravim. Skoro uđem unutra."

Lucas closed his book and listened. The man did not ask for anything. He just wanted to tell someone about a place that used to be there.

Lucas je zatvorio knjigu i slušao. Čovjek nije tražio ništa. Samo je htio nekome ispričati o mjestu koje je nekad postojalo.