Monday, February 22nd, 2021

A Russian programmer is asking me something I can’t quite follow about volleyball. I eventually realize that he is saying “variable.” It takes me a similar number of repetitions to figure out that the word that the French manager is saying, “Eyarshi,” is “hierarchy.” Later, I overhear someone speaking in English on his phone: “Tell me, in America do they make you sign forms with contracts stating that the work is not being done by slaves?” At work, we get word that the father of a worker passed away last night. Normally, people from the office would go to the funeral. Because of the virus, only family attends the ceremony this afternoon. The worker sends a group text thanking us for our condolences. Because of the virus, we can’t come over for the usual shiva calls. After work, I get a sachlav at the sandwich shop on the city square. As usual, the owner is sitting in the tent outside with other people, each with a coffee cup. Three full ouzo bottles are behind the counter. I see a teenage girl taking photographs with a real camera, not a phone. She is watching a gap in a fence where kittens live. A woman walks over with an open can and scoops food onto the cement. The kittens and one larger cat come over and eat. It looks like they know the woman well. The beagle that wanders around the square without a leash walks over to me and sniffs my shoes. They don’t tell him anything interesting. He walks away.