Maryia Bialkovich

Everyone laughs.

A BELARUSIAN Як скончыцца гэта ўсё, паеду ў…

When it’s all over, I’m going to travel to…

A UKRAINIAN Як скінчиться? Та ну що ви…

Over? Are you serious?

A BELARUSIAN Як скончыцца (!) гэта ўсё, паеду ў Парыж! Адразу ж! Буду шпацыраваць, удыхаючы веснавое паветра, хадзіць у музэі, у тэатры, размаўляць з людзьмі… 

Yes, when it is over (!), I’m going to travel to Paris, straight away! I’ll walk around, breathe in the spring air, visit museums and theatres, talk to people… 

A UKRAINIAN (одновременно) А я додому (усмехаются).

(talking at the same time as the Jew) Me, I’m going home. (smiles).

A JEW     (כולם ביחד) ואני הביתה (צוחקים)

(talking at the same time as the Ukrainian) Me, I’m going home. (smiles).

A BELARUSIAN Што з нашым домам адбылося… І хто ў тым вінаваты. 

What happened to our home and who’s to blame for that? 

A JEW   פולנים.

The Poles.

A BELARUSIAN Чаму палякі? 

Why the Poles? 

A JEW           בכל זאת הפולנים יאשמו בהכל.

They’re going to blame it on the Poles anyway.

A BELARUSIAN А сярод нас тут ніводнага. І дзе ўсе тыя палякі? 

Yet, there is no Pole among us. So where are all those Poles? 

A UKRAINIAN Хто його знає (розводить руками, натякаючи на масові розстріли)

Who knows. (shrugs her shoulders, alluding to mass shootings) 

A BELARUSIAN (Я**эю) А вы, дарэчы, польскі я**эй, беларускі ці ўкраінскі? 

(to the Jew) Are you a Polish, a Belarusian or a Ukrainian Jew? Or maybe, you’re a Russian Jew?

A JEW                 ואתה יהודי בלארוסי, פולני או אוקראיני? או אולי רוסי?

And what about you? Are you a Jewish, Polish or Ukrainian Belarusian? Or maybe, you’re a Russian Belarusian?

A BELARUSIAN Чорт яго ведае, як цяпер правільна адказваць. 

I have no flipping idea, what’s the right answer to this question nowadays.