Memoirs of a Polar Bear by Yoko Tawada

Author:Yoko Tawada
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: New Directions
Published: 2016-10-18T22:45:00+00:00

Barbara and I decided on a certain finale for our act without informing Pankov and Markus. We rehearsed in our shared dream. I was scared because I wasn’t sure if I’d only dreamed this on my own or if Barbara had really had the same dream too. What would I do if I realized in the middle of the number that I was the only one who’d had the dream? This thought made the sweet taste of the sugar turn sour on my tongue, and I felt my back stiffen unpleasantly.

Finally it was time for our grand entrance. Barbara and I walked onstage hand in hand. The audience clapped enthusiastically even though we hadn’t yet done anything. I sat down on the stage relatively close to the audience, and stretched my legs out like a human child. When Markus gave the command, the nine polar bears marched onto the stage. Three of the most athletic bears balanced on large blue balls, rolling backward. The other six waited on the bench to the side. Barbara struck the floor with her whip. The three balancing bears skillfully spun their balls around, displaying their white backsides to the audience. For some reason the entire audience burst out laughing, and Barbara made a deep bow. I didn’t have time to find out why the audience found white polar bear bottoms so funny.

Markus brought out a sled and hitched two of the polar bears to it like sled dogs. Barbara got into the sled and took the reins. When her whip whistled, the sled glided off, circling the iron bridge. Next, all nine polar bears climbed onto the bridge, and at a new signal from the whip, they all rose to stand on two legs. At precisely this point, the band started playing a tango melody. I slowly got to my feet, took up my position in front of Barbara, and began with the first steps. My dancing, I believe, was magnificent. When the tango music came to an end, I was given a sugar cube, stood facing the audience, holding hands with Barbara, and took a bow. That was the end of the official program.

I was nervous until I saw Barbara’s fingers place a sugar cube on her tongue. Finally I knew for certain that we’d been having the same dream. I took up position quite close to her, inconspicuously correcting my angle, for from this moment on every centimeter counted. I stood twice as high as Barbara, and if only for this reason, I had to make an extremely deep bow. My neck elongated from my shoulders, my tongue stretched out before me, and I took the sugar cube from Barbara’s mouth. Barbara raised her arms in the air, and the audience roared.

We were able to repeat this scene many times during the following weeks, for scandalous as the kiss was, it wasn’t censored. The circus adopted the name “Kiss of Death” after a newspaper used it as a headline. The tickets sold

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