I often notice that Mykola Dementiuk doesn’t give a name to his main character, like in this case. Beginning of the 1960s, a man is living in a rooming house in New York City and prowling the neighbourhood under the Williamsburg Bridge. I don’t think he is specifically searching for sex, maybe more for “inspiration”, some fantasy he can use later on to masturbate alone. But during one of his prowling session he meets Chica, a transgender Puerto Rican girl. She is beautiful and she is nice to him, more nice than everyone else before, even if it’s clear she is aiming to his, few, money. But it doesn’t matter, it’s like a dream taking life, the man thinks he has finally found love, someone he could share his lonely life. Doesn’t matter that Chica is prostituting herself, doesn’t matter that she will basically do everyone on her path, for money or protection, she is a dream to the man’s eyes… but a dream can fade as soon as the blink of those same eyes.

Knowing Mykola Dementiuk, I was fully expected the feeling of the story and the development, but it seems to me this time he was a little more “kind” with Chica; sure she is not your good girl next door, she is a gold digger, and I’m pretty sure that as soon as the money are gone, also the girl will follow soon, but I didn’t feel in her the same “bad core” as I did for similar characters in some previous stories by the same author. Chica is probably at a stage she could be still “saved” by love if given a chance. And the man will lost his heart to her, and everything he has, but at least he will have the memory of her.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066DZM0S/?tag=elimyrevandra-20