8
PARABLES
you must remember. If you want to live with a goddess, your life has to be
worthy of a goddess.”
“Thank you, God. Any guy would change his life for the sake of a goddess.
Just tell me this. When will you start making changes with my wife?”
“I will change her a little right now, and every minute I will change her
for the better.”
Ivan walked into his apartment, sat down in his armchair, picked up the
newspaper, and turned the television back on. Only he didn’t feel like read-
ing or watching a movie. He couldn’t wait to look. Had his wife indeed
changed just a little?
He stood up, opened the kitchen door, leaned against the doorjamb, and
began to examine his wife closely. She was standing with her back to him,
washing the dishes left after dinner.
Elena suddenly felt his gaze and turned toward the door. Their eyes met.
Ivan examined his wife and thought, “No, no changes in my wife.”
Seeing her husband’s unusual attention and understanding nothing, Elena
suddenly fixed her hair, and her cheeks flushed when she asked, “What is it,
Ivan? Why are you looking at me so closely?”
Her husband couldn’t think of what to say, and embarrassed himself, sud-
denly said, “Maybe I can help you wash the dishes? For some reason I
thought . . . . ”
“The dishes? Help me?” his amazed wife asked quietly, removing her
soiled apron. “But I’ve already washed them.”
“Well, that’s great. She’s changing right before my eyes,” Ivan thought.
“All of a sudden, she’s prettier.”
And he started drying the dishes.
The next day after work, Ivan hurried home impatiently. Oh, he couldn’t
wait to see his grumbling wife being gradually transformed into a goddess.
“What if there were suddenly a lot of the goddess in her, and I didn’t
change at all, like before? Just in case, I’ll buy some flowers so I put my best
foot forward.”
The door opened, and a bewitched Ivan was lost for words. Elena stood
before him in her party dress, the one he’d bought her the year before. She
