Katya Duft
Bio
Katya Duft is a public transit blogger (Tales From the Bus) and a three-time Moth Story Slam winner; frequent participant of storytelling shows in Los Angeles. She is also a linguist working in post-production.
Stories (32)
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Why Couldn’t They Just Say No?
That one year my birthday was approaching, so I decided to plan a house party (didn’t have a job at the time, so couldn’t afford going out, and my friends were aware of it). So, I sent out a Facebook event invite to a dozen of my besties (or so I thought!). These days each invite is accompanied by Going, Interested, Not Going and even the Ignore button.
By Katya Duft2 years ago in Humor
Pearl and the Dog Who Saved Her
Parents were screaming at each other again in the kitchen, behind the closed doors, but Pearl still could hear. She shut the door of her room and hid in the closet. Finally the sound didn’t come in anymore, so she turned her flashlight on and opened her fauna encyclopedia. So many different animals she would love to have as pets, but above all, maybe a small doggie. Mom didn’t really mind, but Dad was allergic to hair and very strict with Pearl. The grades that semester were still not good enough and the behavior not that stellar.
By Katya Duft3 years ago in Fiction
Just a Thoughtful Word
Every morning starts the same on our school bus. Alex plonks himself down next to me, elbows me in the ribs, and screams, "Yo, fatty, what did you have for breakfast? A ten egg omelette?" I just smile politely and look away. It's always the same joke; eggs, or bacon, or sausage, with slight variations. Other kids laugh and cheer; Alex jumps up and jokingly bows in every single direction. Being a class clown is his only resort from becoming an outcast, like myself. I understand and don't argue. I am used to it.
By Katya Duft3 years ago in Fiction
Ring the Bell If You Smell
I was standing at a bus stop in Los Angeles, when an elderly lady showed up, carrying a big plastic bucket. It was covered by a newspaper, but I was still able to see that it was full of feces, of all things. It was a hot day, so a couple flies landed on it right away.
By Katya Duft3 years ago in Humor
Size Zero? Zero Sense
A lovely friend of mine was recently shown on TV, being interviewed in her element, working out and teaching martial arts at a gym that she manages. Her job wasn’t the main focus of that TV story (it was actually about her connection to the British royal family), but all that many people were able to see was her larger frame, not typical for athletes.
By Katya Duft3 years ago in Confessions
The Girls Have Ears
One day, years ago, I was hired by a company in California for an interpreting task. The boss needed three Russian interpreters, and since I was hired first, he entrusted me with the task of finding two more, by interviewing some applicants the next day at his office.
By Katya Duft3 years ago in Confessions
Self-Therapy. Content Warning.
Out of all the places I rented in Moscow, Russia, one in particular stands out. To begin with, I moved in there under stressful circumstances and moved out under even more shocking ones. Also, it was a tiny room, where my landlady placed her old refrigerator that wasn’t working. When asked why, her reasoning was beautiful. “When the existing one breaks down, I try and get the old one repaired.” I should have known from the start, but the rent was beyond low and I had to move urgently, so...
By Katya Duft3 years ago in Confessions
