(Decades later I got a nagging suspicion that the empty seat on that tea party was not accidental, it may have been arranged by my friends, who knew I was coming.
And now that I wrote the last four entries, here's a different reconstruction: Evi just wanted to get me off her back, so she perhaps announced me, possibly even recommended. The clue is that they both thought I was english... had they asked any of the guys, they'd know I was not. But then she didn't tell her everything, and I got a little slap.
An even more nagging suspicion was that it was perhaps two or three times altogether when I won a girl; the rest of it was somehow arranged by her alone, or with friends. But then I was over 60 when it dawned on me, and the difference between being irresistible and desirable had become irrelevant.)
(There's another fun fact: I don't remember Evi at all. Nothing comes to my eye when I try to remember (did eventually, around spring 2025, was half asleep, but can't be sure such a face was there at all, absent on photos). Of Inge, however, I forgot only the many pieces of dialog, and where we sat and when, but more than half of it is still very vivid in my mind, with lots of details.)(but I forgot she was smoking)
The president of SIV, Džemal Bijedić, condemns Australia and Austria for hosting the training camps for the bugojanska group. In Vrsar there was the XIII world congress of nudists. The first album of Korni grupa was finally out. Thick heavy vinyl, nice sleeve and, fuck you PGP, it was mono. They alegedly had a chance to do it stereo, but it would take two months longer, so they went with what they had. Why would they push an album in late spring is beyond me, but there it was. Anyway, the main song on it is "Put na istok" (journey east, or as it was translated in some later incarnations of the band, to the orient). Now the two DJs loved it, and played it in full sometimes, all 13 minutes of it, with four movements in different rhythms, completely impossible to dance to, specially the third one which is slower than blues. So what do you do? Listen to it? I do that at home. Dance? Impossible. So, go for the next beer (which I didn't drink then) or... just go take a leak. Soon it was "where are you going to?" - "way to east" with finger pointing to the toiletward door.
So it became a running joke for the summer. "I'm gone east" was the way to say you're off to take a leak. I told that to Dimče once in the club, and he became suspicious right off the bat, why east, why not west. Had to tell him the whole story and context, which calmed him down. He wasn't the only one like that, anyone who carried the social conscience, or had (even just a perceived) duty to watch over the young, was very wary of any chance that the youth may go astray, display antisocial(ist) inclinations or generally go wrong. I guess it was much worse ten or fifteen years ago, but it was still annoying, gave you the feeling you weren't off the leash, it only got long enough to not mind most of the time... until it was jerked short.
I actually didn't get to listen to the album on any kind of proper speakers - still had only that Emona from 1963 plugged into the old radio from 1957 - so I took it to Aćim once, he had a Tosca or something. Not much better, but at least some semblance of hifi and decent sound, good for the times.
Bought it on 12th, the day we kind of celebrated Tejka's birthday. Of which didn't write down much - didn't write for most of the first three weeks of the month, because I was retroactively expanding the vacation notes, which were much more important.
On 8th got letters from Melanija and Lajna on the same day, the former wrote from Cambridge (!). Saw "Little big man" in Kino bašta ("cine garden"), which is a summer movie next to the city hall. It does have a roof, so it can stand a little rain. Rain with wind, however, may get you wet if you sit next to the outer aisles.
Went to Dom regularly but didn't quite try much around the girls, even when Gavra needed a companion to divide the two he found... wasn't much, didn't quite find the enthusiasm. Felt almost like going back to the bad old me, but actually no, I wasn't the same.
On 16th, perfect evening though, with one of the rarely present girls from IV4. Her being from a village, didn't stay long enough. (nb. 2017 saw her again, still looking good)
Talked long with Hazim about that girl who ditched me because of the love letters she had - says rubbish, that's letters from some cousin. She liked you but... Yes, what was it, then? She got into some bad company, queers and vagabonds and that was her first male company. Then her father found out and put her under a glass bell, short leash, return at 20 unless whole school goes to theatre. She goes nowhere, invents guys (probably she wrote the letters herself) and went full circle weird. Said she won't separate you from your gang. Wait a minute, I didn't have one then. Doesn't matter, she's gone weird and doesn't even complain anymore. She just complies with the condition she's in.
Some time this spring the word bosančeros appeared. It fit with other mexican sounding words, what with the final s that meant singular in serbian (pl. bosančerosi). You had to be careful of who's present when you utter it, as a sudden fist may be launched.
By now, on the the side of the bus to Lazarevo, a bosnian village around here, they scratched that same word, all by themselves.
21-VIII-2020 - 12-VI-2026