24-VII-1972.
Waiting all day. Reading Lun, king of midnight, of all things. Not that bad, though. The waitress in the camp restaurant was convinced I was nineteen at least, had to bring passport in the afternoon just to show her. Then she only reluctantly believed, still shaking her head.
In the evening I was nervously looking around - she was late and the big crowd (really everyone appeared) may just walk away somewhere, and it's possible I wouldn't be able to find them like last night, despite Patrick shouting loudly. Mačka asked "where's your lass on the white horse?" Wish I knew. Nisla joined us for the first time that evening. He is also another beach guitarist. Went all together (she came meanwhile) to a little meadow north of camp, perhaps 200m, lined some stones in a circle and made a campfire. She looks so nice under the light of the flames.
I wasn't wearing jeans because they were wet from "extraction of gold". Don't remember what it was, I sort of remember one girl's ring fell off the dock, and I saw where, so jumped right away while I still see it.
26th went downtown to concert of Time - new band of Dado Topić, who was, until last year, in Korni grupa (which had a concert a few days ago but I didn't know on time). I was lucky she wasn't late, so we got on the bus on time, found the place, got the tickets. And by this time I learned to spot the shiny blonde hair from very far, combined with her gait. So I said "let's go now" and, as per my eyballing calculation, met her halfway (others were way behind, I just couldn't resist hurrying up) and just kiss her again. Which was my last chance in a while, later it was always "not now, too many people around". Saw there a girl from IV3 (Pop's girlfriend) and that fourth girl who was occasionally with D.M.
We sat around at tables, it was more of a restaurant setting, on a terrace in the old city-fortress. Some girl from Austria, with a boyfriend, sat on my right (now that Evi is leaving, she'll become Inge's day companion for the rest of the time) would throw pebbles at some guy in front, to tell him to shift a bit to the side, so she can see. When he noticed and turned around I was just laughing about something Inge said, so he thought it was me. Another near miss - didn't get in a fight, and accidentally the next day I sat with Nisla and that same guy, and he said he seems to know me from somewhere.
Dado was not taking the concert seriously, it's a seaside tour and he probably already had enough (wine and what not), so I wasn't too sorry to miss the rest of the concert - we exited stage left at exactly 22:10, I managed to find a shortcut and get to the bus on time. There were two free seats on the bus but she chose that we use one, she sat in my lap. The road is quite curvy, this is an old dalmatian city, of narrow streets, so she had to hold on tight.
Sat on a low wall, just 2m from the water, moon was full, water was smooth, we could see the lights from the hotels and the camp. And then, at just the wrong time, she had to go.
27th she came to meet that austrian girl. I had the regula at hand and made the best shot of her that I could - it's perfect. Too bad I made just one more (we're both on third). Said she can't swim, so I promised to teach her. It was fun in the water, but we just played in the shallows, the real course should be the next day.
In the afternoon she washed my hair... not right now, let me finish this cigarette first. (wow I completely forgot that she smoked... didn't smoke much, though, and not while we walked).
(this was shot a few evenings later, when I borrowed a flash from these dutch kids; a rainstorm was approaching and we ended up in Nisla's house, which was in the camp itself, his dad being the director of it; Veca is the barefoot one, and he's playing the guitar; the rest are the Dutches)
Sat with Nisla and that guy from last night.
- how come she can't swim?
- there are all kinds of weird things, my Horatio.
- let me do it, I'm a certified trainer, used to be.
- so pass me a few tricks
- just let me do it. You know, there's a chance to grab a few bits.
- ...which I'll get anyway
- the more the reason to pass it to me
Yeah, right... Then the other guy sort of recognized me and we cleared it up. Then she arrived, and we climbed down the ladder from the dock, she holding me by the shoulders, and then when we were in deep water (it's about three meters at that end) I said "do you know at all what you need to do?" "well I do" "then try it out, let me see what you know". And she swam like a dolphin. Okay, nice. We climbed the monkey island... generally had fun. Wanted to teach her to dive, i.e. jump on head (as we say) but she didn't want to, jumped barrel style. I dived and emerged under her, don't know what I caught. Then more horseplay, one we won, the other one we both fell over Hoopsie, hitting him on the head (me with hip, she with head)(just remember that she said she was born with no soft bones on skull top, it was all firm already).
In the evening she was late - I knew she stayed for dinner with her parents, she usually didn't dine, so this time only. Mačka already fired hers about "where's your lass on the white horse?", to which I replied "she was on time twice already today, she earned the right to be late... but if she's not in three days, you may come to comfort me".
In the evening I saw her from afar (perfected that skil by now) so hid behind Wolfey when she arrived. She started asking around and they were all in on the joke so they answered roundabout and undefined, lots of dunnos and aintseenems, and then I squeaked my "what?" from behind, and she didn't get it the first time quite right, second time she was sure, just came and kissed me. They had šašlik for dinner (I guess probably ražnjići with add-ons) and the waiter went nuts when she started putting away all the onions and peppers. Didn't want to have an aftertaste in her mouth. As if I would have cared. Complained how tired she was. Well yes, you learned to swim today. She had until 22, and I said we should leave at 21:10, aiming at 21:15 - and I guessed right. Well, she isn't so uncommunicating and unreadable as she claimed in the beginning. Two more weeks and I'd know her.
- what did you think when you saw me missing?
- ah I think thank god
- see you are smart, quick to make a joke
She did claim she isn't too smart, not too good at school, short on memory, not connecting facts to each other, phantasises a lot. For quite a few days she didn't believe that I'm all fives and don't really spend a lot of time learning and have the time for the club. Then she changed her mind and thought me hilariously smart. Who'd say.
Too bad we'll never see each other again. Well I'll see you in the news when you get to be miss universe. Ah, I'm not photogene. Think so? You'll see what I'll make of you.
The walk was a problem, she was tired and had still aching from falling on Hoopsie... but when we parted, she said this better end soon. Why? If we go on like this I'll really fall in love with you and then parting will be hard.
28th shaved first, she smarted a few times if I'd put my chin on some gentler spots, so as per her request... Most of the day went on a field trip to Skradinski Buk, aka Slapovi (cascades) of Krka. It was all fine and dandy, but then on the way back Milivoje and his gang insisted on stopping at Biograd na Moru. Starting at 17:00 as we did, we'd be back in camp on time, but this way we'd almost make it - stayed perhaps half a hour (plus deour), but then stopped at another place where they had some friends (the two girls who visited some ten days ago), and then we stayed there quite long. Arrived at 19:45, and there was no way I could eat fast enough. When I got out, there was nobody anywhere. On all the usual places where we'd go, nobody. I went nuts.
Next morning Veca and Sneca complained to their mom that they caused delay yesterday, and today they suffer from me because I couldn't find Inge and now I'm unbearable and they suffer. There, there.
Lajna and Mačka said they missed me, there was nobody who'd mock them honestly and it was boring. In the evening Inge didn't appear, so by 21:00 I gave up and went to see Lajna and Mačka at the disco, where we killed a few gin and tonics. I saved them from some Austrians, whom they can't stand for the accent a la Hoopsy.
On 30th took Lajna and Mačka as a delegation to walk to her place to see what was up. Meant to take Wolfey first but he was playing minigolf with Zigi, so these two. They looked kind of bored, but they owed me one for last night. She was very happy to see us, says she caught a cold bt she's coming tomorrow. She had some orange jacket with decorative pockets zippered diagonally. The fad of the year was a ring to pull the zipper, i.e. if you ever see a zipper with a pull ring, that's vintage 1972. The best invention in that area, too bad it was a fad and had to vanish - I'd take ring over any other kind of pull, anytime.
She's sewn that jacket herself. Of course the zippers were the first thing I noticed. (my mom found that model in Burda later, but never mind, I was impressed) They were on Skradinski Buk yesterday (bad timing, eh?).
She was very happy to see me - the glint in her eyes, close to crying, the clutch of her hand as if I was ready to run away, the beatified smile... She's not coming tonight but tomorrow for sure.
In the evening we went single file. Nisla in front, me in the back, Veca, Sneca, Lajna and Mačka in between.
- Mačka, pull in your ass
- Lajna, pull in your tongue
- Grakula, pull in your teeth
Went to the ferial, met Wolfey there, had some icecreams along the way. Went back to Milka, sat there, mocked Mačka for being fat (actually isn't, just a bit rounded in the face). Wolfey was learning the language, managed at least a dozen phrases.
Mentions: 02-VIII-1972., 10-XII-1980., Inge Hertmann (Inge), IV3, Korni grupa, Marko Popović (Pop), Melanija Merćep (Lajna), Milivoje Stojanović, Milka Merćep, regula, Slanislav Dunjić (Nisla), Snežana Stojanović (Sneca), Vera Stojanović (Veca), in serbian
1-VIII-2022 - 9-X-2025