Went to one of the last official duties for DC-99: take some footage (don't remember whether it was 35mm photos or a super-8 movie roll) of the commemorative session in The komitet. The occasion demanded that I wear a suit, which I didn't have. Actually did, but my only suit was apricot-creamy corduroy, not black. Didn't have any ties (still don't) and so some outfit was gathered between neighbors - trousers I managed to find, some old black corduroy, a bit tight; coat, from Đuđa's son; white shirt - probably dad's old one, when he was thinner; tie - dad's; shoes... I guess I had some dark enough.
Uncomfortable as I was, I went to the club, met with the rest of the gang (I guess it would have been Tarča, he was the politically aware (i.e. connected) one... dunno whether he already got that job at the bank - „can't have an unemployed societal-political worker*, can we, comrades?“). Went to The komitet, did our shots, later probably sent them to be developed and then someone delivered the roughly edited tape to whoever ordered it "for documentation". I wonder whether anyone ever ran those tapes at all, perhaps some udbaš watched faces in the audience for correct conduct.
On my way back to the club, I stood on the main square and had a smoke, looking at the crowd (there must have been something going on on the square as well - The Comittee hall can only take a few hundred people), when I was joined by someone Russian. Judging by the course of the conversation, probably a spy. I remember I said "ah, nowadays it's hard to get a phone line - easier to buy a car. We already have more cars than telephones."... now I imagine he was a skilled operative to lead the conversation in that direction. But then he needn't be - this was SFRY, we were open and I also suspected who he may be, so I accidentally blurted that one out (there were some quotation marks around a few words here, but this is not the local newspaper, I have no eyes to see abused quotes in my own text). He could see for himself how many cars were on the streets, but I guess he wanted to touch the pulse of the people, and picked a long-haired and bearded specimen for that. Serves him well.
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* „societal-political worker“ - društveno politički radnik - in the politically rectified language of the times, a politician. It having the „worker“ inside was especially funny.
17-III-2021 - 14-VII-2026