27-X-1970.: and the following few days
Collective visit to book fair and big theatre in Belgrade.
The girl in the white coat is our classmaster. Note the long step - her nickname was Troskok (three-step-jump), because she'd be from the door to her desk (by the opposite window) in three steps. The guy on the left should be Siške, the one with him (only top of head visible) Jolpaz; around/behind her Sredljak and Žara. The building in the back is Dom.
Going down to the fair grounds. They had to dig this because there's at least a four track railway to pass under. The long haired girl to the wall is Dragana, and the cluster around her are mostly the folks I know; the rest are from 2nd grade.
The Hala X of the fair. The place of big concerts, even the Gitarijada of 1967, or big concerts of Riblja Čorba in the eighties. I didn't even dream that I'll be sitting at a stand, selling my company's wares, only nineteen years later.
Passing by some university buildings (probably philosophy, they should be close to the theatre), saw several signs posted: "Our leader ... sentenced to 20 months, 7 days on hunger strike", "you are uninformed because you read the news", "our friend and colleague ... from Italy was arrested today", "the freedom of speech is guaranteed - constitution, article...". It was still called the "Marx university". None of this was mentioned in the press.
On the way back, I was in the wrong bus again, not with the gang. Tejka begged me to try to switch, but it just wasn't possible. Too bad, if it was, I would have.
On 31st (saturday), the trio came, we sat and had fun as usual, and then Tejka said she gotta go home. The usual scenario would be that they all go, but this time Duca and Dragana didn't budge. I got up to see her to the door, which meant that if she was bluffing, the bluff was called and now she either had to confess that she was just kidding, or really go. She got used to being he linchpin of the gang - if she isn't coming, so aren't they. This was the first time that it didn't work for the way back as well... So she expected that I'll escort her at least one block, to the railway, or stay with her at the gate pretending I'm escorting her. But no, I wouldn't budge either - "look, it may not sit well with you that it's possible to sit without you, but you know it can't be always like that. One of them may be missing but you're always here". "It's them who won't come without me". "Doesn't change matters. Don't be mad at me saying that, I'd tell you what I think sooner or later".
"So you're back already. What's she shitting now?"
"Inventing tricks. She's mad".
My mom once said that if I was a boyfriend to one of them, the gang would soon split - there'd be jealousy, fights. Tejka said "your mom has crazy ideas". Duca "we woudln't split. Sitting here is gang, a date is outside, at some other time". Me: "and we wouldn't go to ruža from here all together, but in twos, delayed". Dragana: "ok should I try to split the gang now?". Me: "too late now" (the week when I was into that little one in the first row). Dragana: "ah it's always too late with you. But I would so like to find a guy in gimnazija to have a little tender scene across the yard from Gradivoj's class window, to spite him a little.". Um, if that's the reason I got this half-serious offer, thanks, no. I want it to be for real, regardless of anyone else, not for spite. I don't care that she's the best one in the whole year. Well, from what I managed to see so far, the best.
Mentions: Biljana Lajković (Bilja), Dom omladine, Dragana Vitas (Dragana), Dušica Tošin (Duca), gimnazija, Gradivoj Čović, Gradivoj Raža (Žara), Gradivoj Sredljev (Sredljak), maturski parastos, Pavle Džeferdarević (Jolpaz), ruža, Siniša Savin (Siške), Slavica Tejin (Tejka), Zdravko Smetovački (Zova), in serbian