Not satisfied with the prints. First Aćim didn't come, the negative is uneven, and M.M. scratched the emulsion. Tired and don't feel like working.
Radisav got me out of biology and history to go to police HQ to shoot a reception for the kids, same as last year. Meanwhile the historian threatened to disperse the class.
Lots of fuss about sending the films to the festival. We have no equals when it comes to making things complicated. Went to Pop three times, twice to the club, once to Jablan, once to Lazar and finally once home.
Imagine who dropped by at DC-99: Duda with her dad. I wouldn't have recognized her alone. Then I recognized the knees and thereabouts (yup, where was I looking then). In the end she gave me a look just like then, and also during that encounter we exchanged looks, secretively. She isn't as pretty, the puberty hit her hard - extra weight, pimples, wrong cut of bangs and wind tussled her hair - not in her best shape. Imagine, she knows Višnja. Small is the city. But please, those same legs, the look in her eyes, everything like two years ago. The first girl I ever asked, and may still do again - who knows, she might agree this time. Though there's a small matter of being Lazar's niece.
On 17th Spužva gave Slavka a three, she got some discount. Or he got an order to loosen up. Tejka nervous about Marko Bozon, Zova was first in a race, Živa came to ask me to bring some pictures to the staff room (works in local newspaper); on korzo found Aćim and the freckled S. (allegedly of a russian father), says this is all bullshit, the real stuff will begin when the two of us start working together. He does have crazy ideas. His script, directing together, rest mine.
Learned history and slept most of the afternoon, then Lazar came, urgently needs projector for super 8 (mine can do both eights), has some Italians.
On 18th brought those photos into the newspaper (don't see why on thursday, it's too late, they close the issue on wednesday noons), and got briefly interviewed by CD. Had again a few gentle moments with Dragana, this is becoming a habit, and then at home we awaited dad. I saw the car on the street, and hurried up to meet him first, "tell mom that she lost weight". The gag worked twice - first she was pleased to hear that, then we all had a big laugh. He also had some ideas that I could work as a tourist guide on the Adriatic coast in the summer, being so handy with the language etc. Not that I'm a born guide, but still it would be great. And he'll also have at least three negatives for me to develop.
On 19th we had the seniors' last day, so it was near impossible to do anything, they were singing in the yard, shouting, screaming, crying, laughing, taking pictures. And Dragana is at my side, gently. Weather is hot dry wind. Bosa came and embraced me very very strongly, do you have a dinar, nope, what you don't love me anymore?
At Sonja's we pretended that it rang, just bluffed of course, so left five minutes earlier.
Aćim didn't come, again, but never mind I can do on my own. Specially as I lifted the dryer from the club so double capacity.
Crazy clouds today, as if artificial light below and heavy dark above, graphite gray, heavy as lead, as a stock market clerk. Slept just as heavily in the afternoon.
On 20th, saturday, among other news, Višnja broke up with that actor. Long lasting. And started wearing trousers. Looking good that way, can't say. We're a bit apart these days, probably because I'm so busy and not really spending each break down with them. Sonja expells Bajče from the class, and his right hand is in bandages. "So this is thanks... you'd be sitting in that good chair a little bit tomorrow* had I not wrestled it from all the way over there" (he did, there was a really bad chair and he brought it from the other end of the hall, there was an empty classroom, now that the seniors are out). Speaking of bandage, he actually had marked the whole schedule to remember when to keep it on the right hand (when he may be answering something that requires writing), and when on left (other subjects).
Went with Gavra to Dom but dropped at IX community centre first (my street, same spot as in 1969) and found the gang from ruža trying to arrange a disco in there. Obviously they lack ideas, sound system, girls. Music is fine, friends bring their own. Said it was really neat last night, only three fights.
On 21st at DC-99 we were arranging our appearance at the festival next weekend.
Prepared an article for the festival bulletin and gave it to mom. Her colleague at work retyped it on a matrix, which is a funny thing, I've heard that way of copying has several names, and don't know which ones apply in english - it's either called geštetner (probably german brand name) or šapirograph (another brand name, Shapiro should be a jewish surname). It's typed on an ordinary typewriter without a ribbon, so the type creates holes and then ink oozes through and you get your type printed. We'll submit that. It's a mock (self-)advertising, ends with "note to organizers to give up on eumig projectors, they are alergic to spliced tape (cabin projector digests everything)".
Arranged with Gavra to get into the prom night at Zmaj. We may even make a movie out of that. That was on 24th, and I kept losing him and barely found him, but in the evening it turned out alright. We just wanted to crash the party, and then I remembered that camera opens all doors and we arranged that. We built the cover story around that. Beštara tried to come in with us, but the director explicitly gave the free pass to only the two of us (it seems I still have some reputation there). Good party. Caught some nice girl and escorted her home for change of shoes, and saw Beštara on a motorbike outside, waiting. The generation doesn't know how to party like we did. Only two years later and all is forgotten. All in all, some party and some fun, came home at midnight.
On 26th, in the evening, big meeting in the club, even my folks and Lazar with wife, Jablan with wife and kids, some of their friends, and practically whole DC-99 including the younger girls (M.M. and her friend) - planning the trip for tomorrow.
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* "a little bit tomorrow" means never, no chance