A teacher somewhere on Kosovo and Metohija. Short, with a funny thin mustache which was seriously out of fashion, always ready for fun, and frequently a cause of fun. Elvir once called him to report on some infraction (he got his rifle stolen by his buddies while he was on guard duty), and while waiting for lieutenant, he stole a couple of cigarettes from his desk, and then instead of getting some punishment, he started some touchy story which ended by him asking from an out-of-order leave of absence. He didn't get it, but wasn't punished either.
He was always trying to scratch out anything he could from others - a bottle of soda in the canteen, or to borrow some money (which he did return, though not too fast). He even kept tabs on who was getting parcels from home. He wizened up quick enough, and made his own private schedule of who's due to treat him with what, on each day, to spread the load. He'd just appear by the elbow of someone who's by the counter in the canteen, and say „today you come a mirinda to me“*, which was a local brand orange soda. At least he wasn't asking for a beer.
With me, it was cigarettes, as I was rolling my škija and would probably never run out. Once, he and I were brooming the way in front of the canteen, and he offered a cigarette break, if I'd supply :). I had only the crumbles in the bag (didn't have a tozna then) and so I rolled him a fat one of bare tobacco dust. It took him about fifteen minutes to smoke that one, and when he was done, he got off the bench - and sat right back.
Never asked me anything after that.
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* „you come x to me“ - you owe me an x, common and widespread expression
17-XI-2019 - 2-II-2026