Life in Croatia in 2017.
On his popular “Defence from Stupidities” blog, Jadranko Hodak, aka Blogger Krule, described the situation he encountered last night while he was driving on the streets of Rijeka, reports Index.hr on June 10, 2017.
“It is 1.30 in the morning … I am looking for a parking spot in my neighborhood, I cannot find it… I am driving in my car… Still looking for a parking spot… I see two people (a couple) diving in waste containers … I stop my car next to them… I secretly take a photo of them, so that you and other in this country can see this (I curse myself because I am not one of those who likes to take photos of human misery, but I have to do it so that other people can see it. Otherwise it would be as if it had never happened…) I get out of the car…
– Excuse me!
– Yes?
– I do not want to offend you… Can you tell me… Why are you diving in dumpsters and looking for empty bottles in the middle of the night?
– Poverty, sir.
– Do not call me “sir,” please… I am a construction worker, so “sir” sounds terribly snobbish.
– OK, I will not (laughter)… I also used to work in construction…
– I would like to talk with you honestly… as a human being.
– Yes?
– Why do you have to dive in waste containers in half-past one in the morning?
– We have to… we have three children.
– Three?
– Yes, three… The oldest one is attending law school… the other two are still in school … We never dive in containers during the day.
– Why?
– We did it once… But other children from the school then made fun of our kids… You know how children can be.
– These kids would not be making fun if their idiotic parents did not teach them to behave that way.
– That is what we also said. We do not teach our children to behave like that.
– And tell me… How many empty bottles can you find in one night?
– About 40 to 50 kunas worth… Or about 1,500 kunas a month… I got fired… I get unemployment assistance. My wife is a housewife.
– (Putting a hand in the back pocket of my trousers, taking out 60 kunas) Please, take this…
– (Both of them moving away) That is out of the question!
– Why??? I do not want to humiliate you… That was not my intention… If I had more, I would have given it to you… I only have 60 kunas.
– We do not do that… We do not take money.
– Let’s do it this way… I am not giving money to you, but… If a shop were open now, I would have bought some sweets for your kids… But, since no store is open now… You buy it for them… Please…
– But, we are not talking with you for the money.
– I am also not talking with you for the money… I stopped so that we could talk like human beings…
– OK… Other people do not talk to us… They think we are not people.
– There are a lot of individuals who do not think that way… There are many good people, believe me. Take this!
– (Addressing his wife) Take it, and buy the kids something tomorrow. (She takes the money) Thank you, sir!
– Again you with “sir”!?
– OK… (laughing)
Then we started talking about the construction business. Rijeka is a small town. He mentioned a company which he used to work for. We have joint acquaintances… It is evident that he is telling truth.
And so… I sat in my car and wrote this.
No one deserves such a life… Everyone should be able to live from their work… to pay for education and food for their children… But, in our country full of fields… forests… and hundreds of kilometers of the sea … it simply does not work.
The government of the Republic of Croatia… Go and fuck yourself. Amen.”
If you can read Croatian, you can follow Blogger Krule’s blog via Facebook by clicking here.
