ADOLESCENT SĂRAC, ADOLESCENT BOGAT

ENGLEZĂ Cornelia Păun Heinzel:  “
ADOLESCENT SĂRAC, ADOLESCENT BOGAT”

“Rich teenager, poor teenager” translation in english Andrei Albus

-Wait to see what happened in Greece, with the girls, in the religious educational program, said a teacher with verve. We had to look for them in the beds of foreign tourists from other hotels. There was very happy to find free women, more expert than the prostitutes, at all youngsters. They were only daughters of rich men, with much money. But the boys from the class which I am class master at; boys from modest families, when I struggled so much for to obtain free of charge camps to the seaside, waren’t too happy. They came back slim and angry.  They didn’t eat almost anything.

 

- But what could they give them to eat there, because your perents don’t have money possibilities, they’re a bit pour . They don’t work , so they live from social help , said a girl astonished. In the last years, all the teenagers that went in our camps came back happy. They were satisfied with the program.

- Băieţii spun că le-au dat la masă carne de porc, friptură, pilaf, pireu...  Dar lor nu le-a plăcut nimic, spuse profesoara. Poate preparatele nu erau bine gătite. N-ar fi trebuit totuşi, să fie pretenţioşi, în mod normal.

..................................................................................

Clementin and his class-maters  arrived in the morning at the camp which at the romanian seaside. The organizers carefully had prepared us breakfest: milk, cereals, Prague ham, Sibiu salami, cheese, bread and butter.
„What is this? I’ve never ate such things in my life. And I can’t eat food which I’m not used to. At home, I eat fried potatoes and vegetable soups. And at school, I eat snacks like bac rolls.
His class-maters listened to him with trust, confidence. They were in the same situation. And so, they did the exactly same thing as their leader, Clementin. Now of them touched the food.
„Let’s see what they’re gonns give us for lunch said the nervous, angry teenager.
"Now, we are gonno-going go to the beach, yo can tan and swin-swimming in the sea," said explains courtesy the Association's instructor, which had to the program with the kids in care.
In ten minutes, they all reached-arrived the great shore of the Black Sea, on the wonderful Black Sea. The hotel was very close to it.

- I won’t sty on the beach. Why , so well cam fry - frying in the sunlight ? What are we, hamburger or sausages? said Clementin angrily. And… This is the sea? That dirty! And full of naughty grasses=nauseans weed and weird – wird creatures! There’s an awful smell in the air! I won’t enter that water at all ! Friends, it would be better to return to our hotel rooms and play on the computer or on the mobile phone.
And all the boys immediately left nervous, angry to the hotel. They started walking tourrds the hotel.
- Don’t forget to come and eat your lunch! We shall be waiting for you in the restaurant of the hotel ! “ said the one responsible-manager for the group, with a gentile = said in a loud voice.
The teens entered Clementin's room and cheerfully chatted on the mobile, the favorite games. The hours passed so fast that they did not even realize it. Suddenly, one of them said in a gruff voice:
- Brothers ! Are we no longer eating ? It's like lunch time. One of them, I was hungry. Especially since I did not swear anything in the morning.
"You're right," Clementin said. We're going to the table. Let's see what he's going to give us now! That I, one, I do not like what I cook and what I serve here.

The dining room was arranged for the new guests, with white, clean-faced faces, and fragrant natural flowers in brightly colored glass pots.
- Come on, boys! I do not like the smell of these mimes! the boy said. I throw them out of here! I hurt! and moves the flowers on the free tables, away from its table. His colleagues urgently carried out the same maneuvers.
Clementine was just their leader and was right in everything he did.
At lunch, the first dish was meatball soup. Steam was floating out of the bowls . But not for Clementin..   Making faces, the teenager, shaked his green croaking, through the liquid in the bowl and said angrily,
- What is this ? Rice bulls with meat and pork ! I have ‘t now this before, in my life! I can not eat what I haven ‘t …..! I wen ‘t even put then thing im my mouth!
The second meal-kind was tasty pork steak with rice and red cabbage salad.
- What is this rice? I do’t like it ! What, are we Chinese? And liked the pork steak  I won ……this,  said Clementin.
"Maybe you like the alive," said the group's leader, while the waiters coming with desert plates to the customers’=clients' tables.
Clementin caught the plate with the  ……and …it  for a long time, and then marking faces while putting his finger into the sweet contening , sticky , balancing it a few times, and…
- I know exactly what it's good for ! he said with an ironic grin=smile, while throwing the alvit  Marcel’s face who was in front of him an the other side of the table. The teenager got angry at first, especially because the boys started to laugh loudly, and then he repeated the move on the boy standing on his right. In a few seconds, the group started an alvit  throwing light, just like in the of a TV show. They, of course , got into the hotel rooms hungry , because they dich not it  anything.  

In the evening, by dinner time, Clementin said to his friends:

- We shal not even go to eat the rubbish they give us anymore.

I‘ve discovered looking outside the window a little shop. We get money from all the boys and we go get what us usually, eat snacks, chocolats, biscuits and bake rolls ...
They howerver , get to walk only a bit outside of the hotel and the pasnic caight him and got him to the man responsible with the group which said with panic.You cannot get out of this building alone and you cannot eat anything else. I am responsable for you safety and for your health while you’re here. If anything happenes to you  , if you eat something that’s alterated , I’am responsible.

Clementin comes back dissatisfied, grumbling in the room, and continues the games started on the mobile.

In the evenings, they als being organized music and dance for the teens in the camp.

 Clementin came with his group. He rotated the look resercher.

The teens were dancing with pleasure, încântaţi by exciting rhythms.
Slim girls with doll faces were waiting excited to be danced. One of them, delicate, with blonde hair and blue-eyed, like the sea,  immediately cast a glance at Clementin, who looks more attractive, with his contemptuous air superior compared to the other teenagers.
- What’s with these girls ? They’re not like the other girls we see on the Internet. I’m not  dancing with them ! And, actually, in fact, I don’t even know ! Come on , guys ! let’s go ! What, this is music? Isn’t at  all like the one we’re listening to yand  the ones from our games. They would’be better put us manele said the teen !

  Şi băieţii se întoarseră în camere, să se joace. Timp de cinci zile, cât a fost tabăra, grupul lui Clementin nu mai ieşi din camere. Toţi băieţii au manevrat continuu jocuri pe computer, în timp ce ronţăiau pe ascuns, câțiva pufuleţi, snacks-uri şi bake rolls-uri. Pentru că, plin de idei, Clementin reuși o dată, să facă rost de câteva pungi. O rugă pe cameristă, cu voce plângăcioasă, întinzându-i banii strânşi de la amici:

- Tanti, murim de foame ! Cumpăraţi-ne, vă rugăm, nişte pufuleţi şi snacks-uri sau bake rolls-uri  de la un chioşc!Nu putem mânca altceva!

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Pe peronul gării, la sosire, îi aşteptau mamele sau bunicile - deoarece doi dintre elevii grupului, fiind orfani, erau crescuţi de acestea - bucuroase că veneau de la mare dragii lor copii, fiind cazaţi la hotel de lux, gratuit, unde ele nu aveau nicio sansă să-i ducă vreodată, neavând posibilităţi financiare. De aceea le obţinuseră bilete gratuite în tabără.

Adolescenţii apărură slabi, iritaţi, nervoşi, cu feţele pământii.

- V-a plăcut marea? întrebă curioasă una din ele. Iar un băiat răspunse:

-Deloc ! Marea puteeee ! Şi suntem lihniţi ! Era să murim de foame !

Femeile şi-au îmbrăţişat cu dragoste odraslele mult iubite.

Iar Clementin ţipă de răsună tot peronul :

- Mamă, când ajungem acasă, îmi faci cinci şarje de cartofi prăjiţi ! Şi cumpărăm şi nişte snacks-uri şi bake rolls-uri  ! Ca la mama acasă !

- Ei, cum a fost băieţi ? îi întrebă și diriginta. M-am agitat atât de mult să vă obţin locuri gratuite... sper că aţi mâncat şi v-aţi distrat bine...

- Nu, doamna. Nu ştiam că-i aşa de rău, în tabără la mare. Nu mai merg niciodată în viaţa mea ! Am slăbit zece kile ! Era să murim de foame! răspunse Clementin şi povesti tuturor necazurile avute în vacanţă.
.......................................................................

In Greece, the group arrived at night=in the evening at the place where they get the room, in the Motel that station.

The co-ordinator of the educational program met them with hospitality.
- I get the best rooms for you. They have sea view view said the woman, knowing that teenagers were the Kids of some important people.
First, they=the young people went into they hotel rooms, then they went in the restaurant, to have lunch.

They finished lunch= eating and they went back=retired. Suddenly, the quietness of the hotel=the hotel's silence was interrupted=pierced by the sound of a broken glass, by screams and by dancing music, to the fullest. The teenagers started the party. No tourist in the hotel will not sleep. They were all participating withaut they Knouing at the teenagers’ fun. The walls of the building were vibrating because of the rhythms, that the teenagers liked , because of the sound of strident laughter and wild screeming. The norty went an until the morning. At the breakfast, no student appeared.

They ware all sleeping, without any chance of wake un before lunch.
Adela, the teacher, was happy that in the group that she was responsible of, were only boys, so she hed less care. Her happiness, ended shortly.

Marcel, one of the teenagers, a depressive winds was lamenting all the time, wo matter wher happening or was seen around him.

Matthew, his colleague, got a his fever. They put a thermometer and ... stupor!
He had forty degrees! It had to bring in a doctor !
Adela was happy that in she had the chance to visit some remarkable monuments from Greece. But the boys from the group weren’t excited about the idea.
- Teacher, we want to remain=stay in the rooms. They back out the sophisticated laptops and begon to handle them with dexterity.
"But we are at seaside. Don’t you us want to tan, to stoy en the sand, to go in the water in the Aegean Sea? asked the teacher.
- We can go later, in the hotel's pool. Our girls said that we will be theire  all day, said the teenagers.
- The girls? They don’t want an the beach too ? the woman was surprised.
- No, teacher. They were at the solar and… already perfectly tanned, said one of the boys.

Adela had to remain in the hotel, because she had to watch of her the students. The teenagers spent large sums money, satisfying all their desires, buying souvenirs.
The food at the hotel was delicious, but they have completed it with sweets and sodas. They also had alcoholic drinks, but the boss=chief program took them from the start and stopped them at the reception, and promised them that he will give them back when they will leave.
The evening came hard. Adela was bored watching, after the teenagers=young mens. She was sending messages on Facebook, contacting almost all of her family...
Suddenly, she began to hear powerful Knaks an the door.
- The girls ! The girls disappeared ! said yje boss of the program.
- But I don’t have any girls with are. The other teachers are with them, said Adela, careless.
-Yes, but they locked themselves in their rooms and they're not answering, said  the organizer -replied.
- And where do we find them? asked.the teacher. We don’t have any a chance to find them. The hotel is very large, the resort is stretched. And we’re not detectives.
- We make some phones calls to the people our acquaintances  and we Know and will friend them. The’re in danger !
I know what you can do! If one is killed, it is serious, there is an international scandal ! said the woman worried woman.

But this is an unusual situation. The employees of the hotel surely recognize them, they are different and we will know where they are.
The program coordinator called the reception of the neaby hotels and transmitted without knowing, if one of the girls in the new group went into a room, with the foreign tourists.
After a short time, the phone rang.

The woman quick’y said hurriedly to Adela:
- We’re going to the hotel in the middle of the town. They’re found there one of the girls. In front of the building was a taxi that started at they in order to the place that they were looking for.        

                        -Go to the seventh floor, room 723, where an Arab tourist was, the hotel's receptionist said. You will be accompanied by our director.
The women get there and the man opened the door of the room hotels with a magnetic card and ... in front of then appeared a slim, blond, beautiful girl.

...................................................

The manager of the hotel politely apologized and explained the situation. The girls reuned,  coming with the school into a educational program and they were not over years old. If  they told heren   whe…  was the girl’s father we can’t imagine u hot was the reaction of the man.

- Why don’t you let me have ………. Fun ! I wan’t have any ocasion  like they in a while, said the girl, after they drove her to the hotel.
The phone rings again.

-They’re got the other girl in a beach hotel with a black man, said the coordinator of the programme. We need to get there as soon as posible!

When they opened the door of the room, the manager, accompanied by the women, saw a drunk black,….  with a superb, beautiful brunette also trunk,…in the same condition.

........................................................................................................

With they was much easier. than yhe other case. Both of themwere laughing, as if something funny happened. The girl was driven quickly to the hotel in her room. And the black guy fell a slept

The other girls were found one by one. In the morning they were king their apperence when the teachers saw that they have completed the mission. They were tired but happy at the same time with what they have done.

The bodyguards of the hotel got severe instructions, to strictly guarding the girls, who come with an the religious education program. He let the girls party for all the nights.

The walls of the hotel were vibrating because of the music for for five nights and days in Greece, music, fun and joy, exactly how long the programme lasted in Greece. The cute guys were thinking to un sunrise the teacher so they went to the beach.

The teacher sat under the sunshine, went in the began Sea and the teenagers played in the fine sand, in a deep pit , because one of them said that it will be fun . They book a selfie and posted they ‘re photos on face-book. But the return had its adventures . They had to stay at the customs for a long time, but they were happy when they arrived home.

 

CERNAUTI LOVE

                                                                          By dr. Cornelia Paun Henzel

Traduction: Ion Radu Bădescu

 

Sometimes your destiny can launch you to realms that you would never even dream to know.

Nicolae passed the ,,Filozophy”, but in the last year of college studies, a money and econonomy  crisis started wich affected the entire world with unemployment, bankcruptcy and social crisis. The world war has made all the people to get poor. Academics, the highly educated people were the most affected. But the university graduate had the worst situation as they  saw their wishes and dreams broken when finish the studies.  For a guard job they had to present to a contest a Medicin graduate, a Letter graduate, a builder and an Right graduate.

If he would listen to his father who is a churchman, Nicolae would had more chanses. But when he went t register to the college, he took his file in the Teology, where his parent registered him, and Nicolae applied at Filozophy.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 On the street Nicolae met a friend:

-We have one more chance! I heard that the military are making cast in the army. Let’ s try that! We don’t have a better option! Told the friend to Nicolae.

-And where are we gonna go?

-We meet tomorrow at ten in the front of the University. Be ready!

Nicolae went back home fast. It was the day before the born of Ioan. Involuntary, he started singing churcher songs, songs that remembered him about the old times when he was a child. Nicolae had a nice voice, also!

In the garden the proprietary, Ms. Matilda  was praying. The doctor, Emil started laughing:

-But what are you doing Ms. Matilda?

- It’s the born of Ioan and the churchman is coming! What, you don’t hear him?!

-That’s Nicolae, ms. Matilda, he’s my roommate!said Emil

-But… What…How ? He sings so well! He has a very nice voice!

-You don’t know that his father is a churchman? That’s why he knows all the church songs very well.

- But why he isn’t a church man, too?

-He didn’t want! Everyone  has his own talent!

Next day Nicolae has been accepted in the army because of his very worked  body. He solved his problem with the job in this mode! Not in the same way he wanted to, but in a crisis time was the only possibility for him. He could study the Filozophy in his free time. And when the crisis will stop, he will become a teacher, as he wanted to. Untill that time he could read a lot of books and write, as he was used to do from the time he was a child. He wrote even a monography of his village after he found important  informations about it. The place was built by Tudor Vladimirescu’s soldiers.   

The life in the army was hard for college man, like Nicolae. But his atlethic  body made him to pass these things.

The armymates talk much about him and what they spoke rich to the colonel of the unity, Berezoianu, who asked to see him:

-Bratu, is that true you studied  the Filozophy and you know the old greek language?

-Yes sir!

-In this afternoon you are invited at my place! You are invited at lunch! It is an order.said Brezoianu.

Very shy, Bratu showed at colonel’s place. After the lunch, the colonel asked for Nicolae in his office.

-So, I want to tell me about the new editorial apearance. What’s your opinion? What new book that appeared was interesting to you? asked Brezoianu.

And they talk a lot about filozophy.

-Bratu, don’t forget, here you are Bratu, the filozoph, but in the camp you are Bratu, the soldier. Good bye! I liked to talk with you!

In that summer Nicolae riched Cernauti with his battalion. The town was beautiful. The people called it the little “Viena”. It had a very interesting story. The sharming city represented one of the most important urban towns from Romania. The Cernauti has made bigger when the Habsburgic family controlled the area. With a commune past and traditions, the cechs and the austriac man transformed Cernauti into a modern city.

Nicolae was impressed by the city, wich was a modern city, full of sculptures, natural beauties, green parks and nice squares to visit. In Cernauti you can see all the architectural stiles that existed in the last centuries in Europe. As an old lover of art and beauty, Nicolae loved to walk to the wonderful streets of Cernauti, to watch the stiles, from Napoleon to the melody lines of the baroc.

He liked the buildings in exbrancovean stile- a continue of the austriac fashion-as the Sf. Nicolae church, the place which ornamental compose, this stile has complete nice with some of the elements of the italian Renaissance and specific romanian  procedures. The brancovean buildings and un roumanian ones were recognize  immediate from their beauty and decorations that remind him about the original roumanian stile, about the clothes of the boors from his village and after the big and half round crowns from the top of the buildings.

Nicholas was enchanted by the wonders Cernăuţi that could not be seen anywhere else in Europe. They were paraded in front of hundreds of Greco-Roman gods and goddesses in the form of reliefs, sculptures raised, mosaics etc. And as many lions, birds, snakes. It notes that the old center of Bucharest was only an attempt provincial buildings near imperial stature architectural Chernivtsi true fingerprint of fabulous history, even before the century of Habsburg rule, most markedly for him. Nicholas read that first documented the settlement represented a a charter issued by Alexandru cel Bun.

The first building in Chernivtsi, which he wanted to see Nicholas was University "King Carol I of Chernivtsi". The construction was a jewel built in the second half of the nineteenth century, one of the highest hills of the city. Since its establishment in 1875 called "University Franz Josef" and there was a higher education institution known throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Nicholas knew from books the Austrian Parliament approved in 1872 the establishment of the Hungarian University of Cluj, and on March 20, 1875 It decided to set up a German university in the capital of Bukovina. the purpose of establishing the institutions of higher education in Chernivtsi was primarily spread of language, culture and science in this part of the German empire.

The man noticed that whenever you look away, streets Cernăuţi revealed the most unexpected architectural details. Former Orthodox Metropolitan of Bukovina and Dalmatia but was distinguished among historic buildings and religious Chernivtsi Catholic Church, the Jesuit Church, the Greek Catholic, Protestant church and synagogue or temple. In Chernivtsi, cosmopolitan city of a mix of cultures and religions, where people taught themselves how to live peacefully and respect each other, tolerance was not a mere word. Romanians, Jews, Germans, Poles, Ukrainians, Armenians and other minorities lived together peacefully. a spiritual atmosphere, and effervescent match. There were no preconceptions, ethnic or religious hatred among its people.

Metropolitan - like a castle because gates three meters high walls and its brick buildings with stepped gears and merloane - was the architectural jewel of the city. The ensemble consists of three buildings, a court official and a five-hectare park with rare trees, artificial hills, ponds with fountains, statues and cave, surrounded by a high wall three meters. Metropolitan residence was located in the center, chapel Saint John of Suceava. Seminar was left Synodal Church and the right tower building, which housed a school of icon painting and one deacon, a museum, being the guest house.

On the first night, Nicholas went with some colleagues in the film. The building of the cinema "Chernivtsi" was built in 1877 in the style of Mauritania, before the city's main synagogue. The next day, Nicolae Mircea out with a colleague at "Caffé Vienna".

- Let we the prom! Here are held Saturdays balls! Mircea proposed them.

Saturday night in the place of the cottage held a luxurious ballroom. Prominent families, daughters came to find them here chosen to marry them. Nicholas comes and look stylish crowd in agitation continues. Suddenly, in a corner, he saw a young blonde with blue-green eyes, petite and gentle. It was like an angel amongst others around him. Talk to a young woman, taller and brunette as beautiful and fascinating with the same eye. He went to them and invites blonde waltz.

- I have this waltz? Nicholas said tilting head and courteous.

- Ich bin schön, ich bin gebildet, bin ich wunderbar! jump up young brunette, strongly emphasizing the word "ich". Why do not you want to dance with me? I have no dance partner now!

- I like Miss, she said Nicholas decided, while reached out to catch the fingers, to lead to the young charming dance floor. Miss your name? I am Nicholas, philosophy graduate and son of a priest. Now I'm in the army. But in the future I will be a teacher, what I always wanted.

- Elisa, said voice gentle face.

- And the young woman next to you? Nicholas asked curiously. Why react so?

- Helga's older sister. It is very beautiful and proud every man his courtship. Expect anyone to like! Elisa said.

- But you are much finer, softer more gentle ... continued Nicholas.

- This is your opinion ... said quietly Elisa

- Welcome only sister? the man asked.

- I'm here with mom, dad and my three brothers Arthur and Anton Alwin.

- know several languages, is not it? I saw you speak German sister. I taught high school French, German, Italian, Spanish, Ancient Greek and Latin! said Nicholas.

- I speak Romanian, because I went to school in that language, the national language and German, I was of this ethnic group. German speaking Catholic school, but I learned French, as a foreign language. But when we were children, we were all from different ethnic backgrounds and we always play together. So we all learned to converse in Russian, and Polish, and Ukrainian, and even Yiddish. So we better understand each other, and parents all. We used this when I went to shop Jews, for we could address in their language, and barbershop Ukrainian to the Russian cinema for this is closer to us or a mail clerk was Polish. Chernivtsi is an international space from this point of view. We learned to respect each others language, ethnicity, and religion. Let us respect and love! explains the young.

The dance ends and Elisa Nicholas led her back.

- Dad, this is Nicholas, working in the army and has a degree in philosophy! Elisa said.

- Um, the army! My name is Heinrich Hensel is recommended man. She is my wife, Gertrude. I was an officer in the king's court in Vienna. When I retired, I retired here in Chernivtsi. I got married and now I have a small business, a factory of rubbing alcohol.

Nicholas noticed that Mrs. Gertrude was much younger than domnul Hensel. - My brother remained in Vienna. And his son, my nephew is there a prominent lawyer, continues domnul Hensel. But with this crisis, Gertrude complete ... my grandkids, and Johannis Peter went overseas just in Canada ... - May I visited your daughter? asked Nicholas. - Of course! accept old gentleman. - This is Michael! Helga said, quickly coming to the group. He invites us to sustain license and his sister Anastasia university. Come you, Mr. Bratu? Helga asked Nicholas. - Of course! I really enjoy! the man replied.

Nicholas was enchanted by the wonders Cernăuţi that could not be seen anywhere else in Europe. They were paraded in front of hundreds of Greco-Roman gods and goddesses in the form of reliefs, sculptures raised, mosaics etc. And as many lions, birds, snakes. It notes that the old center of Bucharest was only an attempt provincial buildings near imperial stature architectural Chernivtsi true fingerprint of fabulous history, even before the century of Habsburg rule, most markedly for him. Nicholas read that first documented the settlement represented a a charter issued by Alexandru cel Bun.

The first building in Chernivtsi, which he wanted to see Nicholas was University "King Carol I of Chernivtsi". The construction was a jewel built in the second half of the nineteenth century, one of the highest hills of the city. Since its establishment in 1875 called "University Franz Josef" and there was a higher education institution known throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Nicholas knew from books the Austrian Parliament approved in 1872 the establishment of the Hungarian University of Cluj, and on March 20, 1875 It decided to set up a German university in the capital of Bukovina. the purpose of establishing the institutions of higher education in Chernivtsi was primarily spread of language, culture and science in this part of the German empire.

The man noticed that whenever you look away, streets Cernăuţi revealed the most unexpected architectural details. Former Orthodox Metropolitan of Bukovina and Dalmatia but was distinguished among historic buildings and religious Chernivtsi Catholic Church, the Jesuit Church, the Greek Catholic, Protestant church and synagogue or temple. In Chernivtsi, cosmopolitan city of a mix of cultures and religions, where people taught themselves how to live peacefully and respect each other, tolerance was not a mere word. Romanians, Jews, Germans, Poles, Ukrainians, Armenians and other minorities lived together peacefully. a spiritual atmosphere, and effervescent match. There were no preconceptions, ethnic or religious hatred among its people.

Metropolitan - like a castle because gates three meters high walls and its brick buildings with stepped gears and merloane - was the architectural jewel of the city. The ensemble consists of three buildings, a court official and a five-hectare park with rare trees, artificial hills, ponds with fountains, statues and cave, surrounded by a high wall three meters. Metropolitan residence was located in the center, chapel Saint John of Suceava. Seminar was left Synodal Church and the right tower building, which housed a school of icon painting and one deacon, a museum, being the guest house.

On the first night, Nicholas went with some colleagues in the film. The building of the cinema "Chernivtsi" was built in 1877 in the style of Mauritania, before the city's main synagogue. The next day, Nicolae Mircea out with a colleague at "Caffé Vienna".

- Let we the prom! Here are held Saturdays balls! Mircea proposed them.

Saturday night in the place of the cottage held a luxurious ballroom. Prominent families, daughters came to find them here chosen to marry them. Nicholas comes and look stylish crowd in agitation continues. Suddenly, in a corner, he saw a young blonde with blue-green eyes, petite and gentle. It was like an angel amongst others around him. Talk to a young woman, taller and brunette as beautiful and fascinating with the same eye. He went to them and invites blonde waltz.

- I have this waltz? Nicholas said tilting head and courteous.

- Ich bin schön, ich bin gebildet, bin ich wunderbar! jump up young brunette, strongly emphasizing the word "ich". Why do not you want to dance with me? I have no dance partner now!

- I like Miss, she said Nicholas decided, while reached out to catch the fingers, to lead to the young charming dance floor. Miss your name? I am Nicholas, philosophy graduate and son of a priest. Now I'm in the army. But in the future I will be a teacher, what I always wanted.

- Elisa, said voice gentle face.

- And the young woman next to you? Nicholas asked curiously. Why react so?

- Helga's older sister. It is very beautiful and proud every man his courtship. Expect anyone to like! Elisa said.

- But you are much finer, softer more gentle ... continued Nicholas.

- This is your opinion ... said quietly Elisa

- Welcome only sister? the man asked.

- I'm here with mom, dad and my three brothers Arthur and Anton Alwin.

- know several languages, is not it? I saw you speak German sister. I taught high school French, German, Italian, Spanish, Ancient Greek and Latin! said Nicholas.

- I speak Romanian, because I went to school in that language, the national language and German, I was of this ethnic group. German speaking Catholic school, but I learned French, as a foreign language. But when we were children, we were all from different ethnic backgrounds and we always play together. So we all learned to converse in Russian, and Polish, and Ukrainian, and even Yiddish. So we better understand each other, and parents all. We used this when I went to shop Jews, for we could address in their language, and barbershop Ukrainian to the Russian cinema for this is closer to us or a mail clerk was Polish. Chernivtsi is an international space from this point of view. We learned to respect each others language, ethnicity, and religion. Let us respect and love! explains the young.

The dance ends and Elisa Nicholas led her back.

- Dad, this is Nicholas, working in the army and has a degree in philosophy! Elisa said.

- Um, the army! My name is Heinrich Hensel is recommended man. She is my wife, Gertrude. I was an officer in the king's court in Vienna. When I retired, I retired here in Chernivtsi. I got married and now I have a small business, a factory of rubbing alcohol.

Nicholas noticed that Mrs. Gertrude was much younger than domnul Hensel. - My brother remained in Vienna. And his son, my nephew is there a prominent lawyer, continues domnul Hensel. But with this crisis, Gertrude complete ... my grandkids, and Johannis Peter went overseas just in Canada ... - May I visited your daughter? asked Nicholas. - Of course! accept old gentleman. - This is Michael! Helga said, quickly coming to the group. He invites us to sustain license and his sister Anastasia university. Come you, Mr. Bratu? Helga asked Nicholas. - Of course! I really enjoy! the man replied.

- My brother remained in Vienna. And his son, my nephew
 is there a prominent lawyer, continues domnul Hensel. 
But with this crisis, Gertrude complete ... my grandkids, and 
Johannis Peter went overseas just in Canada ... 
- May I visited your daughter? asked Nicholas. - Of course! 
accept old gentleman. - This is Michael! Helga said, quickly 
coming to the group. He invites us to sustain license and his 
sister Anastasia university. Come you, Mr. Bratu? Helga asked
 Nicholas. - Of course! I really enjoy! the man replied.

 A doua zi, Nicolae luă toţi banii de soldă şi se opri la florăria din centrul Cernăuţiului. Intră şi spuse băiatului care vindea florile:

- Doresc să comand trandafiri roşii!

- Câţi doriţi? întrebă tânărul vânzător.

- De toţi banii aceştia! şi Nicolae întinse banii de soldă. Vă rog să-i trimiteţi la următoarea adresă: Wagnergasse nr. 13, domnişoarei Elisa Hensel, împreună cu acest plic.

 

Vânzătorul a trimis urgent pe băiatul care trimitea florile, la adresa menţionată. Acesta ajunse în zece minute cu trandafirii în faţa casei, o clădire impunătoare, cu etaj şi bătu la uşă. Apăru imediat Gertrude, mama Elisei. Am primit comandă, să aduc aceste flori la adresa dumneavoastră! spuse băiatul. Şi începu să descarce din trăsură, buchete imense de trandafiri roşii.

- Unde îi duc? întrebă el.

- În sufragerie! spuse uimită femeia.

În câteva minute, camera era acoperită de trandafiri superbi, roşii.

- Oare cine mi i-o fi trimis? întrebă încântată Helga şi se repezi cu nerăbdare spre plicul ce însoţea trandafirii. Pe plic scria cu litere caligrafiate ordonat: „Frumoasei şi gingaşei domnişoare Elisa, de la Nicolae”. Helga înşfăcă cu putere hârtia şi privi încremenită grupurile de versuri ce o acopereau.

- Cum, pentru Elisa sunt? Nu sunt pentru mine? Eu sunt mai frumoasă, eu trebuia să primesc florile! Şi ţi-a scris şi-o  poezie! Mie nu mi-a scris nimeni niciodată vreo poezie! spuse tânăra mânioasă.

- Lasă Helga, nu te supăra, o să primeşti şi tu trandafiri! o consolă blând Elisa.

- Tu ce te bagi! N-am nevoie de consolările tale. Nimeni nu-i ca mine! spuse Helga din ce în ce mai nervoasă şi izbucni în hohote de plâns.

 

Din ziua aceea, Elisa a primit în fiecare zi câte o floare de la Nicolae. A doua zi, Nicolae veni în vizită la familia Hensel. Casa familiei, cu etaj, era mărginită de case elegante cu două şi trei etaje, pe o romantică stradă pietruită. Era cunoscută a fi un loc popular pentru procesiuni de nuntă. Era prânzul şi familia îl invită la masă.

- Rămâneţi la noi la masă, domnule Bratu! spuse Gertrude politicoasă.

      

În sufrageria imensă, cu mobilă de lemn sculptată, o masă lungă trona în mijlocul încăperii. În faţă  era un tablou mare, cu o pictură ce reprezenta o pereche - un ofiţer cu poziţie şi costum impozante, cu o sabie lungă şi strălucitoare şi o doamnă elegantă cu o pălărie enormă şi umbreluţă. Era domnul Heinrich şi doamna Gertrude, când erau mai tineri.

 

Gertrude pregătise feluri variate – supă de pui, friptură de porc cu cartofi prăjiţi şi salată de roşii şi castraveţi iar ca desert, un tort imens de ciocolată, cu flori din frişcă, dispuse pe partea sa superioară.

- Facem cumpărăturile la „Elizabethplatz'', bazarul alimentar din apropierea Pieţii Teatrului, spuse Gertrude. A fost numit aşa în onoarea împărătesei austriece Elisabeta, completă ea, considerând că este nevoie de astfel de lămuriri.

- Şi ce gânduri de viitor aveţi? îl întrebă Heinreich pe Nicolae.

- Îmi doresc să fiu profesor de filozofie. Aceasta este vocaţia mea! Criza mi-a încurcat puţin planurile, dar sunt tânăr şi o să-mi ating ţelul. Acum însă, aş dori să mă căsătoresc... aş dori să mă însor cu Elisa, spuse timid tânărul.

           

Se făcu linişte. Părinţii doreau şi ei ca fata lor să se mărite, dar acum, în faţa cererii, erau luaţi prin surprindere. În această perioadă, cu criza, erau şi ei în impas. De curând, guvernul Iorga tăiase şi pensiile, lucru care îi afectase puternic. Afacerea cu alcoolul medicinal  se dusese de râpă şi pensiile ajunseseră singurul venit curent. Care acum nu mai era...

- Dar Elisa este foarte tânără. De abia a ieşit de la Şcoala Catolică de Maici.

 

În Cernăuţi, fetele de familie urmau această şcoală, să înveţe să se pregătească pentru căsătorie – învăţau limbi străine, să converseze, să cânte, să brodeze, să coasă, să gătească...

- Trebuie să aibă dotă pentru a se căsători cu un ofiţer! spuse Gertrude. Noi avem o casă cu grădină cumpărată lângă Cernăuţi. Aceea i-o vom da ca dotă!

- Îmi permite-ţi să o invit pe Elisa, la o plimbare prin parc? O voi aduce-o înapoi într-o oră, se adresă Nicolae către părinţii fetei.

- Desigur, răspunse Gertrude.

 

Parcul era aproape de casa Elisei. Un parc fascinant, pictat în nuanţe de verde, rod al vegetaţiei abundente şi alb pur, al băncilor, coşurilor de gunoi, al  construcţiilor şi anexelor, vopsite toate într-un alb imaculat. Iar Nicolae cu costumul său de militar şi Elisa cu rochia sa de culoarea ghioceilor de primăvară se sincronizau perfect cu cadrul.

 

Tinerii se aşezară pe o bancă, sub un salcâm încovoiat, cu o coroană expandată de frunze, ca o imensă umbrelă de soare. În faţa lor, trona un copac maiestuos, cu formaţiuni lemnoase ciudate, ca nişte trompe de elefant. Când era privit, copacul parcă avea ceva magnific în el. Părea că  transferă  şi admiratorilor săi, o părticică din măreţia sa. Ieşea în evidenţă printre nişte tuie înalte şi bătrâne, cu tulpina cheală pe aproape un metru, smotocite de vreme, cu crengile lungi lăsate în jos, ca nişte sălcii, care tind să se usuce dar care emană totuşi un farmec aparte. În dreapta, un rând de salcâmi tineri, abia crescuţi, stăteau aliniaţi ca soldaţii în pluton. 

 

Ciripitul drăgălaş al păsărelelor, presărat din când în când cu triluri melodioase avea un farmec aparte. Din depărtare se auzi cântecul suav al unui cuc. Dar magnetismul miraculos al parcului se datora tufelor de trandafiri de la roşul purpuriu al sângelui şi dragostei, la albul curat al nevinovăţiei şi sincerităţii. Nicolae rupse un trandafir roşu şi-i prinse Elisei în păr. Frunzele copacilor fremătară ordonat sub mângâierea blândă a vântului. Nicolae avu senzaţia că parcul se transformase într-un tărâm magic, al cuplului primordial.   

 

Amândoi nu scoteau nicio vorbă. Deşi de obicei erau firi sociabile, Nicolae şi Elisa, nu erau prea vorbăreţi de fel. Vorbeau numai cât era necesar şi atunci când trebuia. Dar parcă tocmai limbajul misterios al tăcerii îi unea acum cel mai mult. Le unea sufletele, le unea inimile, pentru totdeauna. În faţa lor, se contura imaginea a doi corcoduşi filiformi împletiţi în mod miraculos sub forma unei porţi de trecere. Alături, unul curbat, cu o corolă abundentă, îi străjuia...

 

La întoarcerea spre casă trecură pe lângă teatru. Teatrul din Cernăuţi era o clădire impresionantă, realizată sub influenţa Şcolii de Arhitectură de la Viena.

- Mergem sâmbătă la un spectacol? întrebă Nicolae, iubitor de cultură, ca-ntotdeauna, bucuros să vadă un nou spectacol, dar în acelaşi timp şi într-o companie plăcută.

Ajunseră curând în Piaţa Centrală. În mijlocul ei, trona nestingherit  Monumentul Unirii, inaugurat în 1924 la Cernăuţi în prezenţa familiei regale.

 

*

Nunta avu loc rapid, fără prea multe pregătiri. De fapt Nicolae nu a fost niciodată sclavul formalităţilor. Nici Elisa nu era cu fumuri, ca sora sa Helga. Pentru cei doi, dragostea era lucrul cel mai important. Tot acest spectacol de faţadă nu avea nicio valoare pentru ei. Erau valoroase doar sentimentele...

 

Rămaseră în Cernăuţi, la părinţii Elisei. În casa cu grădină, pe care o primise Elisa ca dotă, nu reuşiră să locuiască. O vizitau numai din când în când. Tatăl Elisei muri curând. Nu a rezistat stresului afacerilor din timpul crizei. Nicolae era omul studiului, al cărţii. Cariera militară nu era pentru el, dar o executa totuşi fără a i se părea o corvoadă, pentru că era o persoană sportivă, rezistentă la efort fizic. Elisa rămase însărcinată imediat şi după nouă luni de căsătorie dădu naştere unui băieţel frumos foc, Mircea, dar care se îmbolnăvi rapid încă din primele zile de viaţă şi muri. După un an, născu din nou, prematur, o fetiţă, plăpândă şi sensibilă, care semăna foarte bine cu Nicolae. 

 

Elisa era foarte pricepută la treburile casnice. Avea o inteligenţă practică ieşită din comun. Învăţa repede orice presupunea îndemânare. Dacă vedea un om reparând ceva, imediat putea să facă şi ea acest lucru. În acest mod, tot ce se strica în casă era remediat fără probleme – instalaţiile electrice, aparatele. Îi plăcea să gătească, să lucreze câte ceva şi să cânte, mai ales melodia „Cernăuţi, schöne Stadt”. Asculta sfaturile primite şi învăţa orice era util, de la oricine...

- Dacă te speli pe dinţi în fiecare zi, îţi vei păstra dantura intactă! Bunica mea a murit cu toţi dinţii în gură, pentru că se spăla cu sare zilnic, spunea ea fetei sale.

 

*

 

Într-o zi de sfârşit de iunie al anului 1940, Nicolae era cu plutonul chiar pe malul Prutului, când a început să se tragă focuri asupra lor. Au fost luaţi pe nepregătite. Fiecare fugea încotro vedea cu ochii. Nu se mai vedea nimic! Numai gloanţe, praf, ţipete disperate... Când se termină totul, Nicolae era într-o văgăună - ca o peşteră, săpată miraculos în lut, de natură, în malul Prutului - lângă un civil, un cioban din sat.

- Doamne, dar cum aţi scăpat! Aţi trecut apa pe bârna asta, pe care nu poate un om, să o treacă în mod normal! V-am văzut de când au început să tragă şi nu mi-a venit să cred ochilor. Aţi parcurs-o în viteză, de parcă aţi fi zburat deasupra apei. Uite ce face frica din om! exclamă ciobanul.

 

Nicolae privi bârna şi se gândi că, într-adevăr, acum, nu ar putea să meargă pe ea. Doar un echilibrist de la circ, după multe exerciţii, ar fi putut executat aşa ceva! În plutonul lui era mare prăpăd. Toţi erau însă mulţumiţi că scăpaseră cu viaţă. Văzuseră moartea cu ochii. Doar câţiva erau răniţi. Comandantul îi anunţă imediat:

- S-a semnat  pactul  Molotov-Ribbentrop! Basarabia, Bucovina şi ţinutul Herţei nu mai fac parte din România, sunt cedate! Vin ruşii peste noi! Avem ordin să ne retragem cu batalionul imediat. Anunţaţi-vă  familiile şi plecaţi urgent! Părăsiţi Cernăuţiul!

 

Nicolae fugi rapid acasă. Era îngrijorat pentru Elisa şi pentru fiica sa. Dar acestea aflaseră deja vestea şi împachetau de zor lucrurile.

- Vin ruşii! Sunt la câţiva kilometri! Se văd deja, se auzeau de afară strigăte disperate.

- Dar unde mergem? întrebă Gertrude speriată.

- Veniţi la mine, în Timişoara! Este un oraş cosmopolit, ca şi Cernăuţiul! O împletire armonioasă de diferite naţionalităţi, religii. Oamenii sunt la fel de buni, sociabili şi de toleranţi unul faţă de celălalt! Satul meu este la câţiva kilometri depărtare. Iar rudele mele sunt foarte primitoare.

 

Bagajele erau aproape gata. Aveau însă foarte multe obiecte, moştenire de familie, care reprezentau trecutul acesteia... la care trebuiau să renunţe, pe care trebuiau să le lase în urmă...

- Haideţi mai repede! Lucrurile nu mai au acum nicio valoare! Viaţa este cea mai importantă! spuse Nicolae, mai ales că i se demonstrase acest lucru pe deplin, în urmă cu câteva ore.

Elisa avea multe obiecte de care o legau diferite amintiri. Era greu să le selecteze. Dar era în acelaşi timp, atât de speriată, încât luă ce i-a venit la îndemână şi ce a considerat că este absolut necesar.

 

***

   

În Timişoara ajunseră dimineaţa. Oraşul era deosebit de curat, cu multe zone verzi. Merseră întâi la Teodor, fratele lui Nicolae, care locuia pe bulevardul central. Nu se puteau caza însă aici. Cu Nicolae nu veniseră doar Elisa şi fiica. Erau şi Gertrude, mama acesteia, Helga şi soţul acesteia. Au plecat atunci cu toţii, la ţară.

 

În sat era agitaţie mare.

- Vine Nicu-a popii cu nemţoaicele! se anunţau între ei sătenii.

Şi ieşiră în drum, să vadă şi ei doamnele. Nu mai văzuseră până atunci îmbrăcăminte atât de elegantă, occidentală şi mobilă stil cu încrustaţii atât de frumoase. Rudele cu bănet  îşi puseseră în gând, la vederea acesteia, să posede şi ele pe viitor aşa ceva. Şi viitorul, prin deportarea în Bărăgan, chiar le-a facilitat dorinţa de a ajunge curând stăpâni, peste mobila dorită.

 

Era greu pentru un om care a trăit toată viaţa la oraş, să ajungă deodată la ţară. Dar Elisa era o luptătoare. Pentru fiica sa ar fi făcut orice sacrificiu! Curând, Nicolae îşi găsi un post de profesor de filozofie în Timişoara. Nu au stat însă mult timp liniştiţi. Căci s-a dat ordin de deportare în Bărăgan pentru refugiaţi şi moşieri şi au trebuit să părăsească Timişoara.

 

***

Epilog

 

După plecarea din Cernăuţi, fire optimistă, Elisa - ca toţi foştii locuitori ai Cernăuţiului - a încercat toată viaţa să regăsească farmecul oamenilor şi locurilor pierdute. Nu a reuşit însă. Elisa şi Nicolae au fost împreună până în ultima clipă. Nicolae a rezistat tuturor problemelor prin scris. Scrisul a fost cel care l-a întărit, l-a făcut să reziste epocii comuniste, deşi nu a putut să-şi publice niciodată lucrările, datorită regimului. Ultimii ani, a trebuit să lucreze ca bibliotecar – „om al cărţii” ca Lucian Blaga, cum se consola el. Scria zilnic şi faptul acesta i-a menţinut mintea şi inima mereu tânără, până la sfârşitul vieţii. Elisa, deşi mult mai tânără decât el, l-a urmat imediat. După atâţia ani petrecuţi împreună cu soţul său, deşi locuia cu fiica şi nepoatele nu a mai rezistat mult. A fost  marcată şi de moartea fratelui ei mai mic Anton, la care ţinea cel mai mult, deoarece era foarte bun la suflet, comparativ cu Alwin, care era foarte egoist. 

 

Cu verii Peter şi Johannis nu a mai corespondat. Securitatea i-a interzis orice scrisoare venită sau primită de peste ocean. Ultima scrisoare o anunţa însă că cei doi îşi împliniseră visul – aveau fiecare ferma proprie. Lucrau însă prea mult şi nu au reuşit niciodată să se căsătorească şi să aibă urmaşi. Unchiul, avocat în Viena, singura rudă din Austria rămasă în viaţă, a fost vizitat de mai multe ori de Anne, fiica lui Alwin, care devenise profesoară de germană şi lucra şi ca translator uneori, ceea ce-i facilita călătorii în străinătate. Nici el nu s-a căsătorit niciodată şi nici copii n-a avut. Pe verii rămaşi în Cernăuţi, - care este acum în Republica Moldova - care  n-au vrut să-şi părăsească casele şi grădinile, i-a mai revăzut o singură dată, când au venit după treizeci şi cinci de ani, împreună cu soţiile, în vizită, în România...