Family Stories and Other Tales
A day filled with the celebration of human connections and the small joys of life. A family lunch, inspiring cousins, and a spontaneous humor show all reminded me how crucial genuine encounters are. The day ended with Réka’s thoughtful care, proving once again that kindness is the sweetest gift.
09:00
That 4 a.m. arrival didn’t leave much time for rest. No wonder I smack down the alarms before 9 a.m.
10:00
“It doesn’t matter if you’re short ten forints; I know you’ve been coming here for years. Just bring it next time.” And indeed, Emese néni’s buffet always provides an excellent breakfast.
11:00
On the platform, I grab a pocketbook by János Lackfi from a vending machine. These postcard-sized books used to cost 1,500 forints two years ago; now, they’re a thousand more. Still, a six-euro book is affordable—if you have a Western European salary.
11:20
When it takes five minutes to walk between the metro and the train that’s impatiently waiting at the station, it’s clear that something wasn’t well planned.
12:00
The family expected me earlier, but hey, we did agree on lunchtime. Grandma is waiting with stew. Divine—I don’t get to eat this often.
Today reminds me that it’s easy to like someone when you meet them only once a year.
Grandma, whose life story often features a variety of tragic episodes, always plays the evil witch in these tales. Her caregiver, on the verge of tears, complains about how hard it is to deal with her.
Examples? Two kitchens in one household, even today. She won’t go shopping with just anyone (like someone on their day off); no, it has to be the caregiver who has to sneak out of work for the weekly shopping.
From the past: she once left her daughter outside in the dark woods at night because she couldn’t find a more sophisticated way to punish a childish prank.
Some of her children don’t speak to her; she ignores calls from certain grandchildren and won’t even acknowledge others’ names.
Yet, once a year, I find a humorous old woman here who has been bored since retiring.
How nice it would be to remain naive!
I meet another cool cousin, who’s a joy to listen to. We share one sure trait: with the right company, we dive into conversations with such energy and passion that time seems to stop. Plus, they’re incredibly inspiring. These are the kinds of people I want around me!
18:00
On a whim, I type “last-minute theater tickets” into the search bar. The result? Viktor Fülöp’s humor night, starting in an hour, and I’m still on the train.
19:00
God forgive me, but I didn’t like the opening act. A guy trying to be famous for being short—barely a meter tall. I just didn’t like his style, that’s all.
But Viktor Fülöp’s favorite topic, the teaching profession, was spot on. He keeps sharing stories set in a high school teachers’ lounge.
It’s not Oscar-worthy, but still, a delightful show. Totally worth the five-euro ticket, especially since tickets usually go for thirty.
The venue itself, however, is disappointing. Though it’s a beautifully designed event house with a restaurant, they can’t even make coffee at 8 p.m. (fine, understandable) or serve a simple Coke or black tea. A lack of preparation and sloppy service. During the intermission, I head to the street-side buffet across the road.
The neighborhood, though, is gorgeous and hipster. I love Mikszáth Square for being a peaceful spot in the city center, still looking like it did 200 years ago but remaining functional.
21:00
I’m enjoying this part of the city so much that I decide to walk to the other end of downtown.
21:30
It dawns on me that, while I had stew and broth earlier, those meals were long ago. Hungry again, I grab a salad at a Turkish place.
22:00
The smell of kürtőskalács (chimney cake) tempts me. A girl baking this Hungarian specialty in a souvenir shop doesn’t even speak Hungarian. The whole downtown feels like that—hardly any Hungarian is spoken. Multilingualism feels natural to me by now, but here it’s a bit odd.
23:00
Réka, my current fairy, has cooked for me again. If she keeps treating me this well, I’m going to gain weight.
I love how she takes care of me.
2024, December 20, Friday.
