MIMOIDOČI

Zgodaj zjutraj stopim na ulico in pred vrati hiše, kjer bivam še s petimi ostalimi sodelavci, čakam da se ti spakirajo in gremo končno na tisto kavo ali kamorkoli že pač se odpravljamo. Zdaj temu pravim, da ko se mi uspemo nekam spraviti, je od trenutka, ko smo se začeli o tem dogovarjati, že polovico časa mimo. In še tale izjava mi zveni dokaj optimistično.

V glavnem, medtem ko jih čakam zunaj, pride mimo moški srednjih let. Bil je manjše rasti in dokaj urejen. Po poti ves čas preverja avtomate za parkiranje, gleda pod mize in zložene stole pred lokali, ki so bili takrat še v glavnem zaprti, da bi našel kakšen forint. Iskal je zelo goreče in precej temeljito, kar je dajalo vtis, da res rabi nekaj denarja za karkoli pač že. Izgledal je celo kar nekoliko zaskrbljen. Ko je prišel do konca ulice, se je obrnil in se po isti poti vrnil nazaj. Opazil nisem, da bi mu uspelo najti kaj denarja, zato sem pričakoval, da me bo zažical za kaj drobiža, saj sva se takrat že drugič srečala s pogledi. Vsaj običajno bi to bilo tako. Vendar ni niti za trenutek okleval ali postal in je šel dalje in nadaljeval svoje početje.

Ta dogodek me je napeljal, da sem prvikrat zares opazil, da me v Budimpešti, kjer je na stotine brezdomcev povsod, v parkih, na pločnikih, sedijo po stopnicah, klopcah, spijo v podhodih in metroju – res so povsod in veliko jih je – nihče v dveh tednih ni niti enkrat prosil za denar. Zdaj, ko se pogovarjam o tem z drugimi, ki so bili tam, mi potrdijo isto stvar, da jih niso nikoli zažicali za denar.

Zakoni na Madžarskem so do brezdomcev zelo nenaklonjeni. Zaradi spanja na ulicah jih lahko doletijo visoke kazni ali gredo celo v zapor. Prav tako velja za prosjačenje, ko je za to dejanje lahko kaznovan tako tisti, ki prosi za denar, kot tisti, ki ga daje. Policijske patrulje so za vsakim vogalom, da o kamerah na vsake par metrov niti ne govorim. Po mestu se ves čas vozijo vozila z zelo oglušujočimi sirenami, bodisi podnevi ali ponoči. Verjetno ima tako ustvarjena histerija vendarle nek efekt, čeprav kljub rigoroznosti zakonodaje se vse zapisano vseeno ne izvršuje, ampak se bolj igra na karto imaginarnega zastraševanja in zbujanja občutka krivde.

BYPASSER

Early in the morning I step on the street and in front of the house, where I sleep with five other colleagues, I’m waiting them to join me and we finally go to get that coffee or wherever we were planning to do that day. I would describe now that as soon as we manage to get somehow going, it’s been half past the time when we started to agree on this. And yet this statement sounds pretty optimistic.

Anyway, while I’m waiting outside, a middle-aged man comes by. He was shorter man and fairly tidy. Along the way, he would constantly check parking machines, look under the tables and folded chairs in front of the cafes, which were then mostly closed, to find some Forints. He was searching very fiercely and pretty profoundly, which gave the impression that he really needed some money for something. He seemed even a bit worried. When he came to the end of the street, he turned and turned back the same way. I did not notice that he wasn’t able to find any money, so I was expecting him to ask me for some change, since we met for the second time with our eyes. At least this would be a common thing. But he did not hesitate or stop for a moment, and just continued his pursuit.

This event led me for the first time I noticed that in Budapest, where there are hundreds of homeless people everywhere, in parks, on sidewalks, they sit on stairs, benches, sleep in the underpasses and in metro – they are true everywhere and in large number as well – nobody asked for money in a matter of two weeks. When I’m talking about this with others who were there, they confirm the same thing that they have never asked for the money.

The laws in Hungary are very oppressive to homeless people. I case they sleep in the streets, they can face high sentences or even go to jail. Restrictions are also very rigorous for begging; a  person who asks for money and who gives booth can be penalized for this act. Police patrols are on every corner, same as hundreds of cameras on every couple of meters. There are fast driving vehicles with very loud sirens throughout the city throughout day or night. Probably the hysteria they create has an effect, although despite the rigor of the law, everything can’t be realized, but this show is there mostly to produce strong imaginative intimidation and arousing a sense of guilt.