Neo-Nazis at Night on the Bridge in the Dark and the Mist... (No, Not Really – There was no Mist)
Friday, June 30, 2006
There was something oddly thrilling and adventurously chilling about actually seeing neo-Nazis. It was a terrible thing to feel excited tingles down one’s spine over something so potentially sinister. But when Collette walked over the lighted bridge that night – she saw them, and she could practically feel the goosebumps. She had been walking ahead of the rest of the group. They had just left Vaci and were headed over the Danube – the night was dark and the clubs on the Pest side of the river were throbbing with techno. Collette had not really been watching who was around her; the bridge was empty but for her and the rest of the team. But as she left the bridge, she saw them – two of them, leaning on the railing, looking out over the river. They didn’t turn around as she passed them, but she knew what they were. She had read about them back home, shortly before leaving. Neo-Nazis were not exactly uncommon in Budapest; they were easily identified by wearing complete black, combat boots, and shaved heads. Both men perfectly fit the description. Collette continued to walk off the bridge and waited for the others to catch up. No one else really seemed to notice them, and kept walking, but Collette turned back to watch them. They had already slipped off and were walking across the bridge into the night.
That had taken place the first Saturday night of their trip. Saturday had been a long, good day. They saw the church, which was an old movie theater – Mozi – and distributed VBS fliers to the people in the Saturday market and in the park littered with remnants of Communism – the old ring of three giant bull statues atop a small hill.
And Collette knew little phrases: Jo napot, Szia, Zeveshen, Chocolom, Jo Regelt, etc. (none of which she could spell, naturally), but she and Red-Bud Cherithite, their team leader, managed to pass out enough VBS fliers over two very warm hours in the morning without experiencing too much trouble in communication. They circled the park once and then attended to several of the apartment buildings, which were beginning to run down. Such apartment complexes had been built everywhere by the Communists in order to dictate the family circle. They had purposely provided no living rooms in the apartments, in order to cut down family gathering time – only bedrooms and a kitchen.
The day was full of new and exciting things – learning to ride on the trams and buses upright (what they later dubbed tram-surfing, and had contests, with the Hungarians looking on), watching one’s pockets for the pick-pockets. Such a thing was nearly impossible being so closely crammed next to a body of people, particularly the men and boys, who did not consider deodorant a necessity.
Oh, and people stared. Without even hearing Collette and the others speak, they new they were American. It was an odd feeling to know that half the street and sidewalks (which were parked with cars) was staring at you. But staring back could potentially imply “romantic feelings”, so Collette did her best not to stare. And they weren’t allowed to use the word, “cookies” – a vulgar term to the Magyar.
The Hungarians were also a very quiet people, and Collette soon realized that whenever her team was on a bus or a tram or even in the streets, they were truly the only ones speaking. The Hungarians were completely silent. There was also a high Asian population in the city. Collette wondered if it had anything to do with Hungarian being so closely related to the Mongolian languages. Hungarian was a beautiful, soft, quick language.
Hungary was also home to the famous Burger King – although because of the mad cow scare, it had recently been redubbed “Piggy King”,in honor of their pork burger, in lieu of beef. Their mascot boasted a fat pink pig wearing a crown.
At the end of the day, along with everything else that comes from arrival in a new country: meeting people, getting to know the city better, dealing with forints (the outrageous currency exchange (300 forints equaled about one American dollar)), Diana and Collette had little trouble falling asleep, despite the fact that they had to stuff toilet paper in their ears to help drown out the music blaring from the apartment across the street. Windows stayed open – there didn’t seem to be air conditioning anywhere.
Meanwhile, Friday morning, Collette heard the classical radio announcer come on after a Star Registry commercial:
“I can’t think of anyone I would want to name a star after…” He said slowly. “I could think of a few people I would want to name an asteroid after.”
Cut to music.
Meanwhile, everyone was hurrying about for things and for the holidays – the Buckles and Hobcoggins were going to spend the weekend at the Buckles’ lake house in Branson, the Popples were leaving for Arizona, the Coca-Colas out of town, Ivy and Nicodemus in Oklahoma… And Frances, Mr. Social, after having spent the rest of the day with Chester the day before, was spending the rest of Friday with Creole after picking up his supplies for basket weaving. He was now incredibly inspired to be just like Dad and earn his Eagle at 13 1/2. Rose and the boys were supposed to go firework shopping, another great annual event, the next day. That night, Wallace was playing in a wedding and Rose and Molly had plans to attend TFC and scope it out for what it was worth. Oh, the business of people.
In smaller things, someone (Collette guessed that it was Ashley-Sue or her dad) had signed the attendance sheet from Sunday – “The Pizza Monster”. And Collette also made the discovery that the lady who had played Superman’s mother in the film, had played the lead role in North by Northwest.