Nice weather has arrived in Novi Sad, and uniformed men in crimson shirts and beige pants have appeared on the streets. I was sitting with Ian on the bags in front of the bus. While we were waiting for the others, we wondered why so many people suddenly wore the same color combination. We were leaving for Greece. We had been planning the trip with a travel agency for a month. I wasn’t sure I’d go. I wanted to stay with Boyana, but in the last few days, I felt like I was stealing her. She also realized that it wasn’t right for us to meet so often, so we agreed not to meet or to go for coffee for a few weeks. In the end, I didn’t cancel the trip.
Previously, I had a problem with my passport. The travel agency had lost it, but then they found it. There was no time to apply for a visa and to go to Sarajevo. I had already given up when they told me the travel agency could somehow arrange the visa here, without me going to the embassy. It didn’t seem logical to me, but they said I just needed to bring a certificate stating I had never had the red passport of the former Yugoslavia. The certificate can be obtained from the City Hall. Due to the game and studying, I only managed to get there on the last day before the deadline, just before closing time. They told me I could get the certificate, but I needed two witnesses who would confirm I had never had the red passport. I didn’t have anyone close by, and no one knew about my red passport. The official told me I could bring anyone. I went outside and asked the first two passersby to be witnesses that I hadn’t had a passport. They immediately agreed. I had to fill out a request and pay the fee, and the office hours were about to end. One passerby copied my details into the request and filled it out for me, while the other showed me the counter where the fee was paid. The official waited a few minutes after closing time to make sure the request and payment receipt were ready. In such a hurry, I didn’t remember anyone’s name, and maybe we didn’t even introduce ourselves. I thanked everyone.
Yanko was the first to show up, in a crimson shirt and beige pants. Soon, Elena, Iovana, and Max arrived. I deliberately talked in front of Elena about how I managed to submit all the documents and get the visa thanks to three good Novi Sad citizens. She had her opinion about Novi Sad people being cold and distant. The whole point completely bounced off her shield. Max said it was pointless to try to change people’s minds and not to bother.
We were also traveling with economics students from Subotica. They had decided to organize a graduation trip for themselves since there was no official excursion. There were many of them, around fifteen. One of them sat near Max. They were talking about our game. Max saw him as the fifth member who could promote the game and handle the business part. He offered him ten percent ownership of the game, and we hadn’t even reached Predejane. They mentioned IPO before we reached the Greek border.. Ian would have agreed, but Elena and I didn’t think it was so easy to find someone who could promote the game. We didn’t know how to respond to Max’s proposal without ruining the atmosphere in the bus. We were drinking a lot that evening. Elena managed to resolve the situation.
“Max, we’ll talk about the project when we get back. I don’t want to think about it now. That’s what we’re resting from.”
At our destination, we missed visiting several sights. We drank every day. I got drunk eight times in seven days. My absolute record so far. We visited the Meteora monasteries, and one day we were in Athens. From Meteora, we have a picture in the wide wardrobe they share at the entrance. We couldn’t go in wearing shorts, and the girls couldn’t go in without sleeves. Elena took my arm so we could just take a picture. I told her we looked like a country girl and a court fool. Max said that’s exactly what we were.
In Athens, we also visited the Acropolis. I didn’t manage to bring a stone from Banja Luka. I regretted that, but there will be other opportunities. I didn’t even know if I’d go, and with Boyana, Camp 16, studying, and CM, I barely made it home, and the stone stayed there.
We were completely exhausted on the way back, we had an outing or a party every night. Elena slept through her country. They woke her up at the entrance to Yugoslavia or whatever we’re called now, and then she remained silent until Niš. There, she finally got out of her thoughts.
“It’s great to finish the vacation early and have the whole summer for various useful activities.”
I didn’t respond.
Upon returning, I didn’t contact Boyana for two days, but then the plan of not meeting fell apart. We met, hugged, and her heart was beating faster than before. I won’t try to separate anymore, no matter how wrong this situation seemed to me when I try to think rationally about us.
