Zbornik Mednarodnega literarnega srečanja Vilenica 2004 - Ljudmila

Barbara Simoniti
My lawyer, Primož Planinc, waited for me at the airport: I recognized him
by the red carnation in his right hand. My Grandma used to know his
grandfather, who was a lawyer as well, at the same address in Ljubljana.
We had exchanged letters for a few months and I also knew his voice
from the phone. But now he was standing in front of me, in a formal grey
suit with a stripped shirt and paisley tie. The distinguishing carnation
was his idea.
»Welcome to Slovenia for the first time!« he addressed me and shook
my hand as I stepped in front of him and wanted to introduce myself.
Then he reached back with his hand and conjured a whole bunch of carnations
and rosemary from behind his broad back:
»A single blossom would not do for an opportunity like this!«
I submerged my face into the sheaf of flowers and scented verdure.
When I could look up again, there was a slightly bent, smiling face in
front of me, with exactly cut wheaten hair and tended beard.
»Thank you – for such a hearty – Slovene welcome,« I selected the words
like worn out, almost forgotten marbles from the aching memory. Still, I
could not shake off the sin of breaking a deeply rooted rule.
He took my luggage and put my coat around me. The broad glass door
opened up for us. A silvery autumn day glistened above the grey parking
place and a spruce border. It smelled of ripeness; the clear air moved in
the jerks of the softened wind. I breathed deeply so that I was flooded by
everything new, painfully unknown and exciting.
With fine discernment, he set off in front of me towards the car, and I
slowly caught on his steps. It was only when he locked in the luggage that
he turned around with a look at me, and mildly smiled to himself.
»Where shall I take you? Where do you wish to go most of all?«
»To so many places that I’m almost torn apart. – Anywhere.«
»Are you tired of the journey?«
»No! I really couldn’t rest now!«
»All right,« he smiled. »I wanted to propose Bled; a short walk by the
lake until the sunset, then supper in a local inn, near Ljubljana. I booked a
room for you in a hotel, as planned. And I would show you the house
tomorrow. – What do you say?«
»Delighted. You have surprised me with such a – thought out plan.«
When we sat into the car, I turned to him once again:
»May I suggest – if nothing, for the family friendship’s sake – I’m Kristina.«
»Primož,« he gladly shook my hand, then he seized the driving wheel
and turned the key.
My new reality was pouring in through the washed windows. It rested
in the skin of green sprucewood, covered with a loving pattern of the
autumn. And then it moved and started to transform under the gestures
of his hands.
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