I am grateful to my life for having valuable and loving relationships. I have extraordinary friends. One of them is Pista. This article is about him. And about me too, because we have had many beautiful trips together.
It was his birthday the other day and his son asked me if I would write a few lines for the surprise party. I wrote it the same day I wrote my third poem. It also fit into that evening, but I wanted to wait until the end of the party to publish it, so as not to let the organizers down.
It was a pleasure to write this article, because there was something to write about!
My friend Pista is a real man. If I could say no more, I would consider this enough.
But, I can say it!
I usually say that among men, you don’t have to rush into the when and how! If we agree now, in February, to meet at the butcher shop on September 10th at 10 a.m., then there’s nothing more to talk about. We’ll both be there and that’s it! When I tell someone this, Pista always comes to mind. Always! A real man keeps his word and does what he says! Pista is that kind of man. I respect you, my friend, for keeping your word!
You and Nóra did a lot for the Nagyigmánd community, for the Nagyigmánd families. I respect them for that. And I’m proud that I was able to help them with a little of my energy for a while. It was a pleasure working with them for Árgyélus. I had a particularly nice experience when I was able to help them in one of the camps in Naszvad. I know exactly what it cost you and that’s why I’m very proud of you!
Pista first taught me to stand up for myself. While learning the swineherd’s dance, I understood with an adult mind what pride means. What a swineherd has that I don’t have. We talked a lot about dance, and my friend Pista is a good teacher. It is always a pleasure to remember this teaching of yours!
We used to study together. It was nice to study together with Pista from the other Pista. Back then, I imagined myself as a Pista too. Do you remember, my friend? If there is a folk music band that we will play in together, it could be called PisTri. Or TriPisti. I will always be happy and proud that we dreamed of folk music training together and I was there with you at the beginning!
It turned out that the three Pistas have birthdays on 03.12, 03.13 and 03.14. Mine is the middle one, so now everyone can know when the third Pista was born.
Once we played music together on the terrace of my house. The violin player came home from Transylvania, what else would he have brought but pálinka. It quickly ran out, so I also added a bottle. This was our only drinking experience together. Neither of us could handle it very well. I saw Pista as too hesitant to bring his double bass into the house, so I tried to carefully bring it into the house, shouting “I’ll do it later.” I almost broke the poor instrument’s head when I slammed it against the door.
That double bass is a lovely story of my life. Nóra asked me to help her get a good instrument for her husband. Pista was already obsessed with this bass in Komárom at the time. She loved it very much, praised it many times, and it was no coincidence that she always played this one out of several options. The instrument was on sale, Nóra gave me the money, and I slapped the third one into Pista’s hand and took it home. Not Pista! The double bass! I will never forget the face of my friend Pista at the next rehearsal, when he reached for the instrument, but it was no longer there.
– Where is the instrument? – he asked.
– I sold it – came the answer.
Pista’s face grew quite long…
– You sold it?… Why?
– It wasn’t such a good instrument, it’s no shame.
At the time I felt sorry for Pista, but I knew what would await him on a similarly beautiful day like today.
We built the rehearsal room for the children together on the “ruins” of the Reformed school, when suddenly there was no place to dance. We worked a lot together, with people who were a pleasure to work with, because we had the same goal. And we, the adults, danced there with pleasure too. Thank you, my friend, for teaching me to dance! I’m glad that you and Nóra taught my beautiful daughters to dance. I’ll never forget the values you planted in them!
We talked a lot about life, because we both know life. You were never judgmental, your words always showed consideration to me. I remember many of our conversations, because there was substance to the conversation. Thank you for always supporting me! You were devastated by my divorce, and you told me so. You understood why I was leaving this country, but you said you were upset and you also told me why.
I know you as a great soul who gives a lot of yourself. You are a good teacher, I think the children respect and love you. I am grateful for your friendship! It is an honor to be your friend!
I feel a little like I am talking about my friend at a farewell party. Fortunately, this is not a farewell party, but a birthday. That is why:
May God bless you, my friend Pista! May your life be filled with happiness, surrounded by your loved ones, for many more busy years!