This was written in local dialect from Split, that part of Croatia where Roman Emperor Diocletian built his residence when he was fed-up with Rome, and who, when they called him back, received his response (in Latin): "if you could see cabbage I grew here by my own hands, you would not send me a such senseless letter".
His palace is still there:
And people still live in it:
Split is Croatian only Croatian Navy Harbor.
And has a famous beach. That is still visited (Dec. 6, 2015).
ENTIRE TOWN JUST TALKS ABOUT HIM
Again the Truman will feed the hungry Split
Posted on 06.12.2015. at 11:04
http://slobodnadalmacija.hr/Dalmacija/Split/tabid/72/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/309064/Opet-e-Truman-naranit-gladni-Split.aspx
At Matejuška peace and sun, nobody recovers nets, fishermen are on the pier and look towards isle of Solta, there somewhere between carob and olive trees.
- How is large?
- Never more what I remember ...
- Oh ... What the hell it come here, what we can use it for?
On this I had to replay:
- And if the Russians come here, you would be happy, right?
- Who ?! As far as I am concerned we have no need of no one. They will make all the fish crazy!
- Yes, yes, being so big you can guess how big are it's fish longlines ...
- Do not fuck kid. See how big is that harware, in its belly there is radiation, and think what screws it has. It will mix up the sea, rise the fang to, there will be no fish ...
- And when it lights the lights - adds his friend.
- And when spills the garbage - adds the third.
- And you do not mind the cruisers, where they discharge their black holes - I must counter.
- That is tourism, we all here live of that. And neither they are flowers. But now we do not have them here now.
- Oh, these are our allies man, they had came here to say that we do not have anyone to fear. It is the War, turkeys, I shoot my last argument.
- So what are we entering in, whom we should be afraid of? Or we have anything to to with anything, what is the use to us 'Truman', from whom it will defend us?...
- I know. From whom and why is not our business ... But you all could remember that you all have grown on Truman's eggs during post WWII hunger - they made me nervous and I am going away. Jo whining our people, these with these small boats talk to me against the force of America and that huge ship, my God with whom I was going to talk, and they have gulped Truman's eggs in Praja, and they did not get struck in their throats ...
Boy, Split (and many Split girls, and those imported) always rejoiced American flotillas. Doctor Vjeko Perica, a historian, wrote an heavy book about how a two-year stay of the US Navy in twenties of the last outcry reshaped that small, backward Split. They brought baseball and donated the first sport uniforms, strengthened our tennis, rowing, boxing, and soccer.
The first jazz was heard from their orchestras that were playing on the Plaza and the waterfront, the youth was crazy about the Stepon, charleston and foxtrot and the most social was young maestro Ivo Tijardović who all of that incorporated in his works, as has Milan Begovic in his "American yacht in Split harbor". For the sake of their pleasure and needs, roads have improved, put were the new telegraph wires, warehouses and playgrounds were build, somebody brought fashion and haircuts 'on American' bricks for construction, locomotives, all brothels worked full time... Only the popes did not like them because their licentiousness disrupted the peace of the grave of small peripheral on the edge of the world.
And now these on Matejuša say - they will drive their fish crazy! As they were Norwegian fleet, and so their hunt will fall.
So I furious think as I walk on waterfront to the port where journalists board to visit the USS Truman, the largest jet carrier that ever arrived in our Big Town. And I am thinking, when they tonight overflow these homes when they fill restaurants and bars, when dollars start to fall, when our beauties warm up - and we are talking about five dry mariners eager for entertainment - then you we'll give me idea. You will cry that they did not stay another day, why they do not defend us all the year!
Ante Mrvica, admiral of the Split port, provided us with a car parking place, indeed I have announced myself with the most serious baritone, in the front of the last bollard were already forty journalists, our and their military, attachés, buses for oiled, vans for lower officers and limousines for more.
- Where are you leading them - I asked buses chauffeur.
- Today in shopping, they can not do without shopping, City and Joker, there is a McDonalds also.
- Americans at us go to shopping ?! That's when you get off to Burkina Faso - without insult to dear Africa - and you're going to buy goods at the mall.
- It is not ours to think but to drive, tomorrow are in order the excursions to Dubrovnik, Krka, Split antiquities, education about our culture - Mario, John and Anthony are serious.
Before the tents we shoul go on board, remember older journalists visits of the Russian and American fleets at the end of '70 and '80.
- The Russians were giving us 'Carpathians' tobacco with cartoon filter and Lenin badges, and the Yankees gum, Marlboro, chemical pens, and he who was luckier got Zippo, baseball cap, belt, the cans - says colleague Damir Tolj.
- And when was just like this, one carrier, I can not remember which, 'America' or 'Saratoga', sailors could still drink, and they did it really well, then beside the Port Authority they would load them on boat that had a net all around so they could not drop in to the sea - remembers Leo Nikolic, a journalist and an experienced tour guide.
Just when we loosened up, we were approached by the lady of the embassy:
- Sorry Mr. Sarac sir, you can not come with us I'm sorry. Only one per the editorial office, and you're three.
- And three of us we were at the 'Enterprise' nine years ago, it is a great event for our town, and where is not 'Slobodna' there nobody was.
- Look, that was then.
- Then and Now, we have remained the same and we are better still.
- I'm sorry, but these days, if the opportunity arises, we will certainly invite you especially, I promise ...
- Yeah, you can bet. That is the same as if you at St. Duje say to your kid: I'll buy you gigs next year ...
I leave colleague Tolja, he is lucky, he remained in computer, I got thrown out. I say to him to buy to buy for me, for a gift, but not with that relief of the ship, it falls out, and leaves a hole.
- Can bro and I am sorry ...
- Difficult times have arrived, brother - we part as if all our boats just sunk.
I drive from the port as a wet mouse, as a cheated bride, as a fool, when Tolj calls me. I respond:
- Hello, Truman, did you see how they throw me out ...
- I was also thrown out, not more than one as per the office. Do you know what they told me: 'That they are sorry that you felt insulted and that during this days there come a chance that they will call me personally ...'
- And what did you say?
- What I would say, I told them - you could think ...
- And now they will sell three, four Zipas less and you will not wear Truman baseball cap, and you could advertise them for another ten years. But why us, lovers of American technique, we have visited all their ships last 20 years, and I always enjoyed it.
- I do not know what got to them, what can you do...
- What can you do, rough times have come.
Right after him my Aunt Milka Poljička calls, my neighbor from Pakaluša:
- Godfather come here immediately Steamer is ready. Mangold is like sugar, flour from mills in Žrnovnica, half white half black Dolac onion, oil is a young ... my God, this is a shame to miss, you'll remember it.
- A e? Seriously?
And so, in stead of the visit to USS Truman I have visited USS Sinija, carrier in Poljice, with fifty small exactly how they should be baked crisp planes. Oh, really a sugar, consoled me Aunt Milka, and those have really disappointed me. Slice by slice, deciliter by deciliter of last December's 'Dalvin' Merlot, and tabbaco, and my disappointment about unseen 'Trumanon' has vanished. I already have forgot it. To hell with Truman and eggs! And it will kill our fish...
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IZAKOVIC
