O n e H u n d r e d T w e n t y F i v e years ago, on Friday the 13th of November, the Bucharest National Theater hosted a major success. For the first time, the comedy entitled A lost letter (O scrisoare pierduta - ro.) met face to face with its public, the Romanian people. It was to find its place among the most renowned Romanian works of literature, whereas its creator, Ion Luca Caragiale, found his among the greatest Romanian minds. A vivid mirror of the moment's political struggle, corruption and moral petty theft, the depicted characters and events have been haunting us ever since, but lately they've been more than ever in the bone marrow of the society. Caragiale is either laughing at us or he is ashamed and deeply disappointed. I do all three. I wouldn't be amazed if he does so, too.
Closing in even more, as stated in the very beginning, we find ourselves t w e n t y years lacking o n e month apart from the social movement which, at the origin, some call it la révolution and others call it coup d'état (December 1989). History (people) won't tell. Sadly enough though, we are not far from Caragiale's characters, either. Au contraire. One might see a mixture of it with ex-communist structures still in place. The Romanian people would love to think that communists are a distant memory. Some have probably come to believe it. Whereas some are reluctant to close that eye and come to terms with that chapter. Some things are apparently not completely dealt with.
I believe time will take us on the right path. But this will happen only if one takes responsibility and chooses not to embrace ignorance. I would love to prove wrong the following wisdom quotes:
'Ignorance is bliss'
'A people has the leaders it deserves'
There is a song which is known by most of the people that were at least 6 or 7 years old at the time of the recent event. I could not load it, but I can show you, dear reader, the path to it and to its lyrics (in Romanian) - song and lyrics. I believe those lyrics have the same meaning if sang today as they used to have t w e n t y years lacking o n e month ago. Thank you Caragiale. Thank you Valeriu Sterian. For not letting us forget.
Unfortunately, Caragiale's tormented citizen is still asking himself as you're reading:
"Eu cu cine votez?" stands for "Whom do I cast my vote for?"
Location: Bucharest, Romania, 21st of November 2009
