when basement level was HE and 13th-floor level TL. When con-
sumption was higher than supply -- determined by municipal
supply-pressure and pipe cross-sections --, there were temporary
fall-outs. Continuous supply on taps could only be achieved by
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Moving and holiday
throttling the valves in distribution pipes to a flow, that would align
consumption with supply.
By this knowledge in my head, I went to the person in charge for
the operation of apartment houses. He would see it at once, and
gave me access any time to regulate the system. In two days I suc-
ceeded, and for two weeks there was no fall-out. After that it occurr-
ed once. I checked the valves, both have been opened completely.
It meant, someone tampered with it. I regulated them again and put
on an extra padlock. The next day the trouble repeated itself. When
I saw the second lock damaged and the valves open, I went to the
office and gave back keys.
The man was looking sideways, so I asked him what he knew.
“The Russian on the 12th floor has arrived back from his holiday.
Water is making a great noise coming into the container. It bothers
him much.”
“Lack of water does not?” I asked him.
“Not that much.”
“That is all?”
“Also, “zabanyas” -- the guards in Amharic -- are complaining,
their extra money was gone. No water to take up in buckets, no
money.”
That settled it. I went to the small man responsible for housing
again and asked him for a house.
“So, you want a villa?” he asked, looking sharp on me. I have not
been the first Hungarian to ask for a house. Beside the doctors an-
other of our experts, an economist at the university, moved into an
independent house.
“It is a word for a luxury house”, I said, “a simple house will do.”
“White people cannot get others than villas”, he corrected me.
He said, he could only help, if I had found a house for myself.
Through publishing ads and reading other people's ones, we could
find a proper house, one with a wonderful stretch of lawn, at which
my son said:
“It will be excellent for the goat and the donkey”. It had been his
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idea, that we were able to alter in the meantime, that those two
animals he would need if we got a garden house. I found another
one in three weeks through a local agent (I don't know how he man-
aged to get information about my efforts). My partner has been a
Yemeni Jew and a gentleman. As he has almost been white, and
first he said he was an Englishman we called him only “the old
Englishman”.
We went to the clerk and he asked my partner first:
“Why do you wish to change your house?”
“It is too big”, he answered.
“It is too small”, I answered to the same question.
He agreed and we could realise our business.
The company has helped to take my things to my house, of
course, I let my partner use the company truck on return trips. Our
moving has come only days before our first -- we thought so, but as
it would come, also our last -- holiday at home. We arranged only
our furniture, checked what would be needed from home and made
preparations to leave.
To this house a guard has been supplied. We did not like him too
much, but let him stay for 5 weeks of our absence. My car I would
not leave there, I gave it to Bekele to keep -- and use if necessary --.
Keys to the house I left with him, too. Well, he was my boss, and
tenant for the house has been the company. Our trip home took us
an unexpected task. Our new neighbours -- our former ones, better
to say, from the high-rise -- have come in May, they would not be
able to have their holiday before November. They asked us to take
their daughter with us home. It has been a big responsibility, but we
did not sense it then. Well, at last all went well, but we could have
had a lot of troubles with some bad luck. Our flight has been booked
through Rome and John agreed to book tickets with a 5-day stay in
Italy. Through the airlines I reserved a hotel room. A great help has
been to me City Guides of SAS to organise our trips in the world.
At the airport we have been searched for anything prohibited.
First our baggage, then, at the end physically. Another of our ex-
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Moving and holiday
perts has been a precise man, he closed his packages, even taped
them over. The customs men had him open everything. We left ours
open, the man said: “Close it.” And went out. If he had looked in, he
would have seen our turtle shell at the top. Export of coffee has
been prohibited by private persons as it has always been a state
monopoly, only specialised companies had permission for it. The
same rule applied to protected animals and products made of them.
It was prohibited to take out Ethiopian money, to keep weapons,
etc., it could be listed to infinity.
Our room in Rome has been OK. Only they could not give us a
double room with a spare bed, as it was ordered. There were only
single rooms. After a hard discussion solution was born: two spare
beds. And who would sleep together? Of course, my wife and me.
Both spare beds were taken up by me, after I saved the errand boy
from the middle of the mattress twice. I gave him our baggage to
take up instead. The hotel has been situated at a very fine place,
directly at the central railway station. When we went walking we got
into the traffic in a moment. I am ashamed to tell that on my first stay
in Rome, as well as on my second one, I did not see tourist attract-
ions of either the city or the Vatican. As I have not been alone, my
programs have been influenced by my family. At the same time, I
could learn well all the shops and department stores of the city.
Some of the sights of old Rome we have seen. But no gallery or
museum saw us. And the same can be said about beaches. It was
the beginning of August. Heat at that time is oppressive, on the
streets only we were to be seen, no sane person wanted to die from
stroke. But my wife's appetite for Italian goods has been bottom-
less. To tell the truth, if I don't think of the sights not visited, I have to confess that we didn't spend the time in vain. All the goods we
bought were very useful, especially the big bag both for the
shoulder and the hand, it could be used on our backward route as a
hand-baggage. Well, I had to control myself not to let the hostess
guess that it contained sixty five pounds instead of the permitted
twenty two. Otherwise I would have to pay for the extra weight.
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Coming back to Rome, we were looking for a piece of pizza, so
far we knew it only by gossip. When we tasted it, we liked it. Only, we
thought it twice before eating another piece, as a pair of summer
shoes cost the same sum. It was a very fine experience, this five
days in Rome, but it was an even finer one to board the plane of our
own national airlines, to hear our language spoken and to see the
small “Mackó” (bear) cheese in all snacks packages. For four
weeks we would be home.
Our return flight could not be organised as I wanted, through
Athens (at least not at that moment), instead of Rome, we had to
accept TESCO's regulations and fly through Rome. Arriving at
Rome we could not check in at once, as the hostess at the counter
informed us it was too early and we would have to come back later.
Either she had something on her mind or she did not understand
English well. It would be a very unpleasant trip even if someone had
dealt with us. But to sit and wait from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. was too
much. When at last she was ready to take my papers, it became
clear, the plane of the Ethiopian was full and we did not have our
places. With OK tickets! The representative of the airlines said, we
did not check in at the right time and our seats have been sold out.
Even our baggage boarded automatically to the plane have been
taken and given out to us. Our next chance would be in two days.
We had to follow the instructions of the representative of
Ethiopian Airlines to board a bus on costs of the Ethiopian and take
a room in a hotel in Ostia. After a whole night without sleep, we went
to bed and fell asleep. We have got up soon because of heat, and
went out to walk. Returning for breakfast the receptionist handed us
a message from the Ethiopian representative: the management
had refused to pay our hotel any longer, we were to ride to the air-
port and take an Olympic Airlines flight to Athens. That night there
would be a plane from there to Addis Ababa. We did as we were told.
Flight on the Greek plane was a sauna, and the Athens airport was
f u l l
o f
p a s s e n g e r s
w a i t i n g
f o r
d i f f e r e n t
f l i g h t s .
This has been the only time, when I have got unfavourable im-
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pressions about Greeks at service. The hostess on duty would not
help me. I asked her to keep her eyes on our baggage to be loaded
on. Of course, they would be left there, and only after one week
would we be able to get them. The Athens-Addis Ababa flight has
been a slow one. Beside Cairo and Khartoum the plane landed in
Asmara, too. It took off in Athens at 4 p.m. and was in Addis Ababa
late afternoon. It goes without saying, nobody waited us. Poor
Bekele, he had gone out to the plane we could not board, but in vain.
He left the office at once, however, when he got my call and took us
home. Even his wife has been in our house to receive us in their
traditional way.
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The second year
We had to get acquainted with several new circumstances after
our return to Addis. It has also been a novelty, to have a house with
trees and lawn. With the house we faced tasks unfamiliar that far,
e.g. dealing with fruit trees or cutting lawn. I found a good book at
home in a bookshop to help me in gardening. We arrived back after
rainy season, and the quince-apple trees -- I had two of them -- in
the garden began to spring into blossom. I cut back their twigs ac-
cording to the book. Also there was a plum tree, I had to cut out its
barren vertical twigs and cut back fertile ones. In three months all
the three would be full of fruit. There was no Hungarian there who
wouldn't get of our quince-apple. Plum was stolen by children from
the street in a scientific way, with a self-made tool.
There was also the matter of our child's schooling. We discuss-
ed it with my wife and we decided to register him in the International
School, formerly American School, renamed because of cooling
relations between the two governments. We did it right, it would be
clear, as the boy would learn the language almost perfectly in six
months. He became a pupil in 4th grade as proper. Although the
servant, whom the director told to take him to the 4th grade, mis-
understood it and led him to the first, in one day it has been correct-
ed. His form-master, Miss Veronica B., was a young lady from
California and a kind, patient woman, a true teacher.
At first he has not spent any time in class, for one week he studi-
ed only English at Mrs. Savage, another amazing young woman of
Puerto Rican origin. My son can be grateful to these ladies for their
care. In the second week he spent half of his time in class, half in
English lessons. His extra lessons ended at the end of his second
month. After three months in the school he was very happy to be
there. Thus, I was surprised when one day Miss B. said something
was wrong with the boy.
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The second year
“I think”, she said, “he is too calm. He sits in his place and does
not walk as the others.”
“Does he stay in during breaks?” I asked, as I did not see what
she wanted to tell me.
“No”, she laughed, “during breaks he goes out. During lessons, I
mean.” I became assured.
“Oh”, I said, “I see. Well, in our country pupils get punished when
they walk during lessons. Even they get so for speaking when not
addressed.”
Her face was a complete criticism of our school system. I
agreed with her, although at that time I didn't know what would wait
for my son in our country again after return.
There was another case, when she said, she would consult me
about him. She complained about his different algorithm at dividing.
I informed her that in our schools it is the German method, but re-
sults are the same as with the English one. I asked her not to con-
fuse him with theirs. This time it was she who agreed. We invited her
once to us to see the boy at home. She could hardly go away as he
showed her all his toys and gadgets. The conversation among us
has also been pleasant. After our return home we remained in cor-
respondence and she answered our letters many times.
I have mentioned that during my stay in Ethiopia a high delegat-
ion of our country was visiting the African country. Visit of these high
officials was realised in October 1980. That official has been our
head of state himself, Mr Losonczy. He took his wife with him and
besides his escort consisted of at least 100 people. At his arrival
happened the minor calamity between Mr. Menghistu and my son
about the bunch of flower for his wife. There were talks for a week,
and before leaving our president let his compatriots in the capital be
called together, and informed us about results, or rather about lack
of them.
What concerned us mainly was reduction in the number of our
experts by six. Of the six, two were going home anyway without suc-
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Canned roaddust
cessors. The other four would be decided mutually, he said. It would
actually be decided arbitrarily, the two druggists and the two trans-
port experts would have no extension. Of the latter two one,
Thomas, achieved his goal by intrigue so, instead of him another
one has been sent home after a shorter mission. Thus my mission
has also been terminated after two years in that country.
We had to finish our arrangements in the house when we re-
turned from holiday. I sent the guard away as he couldn't fulfil my
expectations, and I took another one, one of the mechanics from
our repair workshop, who did his work there ordinarily during the
day and he slept on our premises as a guard. The young man was
honest and I could learn more about him when he helped me to put
my car into order. My son had a good chance to supplement his mis-
sing gym lessons, they played football in the garden. He slept on our
site in the rear house, built for use of servants. He was living with us,
until he left the company and moved to his home town.
My sister-in-law, or rather her husband, had expressed their
wish during our holiday at home, when we had visited them and
spoken about our experiences, that they would have come to see us
in Africa. That would have been impossible for them as tourists, but
we were able to invite our relatives. The doctors had done so in the
previous year, first their son with his family then their daughter had
visited them.
The visit of my sister-in-law and her family was planned around
Christmas and the New Year. All preparations have been finished,
and we made plans for their program. I would work ordinarily in the
office, my family would accompany them to all places worth visiting.
Before their arrival a line of unpleasant events started. Every night
at about 10 p.m. stones fell on our roof. We could not guess what
these obscure volleys mean. When I spoke about it to Bekele, he
said either resistance activists did it, or my neighbours wanted me
to find another house. Assefa -- our new guard -- was watching with
me each night, but the throwers could not be detected. I reported it
to the district council and they promised to check it, but disturbance
222
The second year
went on. I could find it out during one of the absence periods of my
family, when they were out in the country with our relatives.
One evening there was a full moon and we were both in the
garden, when I saw an object fly in the moonlight and hit the roof.
Others followed soon. I signalled to Assefa to keep still. I opened my
gate silently and went to the neighbours' entrance. There she stood
in her white shamma, the mamita of neighbouring families. I took
her to the council. In half an hour she came back and there was a
farewell volley of stones, but never again.
In that house we had our pets. First we bought a hen to cook, but
my son gave her pardon, and she became a family member. She
produced eggs, but, when she sat on them as a brooding-hen, there
were no results, of course, without a cock. The next time, when she
began once more, I bought some one-day-old chickens, and put
them under her. She accepted them and they would grow up in
some months and would become fine egg-layers.
Bekele took us two kittens -- I asked him to bring one tomcat, but
they would prove to be both females -- and by that time they were
fine cats. Especially one of them had her trust only in me. Shortly
after her delivery to us, she was about five weeks old, my son put
her on one of the trees in the garden. It has been a jacaranda
mimosa with beautiful marine-blue flowers. But its trunk has been
completely barren up to ten feet. The kitten ran up and, when rain
began to fall, she shivered and mewed, but did not dare to come
down. Even by a wooden beam lent to the tree as a sloping bridge,
she would not descend. I had to climb our pomegranate tree and
from that the jacaranda to catch her and take her off. I have earned
by that her everlasting trust.
We have got a small dog, too. She was brought to us by the
doctors D. She would grow into a very intelligent creature, and my
only serious dilemma had been to whom to leave her. Actually she
has not been our first dog, we had got two others also from the
doctors, but they had been too young, at most three weeks old, and
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it had been hopeless to keep them alive. To make things worse, the
doctors instructed us to give them minced raw beef -- that had been
against my instincts, as by my memories my mother had never
given any raw meat to dogs, only to cats --. The small puppies had
lived only some days with us and, just some minutes before they
died, disgusting long white worms had left them as rats do with the
foundering ship. The dog that followed later, could boast with brill-
iant ancestors. She was a German shepherd, came from the
Czechoslovak embassy, that had been taking care of her ancestors
for some (dog)generations already.
We had one more pet, but he or she was a special one. One
evening, when I got home from the office, my son told me he had
spotted something looking like a turtle in the other garden over the
stone fence. It was a big closed site with a house, but in wild cond-
ition as a forest. Undergrowth between big eucalyptus trees has
been original. I went to the neighbour through his open gate and
asked him about the turtle. It was a free beast he said, from the river.
Sometimes he would come, then would leave again. He allowed to
take the creature to our garden. It was easier to say than do. The
turtle weighed about 100 pounds. I went over the wall by a ladder,
took it over, lifted the animal into my arms and went up the ladder.
The animal I placed at top of the wall, put the ladder back in our
garden and slowly descended with load.
My son was as happy as he could be. But there was the quest-
ion of how to feed him. I had always thought, turtles eat meat. This
one did not. He was the best lawn-mower of the world. Our lawn has
been a meadow when we moved in. I mowed it by a sickle borrowed
from Bekele. In dry season there was no need to mow it again.
Arrival of our turtle happened at the beginning of the small rainy
season, and grass began to grow again, but the turtle did his job
well. At first our dog would not accept him, but he would not be dis-
turbed at all.
One day something happened, an interesting mix-up, that
originated from the Ethiopian state security organisations. My wife
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The second year
received me after work with news that there had been an attack dur-
ing day. Actually it was an attempt to come into the house unauthor-
ised. She heard the lock open by key and she thought it was me. But
a black man stepped in through the gate. She ran there and began
to shout with him in Hungarian. Our dog backed her up. The man
probably did not want any publicity, he stepped out and my wife
heard the slam of the door of a car and it was moving away. She
went to the street and read the plate number.
The police would not deal with it at first, but then I got a phone to
go to a high-rank officer. He apologised and told me, the car had
been stolen and they did not know who it was precisely. Bekele
smiled hearing about the story and said there was no problem, only
the Ethiopian secret service was making a mistake.
His guess was good, I think, as another of our experts exper-
ienced a similar adventure. When they moved over to their house
from the apartment, they could not find their file of personal docu-
ments. Returning to the empty flat in 10 days they found it in the
empty wardrobe. He who placed it back after checking was a little
late.
In the second week of January our guests left, and soon I would
get a negative reply on my application for extension.
I have not introduced our house itself so far. It had been built
with good taste on a site 65 by 160 feet in size. From street to house
the lawn has been 30 feet wide. It was a single-floor building, its roof
was almost flat, with no attic. On the left side from the entrance 3
bed-rooms have been situated, two at front, one at back. About
forty percent of its length at right have been occupied by a sitting-
dining room that went from front to back on that side. On the back
between bedroom and sitting-dining room the kitchen and bath-
room have been placed. The kitchen had a back-door to reach the
servants' sheds. They have been built right on the back-fence.
There was even a separate watered toilet for them. When we mov-
ed in, there was only one servant, the guard, he had slept in one of
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Canned roaddust
the rooms. From street the gate has been on the leftmost, and a
straight drive was built to the garage-shed at the left back corner.
There was no heating in the house, only a fire-place in the sitting
room. The windows all around have been equipped with aluminium
shutters. They have been terrible guillotines, sometimes went out-
of-order and I had to repair them.
From February I was free of lecturing at the university, the
original lecturer returned from the army. When I took his place, he
had already finished the first one of the two semesters allocated for
the subject. My first one was the last for the students, as they were
finishing their studies. From that group there came one day a young
man into my office and introduced himself. We would work together
on topics I did alone that far. I left to him my technical books that he
was able to use in spite of their being in Hungarian. They were tabl-
es of conversions and other important technical helps. It was that
young man who would take my dog on.
In the spring of 1981 we undertook a trip that needed some
courage beside gasoline. During Easter we visited Jima, the seat of
Kaffa region. This town lies in the South-West from Addis Ababa,
within an area where you can find some of t