But when we came up to the village I have been invigorated. It’s the savage scenery. Bliss and inner peace are too wonderful for words if you have not experienced it. We drove up to my uncle’s house. We were warmly welcomed by uncle and aunty. Only they stay here to take due care of the ancestral hearth. I looked at my father, and his eyes beam with happiness as if he takes on a new lease of life at that moment. Brothers hug with tears in eyes. Indeed, they haven’t seen each other for a long time.
Like a real mistress aunt began to shout at him:
“Micho, why are you standing like a do not invite guests in the house? How nice to see you! Come in and make it fast!” – She claps me and my wife on the back. “Now then, children, come in! We’ll talk there without standing under the sun” – she shoves slightly the father and all we are slowly entering the house.
We started to talk about everything while the aunt was carefully making a meal. There is different tasty food on the table. During dinner, everything is falling right into place gradually. Everyone relaxed. To my surprise, my wife began to explain that we were going to stay there for two or three days and then we would continue our journey to the sea. On the way, back we’ll pick up the father. Everyone liked it. We went out of the house. Sat down at the table under the old mulberry tree and continued our conversation while my wife and aunt washing the dishes.
At this moment, a woman was passing by. My uncle stood up, gave a salute and invited her for a cup of coffee. A short time later he came back and said that it was a very respected doctor who works in the village.
“You see, brother, everything has made great strides!” – said my father. “Do you remember our time? We went to see a doctor Gatso from Murino to Berane or over there to Velika, – he shoots out arm. He would cure better than any doctor.”
Here we go again! My father allegedly is in his second childhood! He thrashes again and again over to the same stories that I’ve heard many times! There were the stories about an original man.
“Give me a break!” – I interrupted him hundreds of times. “You know, father, what century is out there? However, those who hear you would call you crazy!” I warned him an innumerable number of times when he began to tell stories. I did not forbid him to tell stories to children, but I myself ever missed them. And here it is again! He begins as usual. I was ready to become enraged when my uncle started to confirm his words. Oh, my God, is it possible or I’m going out of my mind?
I’ve started to listen to what I had thought was impossible. Both were speaking about this man as a great wonderworker and I went on listening while absorbing each word as earth imbibes water! Was it indeed the case that such a man existed, lived until the nearly end of the 20th century and few people had ever heard of him!
“Miro, go to Radenko and call him” – the uncle asked my aunt to call a neighbor. She left and returned quickly saying that he was busy with work, but he would come about eight.
It’s a nice summer night. Crickets and night birds are heard. My people, the village varies wildly of our place in Belgrade. Peace. Quietness. The children went to sleep and we are sitting under the mulberry tree again and talking about an eccentric man and every word is worth special attention.
Radenko described how he was walked to the crank. A few days he had a high fever and headache. He was walked to the doctor in Berane. He was given injections, he took the tablets, but nothing worked. And only then he was walked to see that weirdo, who laid hands over his head and held them in this position for a moment. Radenko felt as if the heat boiled in the head. Since that time, he has never a headache.
First Radenko tells, then my father, my uncle followed him – one after another, and I listen to them and I can’t believe it. So, come down to eleven pm. We agreed that tomorrow night meet again. This continued to eleven at night. We agreed to meet by the afternoon of the next day. Neighbors will be called. They have visited that crank and are going to tell their stories. Everyone was interested to tell me his own story, because everyone knows that I’m working on TV and think that he could also appear in any television show. I tossed and turned sleeplessly in bed through the night. I could not sleep. Holly Molly! How is that possible that the story was before me for years, but I did not see it?
And this day is done. In the evening six people but Radenko gathered in the house of my uncle. Everyone is waiting patiently until he could tell his story.
This is not a story but it is nevertheless true which happened with these simple souls and which will now be told now for the first time to one who can tell it to the others. As is well known, what some people of this and the neighboring villages know of this and the neighboring villages it is to known of all the rest of humankind.
“Oh, my son”, – the neighbor Gordana was the first who began to tell his story, because of a hurrying to return home. “I can tell you that I really respected the man, but believe me, and was afraid of him too. He often rode a horse to Plav. He usually bought something there, possibly he went to see friends and to bring them ointment or broth and then returned home. So, it was on that day. I was cooking varenika[1]. It was a big pot of wide width! – She shows the wide hands. – I was sitting and waiting. Varenika was boiling and I just wanted to remove it from the stove as one of the children shouted: “Look, there is grandfather Gatso”. Perhaps I was destined to push the pot so that twelve liters of boiling varenika dumplings poured out on me. “Ah, ah!” – I cried out in surprise as disturbed bird. It was very hot. I could have died away. All made a dash for me. The children started crying and my husband Savo took alarm. I fell down close to the stove and my face was treated with boiling varenika. A blister covered my skin from the chin almost to eyes. It seemed to me that the fire was burning inside. Savo is trying to remove my clothing. Have a look! She shows a part of the arm where skin has been burnt and scratched. There is a visible burn scar. It has been leaving when Savo removed my body shirt. The door opened and at the same moment as if everything has stopped and calmed down. Believe me son, all the pain was gone. Suddenly Gatso came in as God’s phantom.
“Come on, Savo, let’s have a little quiet. God willing, everything’s going to be all right!”
Savo weeps and wails. The children have been mashed together and are beefing with hands pressed to the lips.
For what is it to me, Gatso? Come and see what happened to my beautiful Gocha!” Savo wanted to hug me and protect from all pains and, if possible, to share troubling distress with me while overcoming with weakness.
“Wait for a while, Savo”, – he headed Gatso off. So, you can’t help her, you’ll take off only your skin! Let me do it and don’t be afraid.”
This man came up to me. I’ve heard that he had hands like boiling water. He turned them like that to me and I, instead of hot, felt that something spreads over my entire body and a certain force cools my body. I began to feel as if snow and ice have poured over my body.
“Savo, give me water from the well!” – Gatso said.
At that moment, I felt calmness that it seemed to me I fall asleep. And my children and Savo calmed down, they were crying no more. Savo came and brought water. Neighbors gathered in front of our house. They scraped against doors and windows to see what is happening. It is surprising that nobody asks anything. Our neighbor Joko filled and brought to Savo a bucket with water. He handed it to Gatso who poured water on me. Look, my son, here the water is very cold as ice, but I felt it was warm.
“I’ll be back soon…” – Gatso said and went to his horse.
People made a clear way for him right over, he took out of a package a liniment without greeting anyone. He comes in and begins to spread this ointment on me. First – on face. When he smeared my body, I could take off clothes without the pain and the skin did not stick to dress.
“Hey, excuse me”, – he told me. “Now you’ll smear herself the rest of the body parboil through varenika, then you’ve to wait fifteen minutes and change into fresh clothes. At this point in time your Zlata will cook us cups of coffee. Zlata, daughter, do you know how to make coffee?” – He asked her and I, right hand to God, went into another