Stockholm, Budapest, Romania

If this is not an amazing synchronicity, I don´t know what is…

Yesterday it was the first spring day in Stockholm. I went to my favourite café sitting on the terrace, seizing enchanted the longed-for sun rays and the coffee.

Despite the chilly wind, I was sitting in deep contentment smoking my cigar. A guy came by. He also smoked a good cigar.

“What do you think”, he asked timidly, “is it too cold to sit on the terrace?” Give it a try, you never know, I said jokingly…

He took a sit finally, overcoming his doubts. It was just the two of us sitting outside. We started to change a few words. As I was thinking of Budapest, longing for the great Callas cafe there, wondering how the weather is in Hungary, I happened to ask him whether he had been in central Europe lately.

“No, I haven´t”, he said. “But you know, I am so tired of this shallow modernity”, he continued. “the same malls everywhere, the same music, people with same attitudes, wearing same clothes, it is so boring, I would like to go to Romania as I heard that there are still places there which modernity hasn´t spoiled yet.”

Imagine the expression of his face when I told him I come from Romania…”This is really a weird coincidence” he uttered astonished…I did agree. Of all the existing countries… Romania.

I thought he was a poet. It showed that he was a film director.

When I told him that I am a concert pianist and composer he said : ” Do you happen to know Laszlo H.?”

“Of course I know Laszlo.” I replied smiling. He is a Hungarian pianist friend, who like me, has lived for a long time in Sweden.

To make it short, I was pleased to meet this man, he had a nice presence, we had a good laugh, we communicated easily and had an amiable dialogue.

A small world really…spring in Stockholm, my yearning for Budapest, Romanian ageless landscapes, pianists, composers and film directors…all these incredible occurrences in a single encounter on a windy terrace…

Anyway, who called me at noon today? Easy to guess… Laszlo. I haven´t heard from him in three years!! I spoke of him yesterday, he calls the day after…

We went out and had a great time together.

He has been living lately in Budapest, exactly the place I thought to go and visit again soon.