No matter what voice I gave Karel while reading over his email in my head it was hard not to laugh at the fact that I may be setting myself up for a really sketchy situation. My days in Prague were numbering themselves as they passed and I was getting ready to pack my bags and leave the little haven I had been living in. Christine continued to rock my world with hers. After nights filled of accordion crimes and gazing longingly at rooms filled with the nations elders that were showing the young ones how it has been done on the dance floor for oh so many years it was time to get my own groove on.
I arrived at the hotel early because that is just how I do but Dušan out did me. He was standing by the rear of his parked car as though it were on display. I realized when I got closer that he was a Czech version of Edward Norton with sandles and white socks on to match (which I have come to find is a huge fashion statement in these parts). Considering that I have had previous conversations about wanting a great big Great Dane that I will someday name Dušan, my ride for the day was just adding to my own privatized humor and at some point I may burst with laughter about the status of my life:
I am in the Czech Republic. I am currently struggling with a Czech keyboard and the letters are all mixed up but in continuation of this story I am riding to Brno in a silver Mercedes.
Dušan and I shared two brief verbal communications. One: "Dušan" smile. "Emily" smile. Handshake. Two: "Coke?" smile plus an eyebrow raise to confirm question mark. "Mhmm" smile plus a head nod to confirm yes. Dušan hopped out of the car to get us a drink for the ride and I smacked my forehead for not using one of the four or so words in Czech I have learned. Ano ano ano ano ano. Why couldn't I just say yes in his own damn language? Emily stumbles over words as though they were invisible yet standing right in her way. Crash. She picks herself up, dusts herself off, and continues on more astutely.
We roared (which is a lie because this Mercedes was successful at going very fast very silently) past all that were in our path and before I knew it I was sitting at a coffee table drinking coffee and immediately getting the shakes. I forgot to eat breakfast. I was about to laugh at the fact that here Dušan and I were, three hours into our introduction, and we still hadn't uttered any words to each other, but then he did. "Karel" and he flicked his nose up towards a man stepping into the coffee shop. Karel and Dušan did some business talk while I tried to shrug off the jitters and Dušan waved goodbye. Karel and I discussed the parameters of the job listing I had fumbled upon and after many laughs and nods and smiles etc. we decided that I would go to his farm the following monday to stay for a trial week.
* * * * *
"There is a statue in front of McDonald's in the center with a little guy sitting on a big guy's shoulders. We could meet at three or three thirty. Yeah? I'll bring a red rose or something. Actually, I will be the only moustached man in a trucker hat that says `elk-o-holic. Gunnison, CO'."
How can the above paragraph not make you want to fall in love with whomever wrote it? I have no idea either. Thad picked me up with a guitar on his back and a band of gypsy kids trailing behind him. I was twitterpated? See the cool thing about Thad is, that everyone who has ever talked about him has said that he is cool. So, basically, I wasn't really worried that he was going to be a complete bonehead. It turns out that not only is he cool he is also a complete donk and I like him all the more because of it.
We walked to Clubwash, the most hysterical, incredible, genius, nutso place in Brno, which is where Thad and his bosses/friends/owners of Clubwash all live. Pieter who is Dutch is something to me that I can not quite describe and Patrick, a Swiss guy, is the determined, responsible one of the group. He handles the money and has the girlfriend. Meaning he is not around as much and when he is, he is pacing from one room to the other or sitting at the computer. I like him.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!" both Jess and I shouted at each other as Thad and I got into the back room.
"What the fuck?"
Yep. It is true. For those of you who have been reading this crap from the beginning all of a sudden in the middle of the Czech Republic I am staying in the same place as Jess and Alys....the same girls I met at Greg's in Cork, Ireland. So ridiculous. While Thad went and hid in his room (maybe because the sudden flow of estrogen, maybe because he thought he was in the twilight zone like I did) the three of us caught each other up on our travels. It turns out we went opposite directions and ended up somewhere in the middle. I don't have much more to say about that because it was just too damn crazy. We once again said our goodbyes, they were on their way to meet family in Prague, but this time were sure we would meet again hence not so sentimental in our fare wells.
Ah. Clubwash. I had such a good time for the days that I was there and am now a member of the club and will most likely (as in three days from now) be back. In a nutshell: Thad snores, I steal blankets and take up more than half of the bed, Pieter somehow always wants something done or built but never seems to be there when it is happening, Piotr and I are good at mudding walls together and pretending like we don't like each other as much as we do, Thad smokes a lot but says he smokes less, Gee rolls joints and asks questions, the answer to "What should we do today?" may in fact be watch an internet poker tournament for eight hours. Drinking beer, smelling laundry, watching Spain beat Germany,grilling in the garden, and listening to Thad play nice songs can all happen at Clubwash along with so much more.....
Phew. Thanks for hanging in there. This is beginning to be unbearably long. I am now in Habři, a village of 38 people some 40 odd km. outside of Brno living and working on a farm. My main job is to hang out with three gorgeous girls and help them with their English. I have an incredible loft space above the workshop/studio (which basically means that below me lies a pottery wheel, kiln, sewing machines, art stuff, etc.) that is connected to a square shaped, remodeled, Czech farmhouse with a courtyard in the middle. All the land in every direction is owned by the family I am living with and today we spent all day swimming in the pool/lake. Not so bad for a summer job. I will keep you posted on the progress of my portfolio (now that I finally have time and a space to build one), my Czech, and of course, their English.
If you will excuse me, I am now going to go milk some sheep, make some butter, and have an evening ride on one of the horses.
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