Lagramyncki ôbsztalunek / Terms of Commerce (cz. 6)
Publikujymy kolejny kōnsek jednej ze siedmiu ôpowiŏstek Tōmasza Kamuselle ze ksiōnżki “Styknie / Limits“. Ôpowiŏstki te we ôryginale bōły pisane po angielsku, a na ślōnski przełożōł jy Marcin Melon, kery tyż po ślōnsku napisoł dō nich stymp.
Dzisiej piōnty fragmynt ôpowiŏstki, kerŏ ôpublikujymy we kōnskach całŏ.
Sam piōnty kōnsek.
| Wersyjŏ ślōnskŏ: LAGRAMYNCKI ÔBSZTALUNEKBoqin drałuje na banhof, staro tajla miasta mo terozki prawie ze zadku, naôbkoło biyrowe sztokowce i galantne chałpy. Dobrze to pamiynto. To bōł listopad 1993, kej tak lagramyncko powadziył sie z paniōm Wu. Bo miała wtynczos dwa lata i Boqin prziszōł ku tymu, co mogliby wziōńś uszporowane piyniōndze i dać na lepsze byjamtrowi z urzyndu reprodukcyje, coby dōł im zwola na drugigo bajtla. Ta idyjo znerwowała Wu. Cōłko ôfuczano spytała sie Boqina, co je ś nim louz i spōmniała mu, jako je głōwno lynijo partyjno: „Miyjcie mynij bajtli, chowcie świnioki!”. Tak jōm to zeszterowało, co chciała ô wszyskim pedzieć Ng i partyjniokōm. „To była ale nogło hyrpa” – spōmniało sie Boqinowi. Ciyngym mu sie bez nij cni. Po jejich rozwodzie ôna pedziała, co niy mogōm sie wiyncyj trefić, choby bez cufal, i wykludziyła sie na połednie, do Guangzhou, kaj jak pani Wu zowdy godała, „terozki nojwiyncyj sie wyrobio”. Tela, co ôstało sie Boqinowi po jejich żyniaczce, to je Bo, kero co dwa tydnie szkyrto dō niego na mobilnioka, coby zoboczyć, eli jeji starymu fatrowi nic niy ma. Terozki ôna je tyż hań fōrt daleko, sztudiyruje biznes kajś we Hameryce. Boqin je rod, nale tak po prowdzie to już bydzie trzi lata, kej niy widziōł swojij cery. Jego sercu fest sie bez nij cni. Dalszŏ tajla artykułu niżyj  Boqin niy znod sie drugij baby i niy mo żodnych kamratōw. Żodyn do niego niy przidzie z byzuchym. Trzimie sie ino sōm. Boqin pado, co już nabadōł sie do bycia samymu, beztōż co to go trzimie fōrt ôd lagramynckigo larma stolice i marasu, kerego coroz to wiyncyj we lufcie. Już niy kurzi, nale sztyjc kuco. Boqina byłoby stykać na dochtorōw i na to, co by pojechać do zanatorium. „Ino po co? Co mo być, to bydzie, pra?” – myśli sie. Boqin mo swoje zwyki i rod siedzi w papiōrach. Trocha tai chi rano i małowiela miynsa. Jego kariera wtynczos trocha sztopła. Ng poszōł na zabrano pynzyjo i terozki doradzo nowym start-upōm Armije Ludowyj, jak tak naprowdy majōm richtować gyszefty z auslyndrami. Ôriyntalno Kōmpanijo Maszinowo zmniyjszyła swoje ambicyje i terozki handluje ino z tymi, kere poradzōm godać po chińsku. Niy mo ani swojij neczajty. Ańfachowo godka abo godka bez telefōn sōm jednak nojlepsze, nojważniyjsze, coby pryncypały przi wojsku dostowały swoje piyniōndze. Wojoki niy sōm aże take przepadzite choby niyftore partyjnioki, kere durś ino chcieliby brać na lepsze. Partyjo tymu niyma rada. „Terozki te, kere już trocha uszporowali, majōm dzielić sie z inkszymi. Pierōna!” – Boqin tymu przikwolo. Po tyj chaji ô drugigo bajtla pani Wu coroz to mynij przoła Boqinowi. Napoczli nynać we inkszych lyżach. Pani Wu blank patrzała ino swojij roboty, a cōłki wolny czas, kery jij ôstōł, bōł do jejich cery. Pōmału leszowała Boqina z jejich żywobycio. Yntliś wykludziył sie z miyszkanio i lajstnōł sie licho ajncla, bezma trzi godziny cugym ôd stolice. Pojakymu miōłby udować wiyncyj na wiynkszo chałpa bliżyj cyntrum, kej tak po prowdzie to rod rajzowōł cugym, bo wtynczos niy myślōł ô tym, co mu sie podzioło ze żywobyciym. Jeszcze lepij: kej rajzowōł, to niy miōł czasu na nic inkszego, ino na robota. Boqin miōł takigo ptoka, co rod filowōł na inkszych ludzi w cugu i zgadowōł, kaj robiōm i fto je jejich babōm abo chopym. Beztōż poradziył uszporować trocha piyniyndzy, coby Bo poszła na uniwersytet. sōm geltag ôd pani Wu by niy styknōł. Papiōry rozwodowe prziwiyźli mu prawie w tyn sōm dziyń, kej, łōńskigo roku, 2 grudnia 1993, prziszōł faks z nowym ôbsztalōnkym ze Kabuga ETS. Boqin ani niy wejzdrzōł na papiōry, szrajbnōł i posłōł nazod do pani Wu. Zdowało mu sie, jak zowdy, co żodno minuta niy śmiy iś na skapka; beztōż szkoda czasu, coby kukać do zadku. Gyszefty, zowdy rozchodziyło sie ino ô te gyszefty. Kej miōł nowy ôbsztalōnek w rynce, zdowało mu sie, co 1994 to bydzie rok, w kerym firmie tyż bydzie sie darzić. Agrogyszeft we Rwandzie fōngowōł coroz to lepij. Félicien i jego biznesowe kamraty potrzebowali wiyncyj wercojgu, coby dźwignōńć cyle jejich planu piyńciorokowego. Ai i inksze, take same choby ôn, chachli sie, kej godali ô wolności jednostki; kapitalistyczno gospodarka, egal jednako choby socjalistyczno, trzeba było przōdzij zaplanować. Dyć ta cōłko niywidzialno rynka rynku to niy ma nic inkszego, jak ino plan piyńciorokowy. Rwanda pocisła damboko we żniwowaniy trzciny cukrowyj. Świat chciōł wiyncyj cukru, pojakymu niy dać ludziōm sie pōmaszkecić. Miyndzy 1992 a 1993 rwandyjsko produkcyjo trzciny cukrowyj dźwigła sie dwa razy do piyńćdziesiyńciu tysiyncy tōn. Terozki Kabuga ETS pytali sie ô pōł milijōna zieloznych maczetōw, coby bambry mogli jeszcze wiyncyj zeżniwować. Nojlepsze maczety to te ze karbōnowego sztalu, kere niy pōmiyniajōm sie gibko w ańfachowe pitwoki. Klingi musiały być za tela duge. Cosik miyndzy sztyrdziści i sześćdziesiōnt cyntymyjtrōw, coby bamber poradziył dobrze sie rozszwōngować, zaczym chlastnie. Rozchodziyło sie ino ô to, na kej majōm być fertiś. Félicien, bo tak Boqin godōł terozki do monsieur Kabugi, chciōł mieć wszysko na poczōntku stycznia. Ciynżko sprawa, kej sie wiy, co sōm transport kastli z wercojgym ze fabryki Kozio Gōra do portu Tianjin to je pōł tydnia. Niyskorzyj przinojmnij miysiōnc, coby zajechały do Mombasy, i fto wiy wiela zajmie rajza cugym bez cōłko Kynijo do Ugandy, a samstōnd autokami do Rwandy. Przi takij logistyce ciynżko było godać, co do sie to zrobić gibko. Po swojij zajcie Boqin mōg pogodać do kapsy wojokōw, coby dało sie gibcij przejechać bez Chiny i być zicher, co nikaj sie to po drodze niy potraci. Nale zaś trzeba bydzie dać kōmuś na lepsze. I ani wtynczos maczety niy przijadōm gibcij jak na ôstatni driker: pod kōniec stycznia abo na poczōntku lutego. Pierōn wiy, co sie bydzie wyrobiać, kej wypłynōm fōrt za chińske wody terytorialne. Jakby ino Félicien gibcij pedziōł ô tym ôbsztalōnku, toby niy było tela ôstudy. Monsieur Kabuga niy bōł rod z tego, co mu ôdpedzieli, nale yntliś sie dogodali. Chop niy bōł szpyndlikorz, kej było trzeba ciepnōńć piyniyndzmi. Miōst ańfachowych trzidziystu–sztyrdziystu cyntōw na maczecie, na tako przileżitość Ôriyntalno Kōmpanijo Maszinowo miała zebrać sztyry razy wiyncyj. Trocha sie zdziwowali, co byjamtry we Kabuga ETS dali zwola na te warunki ôd razu bez faks, chocioż we Rwandzie było blank niyskoro. Na zicher mieli tela roboty, co kożdy hań robiył sztyjc nocki. Terozki musieli ino dać pozōr, coby w Jingmen za tela gibko wyprodukowali wercojg, na kery poszōł ôbsztalōnek. Ng miōł przegodać panowi Chenowi, co cōłki werk mo robić na fol. Pōn Chen ôbiecōł im, co to je do pochytanio. Niy ma sie co nerwować. Bez ôstatni miysiōnc niy puściyli do dōm żodnych robotnikōw, nawet tych, kerych już poradziyli zreedukować, a sużby szpecjalne dały pozōr, coby im spatrzeć wiyncyj heresztantōw jak normalnie. Nale ani tela niy stykło, coby szafnōńć wyszpanowane warōnki ôbsztalōnku. Boqin posłōł do Kabuga ETS lista roztōmajtych zortōw maczetōw: Barong Bill hook Bolo Bowie Colima Hawk bill Kukri Panga Sax Sugar cane Tanto Tapanga Niy kożdo nadowała sie do ôbcinanio trzciny. Niyftore miały ino klingi na trzidziści cyntymyjtrōw a niy take duge, jak stoło w ôbsztalōnku. Nale plan bōł nojważniejszy. Desperoki z Kabuga ETS dali zwola na kożdo zorta, kej ino wiedzieli, co Ôriyntalno Kōmpanijo Maszinowo spatrzi im te pōł milijōna kōnckōw. Nojważniejsze było to, wiela ich bydzie. Inksze rzeczy poszły weg. (z angielskygo na ślōnski przełożōł Marcin Melon) |
English Version:Terms of CommerceBoqin is walking fast to the railway station, the old quarter behind his back in the distance, already obscured by the office towers and posh residential blocks of apartments. He remembers clearly. It was in late November 1993 when he quarreled with Mrs Wu. Bo had turned two and Boqin argued that with all the money in the savings account, they could bribe the reproductive watch officer to have another baby. The idea incensed Mrs Wu. She asked Boqin what kind of attitude this was and quoted him the party’s line ‘Have Fewer Children, Raise More Pigs.’ In her rage, Mrs Wu threatened she would report him to Ng and the party. ‘How temperamental and strong-willed she is,’ recollects Boqin. He still misses Mrs Wu. After their divorce she made sure they would never meet by chance and moved south to Guangzhou where, as Mrs Wu likes repeating, ‘this is now where all the action is.’ What remains to Boqin of their short marriage is Bo and her fortnightly calls to his mobile to check upon her aging dad. She is so far away, studying in America for a degree in business. Boqin is happy, but hasn’t seen his daughter for over three years now. Her absence weakens his lonely heart.
Boqin never remarried and doesn’t have friends. No one visits him. He keeps to himself. Boqin thinks he has grown used to the solitude that screens him from the capital’s unbearable noise and ever-worsening air pollution. He gave up smoking, but the wheezing cough refuses to go. Boqin could afford a health checkup and treatment in a sanatorium. ‘What’s the point? One can’t cheat fate,’ thinks he. Boqin is regular in his habits and good at paperwork. Some tai chi in the morning and not too much meat. His career stalled after that. Ng was richly pensioned off and now advises start-up enterprises of the People’s Army on how to properly engage in commerce with companies from abroad. The Oriental Machinery Company scaled down its ambitions and trades exclusively through the medium of the Chinese language. It doesn’t even have a website. Word of mouth and over the phone works best, as long as a sufficient cut of the modest profits reaches the company’s overseers in the army. Soldiers are not as greedy as some civilian party officials who time and again disgrace themselves with rapacious corruption. The party wouldn’t have it. ‘It is high time that those who got rich first would start sharing their wealth with the rest. Damn it!’, Boqin agrees. After the quarrel over whether to have another baby, Mrs Wu grew cold toward Boqin. They began to sleep in separate beds. Mrs Wu got completely immersed in her job and reserved all the little free time she had for their daughter. Step by step Boqin was erased from their lives. He moved out from their apartment and bought a tiny studio, almost three hours by train from the city center. It didn’t make sense to spend more on a closer or bigger place, while traveling by train kept Boqin’s mind occupied and off his marriage’s failure. What is more, the long commute left him with no time for anything else but his work. Boqin’s only idle hobby was to observe other commuters and guess their jobs and spouses. In this way, he put aside money for Bo’s university education. Mrs Wu’s salary alone wouldn’t suffice. The divorce papers arrived on the very same day, when a year earlier, on 2 December 1993, the fax machine had spewed out a new order from Kabuga ETS. Boqin just signed off the papers, without even bothering to read the legalese, and sent them back to Mrs Wu. As usual he thought he had no time to waste, no time to look backward. Business. It was always about business. With the new order in hand the previous year, it had seemed that 1994 would prove prosperous. At that time, agribusiness had been booming in Rwanda. Félicien and his business friends had needed more tools to overshoot the country’s five-year plan’s targets. Unlike Ai and the likes of him mistakenly maintained about freedom for individuals, capitalist economy in order to be successful had to be as meticulously planned as socialist production. The market’s invisible hand is none other but the five-year plan. Rwanda had gone deeper into sugarcane cultivation. The world wanted more sugar, well why not to satiate the globe’s sweet tooth? From 1992 to 1993, Rwanda’s sugarcane production had more than doubled to fifty thousand tons. Kabuga ETS was on the lookout for half a million steel machetes indispensable for agricultural workers getting ready for another bumper harvest. High quality carbon steel machetes would be the best, so they wouldn’t go blunt for a long time. Blades had to be long. Anything between forty and sixty centimeters to let the peasant take a good sweep of cane with a single swing. The only worry was the deadline. Félicien – as now Boqin liked referring to Monsieur Kabuga in office – wanted the whole lot by early January. A tall order, given that it took half a week to transport the containers with tools from the Mountain Goat Plant to Tianjin Port. On top of that, it took at least a month or so by boat to Mombasa, and who knows how much longer by train across Kenya to Uganda, and from there by trucks to Rwanda. The logistics of this route was never meant for speed. At this end Boqin could use the company’s army contacts to cut on the transportation time within China, and to make sure the produce wouldn’t linger anywhere on the way. But that required much bribing. And even with all these precautions in place, the ordered machetes wouldn’t make to its destination earlier than late January, possibly early February. What happened beyond the country’s territorial waters was out of the Oriental Machinery Company’s control. Félicien should have placed this order much earlier to be on the safe side. Monsieur Kabuga wasn’t pleased with their reply, but finally agreed to the terms. He wasn’t stingy when performance was needed. Instead of the typical wholesale price of thirty to forty cents per machete, under these circumstances, the Oriental Machinery Company was compelled to quote him with a four times bigger price. Surprisingly, given the time difference, the quote was accepted over fax in less than half an hour. Apparently, in this busy period, office workers had to pull all-nighters in Kabuga ETS. Now the difficult part was to make sure that production in Jingmen would accelerate accordingly so as to meet this order’s unusually quick pace. It was up to Ng to make sure Mr Chen would put the heat on the plant’s workers. The solution was easy, as Mr Chen let them know. No worries. For a month the center didn’t release any already reformed laborers, while the security forces ensured a bigger intake of inmates than usual. Yet even that wasn’t enough to meet the contract’s strict terms. Boqin faxed Kabuga ETS with the list of different kinds of available machetes: Barong Bill hook Bolo Bowie Colima Hawk bill Kukri Panga Sax Sugar cane Tanto Tapanga Not all were suitable for cutting sugarcane. Some were as short as thirty centimeters rather than the prescribed length. But the plan ruled supreme. Kabuga ETS had to be in dire need, because they ticked off each single type, as long as the Oriental Machinery Company would supply them with the required half a million pieces. It was made clear that what counted was the total number. Other considerations were pushed aside. |
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Tomasz Kamusella “Styknie / Limits“, Silesia Progress 2019
Cena: 34 złote, obecnie u wydawcy w promocji za 22 złote.