Zlata's Diary
Page 4
Monday, December 2, 1991
It’s my birthday tomorrow. Mommy is making a cake and all the rest, because we really celebrate in our house. One day is for my friends, that’s December 3, and the next day is for family friends and relatives. Mommy and I are getting a tombola [a basket of party favors] together, and thinking up questions for the children’s quiz. This year we have birthday cups, plates and napkins all with little red apples on them. They’re sweet. Mommy bought them in Pula. The cake will be shaped like a butterfly and ... this time I’ll be blowing out eleven candles. I’ll have to take a deep breath and blow them all out at once.
Tuesday, December 3, 1991
Today is the big day—my birthday. Happy Birthday to Me!!! But, alas, I’m sick. My sinuses are inflamed and some kind of pus is trickling down my throat. Nothing hurts really, but I have to take an antibiotic—Penbritin, and some disgusting nose drops. They sting. Why did this have to happen on my birthday? Oh, I am unlucky! (Don’t be such a pessimist, Zlata, things aren’t so bad.)
All right, I’ll get well and celebrate my birthday later, with my friends, I mean, because the “grown-up” guests (family and family friends) are coming to wish me a happy birthday today. And here I am in my nightgown! Mommy and Daddy gave me a wonderful birthday present—Head skis, new Tyrolia bindings and new poles. Super! Thank you Mommy. Thank you Daddy!!
We’ve just seen off some of the guests, and I’m tired, I have to stop writing, I’ve run out of ideas and inspiration. Good night.
Wednesday, December 4, 1991
I’m writing to you from bed, dear Diary. Another day in bed awaits me. Bimbilimbica (my favorite doll) is snoozing on the little table, and Panda just keeps looking and looking at her ... Let him look.
7:45. I’m in bed again, listening to the rattle of our washing machine. The repairman came to fix it. Poor thing, it’s a hundred years old. I should treat it with respect. The repairman has gone and I’m now listening to Michael Jackson, “Man in the Mirror.” I just had a crazy idea. I’m going to try to join Madonna’s Fan Club. I really am crazy!
Thursday, December 5, 1991
I woke up very late. Then Azra, Minela and Bojana came by to see me. Bojana is having a birthday party on Saturday. Lucky her! WHY AM I SICK??? Boo-hoo! Boo-hoo!
Saturday, December 7, 1991
The weekend in bed. Bojana’s having her birthday party today and I can’t go. I feel sad. I can’t even read or watch TV anymore. I want to get well!
Every night Mommy and Daddy keep trying to get Srdjan on the phone. It’s impossible to get through to Dubrovnik. God, there really is a war going on down there. Today I saw pictures of Dubrovnik on TV. Horrible. We’re worried about Srdjan and his family. Mommy managed (because she was persistent) to get him on the phone at eleven o’clock last night. He’s hungry and thirsty, he’s cold, they have no electricity, no water, nothing to eat. He’s sad. Mommy cried. What on earth is happening and why? God, is it possible that there’s a war going on down there? Dubrovnik is being destroyed, people are dying. Sad but true. Take care of yourself, Srdjan, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. We’ll be sending you another package in a few days, through Caritas.
On Monday I’m going to Auntie Mira’s (the doctor’s) for a check-up.
Ciao!!!
Monday, December 9, 1991
I went to see Auntie Mira. She says I can go back to school tomorrow. Whoopee! We bought a pair of gray trousers at “KIKA’s” (the children’s boutique). I like them. Well, Murphy Brown is going to be on TV now. I have to watch!!!
Ciao...
Wednesday, December 11, 1991
I’m back at school. There’s a lot to learn, it’ll be the end of term soon. I’ve got a math test tomorrow. I have to practice. I got an A in history today. On Saturday I’m celebrating (a bit late) my eleventh birthday.
Saturday, December 14, 1991
Today, eleven days later, I celebrated my eleventh birthday with my girlfriends. It was like the real thing. We had the tombola, the quiz, the “butterfly” cake. I blew out all the candles on my first try. We had a good time. Being sick stopped me from having my party on December 3, but this was nice too. Once again—Happy Birthday to Me, and may I never get sick on this big day again. Oh yes, I got wonderful presents—most of them from “Melanie’s” (a boutique with wonderful knick-knacks). They fit in perfectly with everything in my room.
Thursday, December 19, 1991
Sarajevo has launched an appeal (on TV) called “Sarajevo Helps the Children of Dubrovnik.” In Srdjan’s parcel we put a nice New Year’s present for him to give to some child in Dubrovnik. We made up a package of sweets, chocolates, vitamins, a doll, some books, pencils, notebooks—whatever we could manage, hoping to bring happiness to some innocent child who has been stopped by the war from going to school, playing, eating what he wants and enjoying his childhood. It’s a nice little package. I hope it makes whoever gets it happy. That’s the idea. I also wrote a New Year’s card saying I hoped the war in Dubrovnik would end soon.
Thursday, December 26, 1991
5:45. I haven’t written to you for a long time, dear Diary. Okay, let’s start from the beginning. I got a B in my piano exam, an A in solfeggio and an A in general music, so I finished with an A average. Super. Mirna did the same as me. I wrote to Sa-3-Ć i-ći [a children’s program] TV show and won a ticket for the Ninja Turtles.
It was Christmas yesterday. We went to M&M’s (Martina and Matea’s). It was wonderful. A big Christmas tree. Christmas presents and the proverbial Christmas table. And Bokica was there with Andrej. And there was a surprise. Srdjan phoned. Everyone was happy and sad at the same time. There we were all warm, surrounded by Christmas decorations and presents, with lots of wonderful food and drink in front of us. And there he was, like everybody else in Dubrovnik ... in a war. This war will pass, Srdjan, we’ll all be together again! You’ve got to hold on!!! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you and for all the people and children in Dubrovnik.
It’ll be New Year’s Eve soon. The atmosphere seems different than before. Mommy, Daddy and our friends and family aren’t planning a New Year’s Eve party this year. They don’t talk about it much. Is it because of the war in Dubrovnik? Is it some kind of fear? I don’t know or understand a thing. Mommy says we’ll decorate the tree tomorrow.
Today was my last day at music school this year. And school?! I’m hoping for straight As. YO, BABY, YO!, as The Fresh Prince of Bel Air would say. That’s one of my favorite programs on TV. PHEW! I certainly do talk a lot. Just look at all these words.
PHEW!
Just one more thing: my class is going to the cinema tomorrow. We’re going to see White Fang. It’s a wonderful book by Jack London, I hope the film is as good.
Ciao!!!
Monday, December 30, 1991
We’ve decorated the tree. I went shopping with Mommy. We bought presents for the family and friends. We wrapped everything up nicely, wrote everyone a New Year’s card and I laid them all out under the tree. Everything looks wonderful. Mommy is cooking, baking—there’ll be all sorts of goodies. But I think everybody will be spending New Year’s Eve at home.
Wednesday, January 1, 1992
Yes, I spent New Year’s Eve AT HOME WITH MY MOMMY AND DADDY. It wasn’t bad, just a bit odd. Happy New Year.
We were alone on New Year’s Eve, but today the house is full of people. Lots of visitors, both “small” (my friends) and “big” (Mommy and Daddy’s), as well as family. In the end it was fun.
Saturday, January 4, 1992
We went to Jahorina yesterday. It’s super there. We rode our sleds in the dark, fooled around, played Yatzee. It was great, really! But we didn’t spend the night. Never mind, it doesn’t matter. The Witches of Eastwick was on yesterday, with Cher, Michelle Pfeif-fer, Jack Nicholson and some actress whose name begins with an S.... S, s, s, s, s ... I just can’t remember. And another thing. Jaca gave me a polka-dot cap and gloves for my New Year’s present. They’re
so cute. Coochie-coochie-coo!!!
Sunday, January 5, 1992
The cinema was an absolute fiasco. A disaster! Like seeing Jordan from NKOTB [New Kids on the Block]. First of all, we didn’t see White Fang, we saw My Brother Aleksa. We could have survived this if someone hadn’t been throwing paper and spitting from the balcony. Of course, I wouldn’t be Zlata Filipović if I hadn’t been sitting in the first row under that balcony! Naturally! Serves me right for sitting in the wrong place!
Monday, January 13, 1992
We just saw M&M and Neda off. AUHHHH! It’s been a long day! I’m off to bed now, it’s 11:10. I’m reading Captain at Fifteen by Jules Verne.
Everything is the same and keeps going in a circle (in my holiday life). Boredom, books, friends, phone calls and so on. I really do have to go to bed now! GOOD NIGHT AND SWEET DREAMS!
Tuesday, January 14, 1992
I yawned, opened my pen and started to write: I’m listening to the music from Top Gun on “Good Vibrations” (on the radio). Something else is on now. I’ve just destroyed the back page of Bazaar [the fashion magazine]. I talked to Mommy on the phone. She’s at work.
I have something to tell you. Every night I dream that I’m asking Michael Jackson for his autograph, but either he won’t give it to me or his secretary writes it, and then all the letters melt, because Michael Jackson didn’t write them. Sad. Poor me. Ha, ha, ha, ha, I have to, ha, ha, ha, ha, laugh, ha, ha, ha, ha.
4:15. I was at Vanja and Andrej’s (V&A). There was a bit of trouble at home because I stayed so long. But it took a long time to finish our game of Monopoly. Both Vanja and Andrej went bankrupt, and I had all the red notes (5,000 each). I had 12,000,000, to be exact. Mind you, I had the Place de Genève and Cote d’Azure.
Oops. There’s Bugs Bunny. I’ve got to watch! 7:50. I’m watching DIAL MTV: 5. Pet Shop Boys with “Was It Worth It?” 4. I can’t remember 3. Nirvana 2. Guns ‘n’ Roses 1. New Kids on the Block.
Thursday, January 16, 1992
I got up late. Mommy isn’t feeling well. She didn’t go to work today. Safia (the woman who helps in the house) came. I’m bored. When are we going to go to Jahorina?
Thursday, January 23, 1992
9:55. I’m lying in bed. But not in my bed. THAT’S RIGHT. Dum-di-dum-di-dum. I’m on Jahorina. I’ve been here seven days now. I’m lying next to Oga. Listening to the buzzing of a boring fly and to the stove, and talking to Oga. We’re talking the way we always do in this bed, in this room, on Jahorina.
I haven’t written to you for a long time, dear Diary. As soon as I came I was really busy, skiing, nighttime skiing, ice-skating on “Boza’s Trail,” building snowmen and snow houses. I simply didn’t have time. We’re all here: Oga, Branko, Svjetlana, Nenad, Bojan, Boris, Mirela, Anela, and, of course, me. You’ll forgive me. I know you will. I promise to write more often.
Oga and I are making plans about which ski-lifts to take tomorrow: Ogorjelica I, Ogorjelica II, Šator ... God, such a choice. I can hardly wait.
I AM HAPPY!
Sunday, January 26, 1992
I’m sick. My throat hurts. I have a temperature. I was on fire. It’s gone down a bit now, but I have a terrible cough.
Tuesday, January 28, 1992
I’m better today. I’m taking antibiotics, so I’ll be OK. Now Boris is sick too, and Oga says her throat hurts. I didn’t tell you that Svjetlana brought us the flu from Sarajevo. She went to the dentist’s, “picked up” the flu and took it away with her. And now here she is on Jahorina. She got sick first, then me, and now Boris, maybe even Oga. So the flu has cut short our fun. That’s not very nice of it.
Sunday, February 2, 1992
We came back from Jahorina yesterday. I’m fine, but now Mommy is sick. She has a temperature and a cough. Daddy has a temperature too. I just have a cough. It’s an epidemic.
Tuesday, February 4, 1992
School has started. Responsibilities ... I’ve just come back from music school. Well, it was OK, I guess.
I didn’t tell you, dear Diary, that I have a notebook in which I paste fashion pictures. I have photos of Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford, Yasmine Le Bon.
Wednesday, February 15, 1992
Daddy’s all right now, but Mommy’s still sick. She just isn’t getting better. It looks like she’s got pneumonia. She’s taken sick leave. She’s going around seeing doctors.
I’ve got my responsibilities—school, music lessons, I study, practice the piano and pray to God that Mommy gets well and that we go to Jahorina. This miserable flu has ruined everything.
Thursday, March 5, 1992
Oh, God! Things are heating up in Sarajevo. On Sunday (March 1), a small group of armed civilians (as they say on TV) killed a Serbian wedding guest and wounded the priest. On March 2 (Monday) the whole city was full of barricades. There were “1,000” barricades. We didn’t even have bread. At 6:00 people got fed up and went out into the streets. The procession set out from the cathedral. It went past the parliament building and made its way through the entire city. Several people were wounded at the Marshal Tito army barracks. People sang and cried “Bosnia, Bosnia,”“Sarajevo, Sarajevo,” “We’ll live together” and “Come outside.”
Zdravko Grebo2 said on the radio that history was in the making.
At about 8:00 we heard the bell of a streetcar. The first streetcar had passed through town and life got back to normal. People poured out into the streets hoping that nothing like that would ever happen again. We joined the peace procession. When we got home we had a quiet night’s sleep. The next day everything was the same as before. Classes, music school... But in the evening, the news came that 3,000 Chetniks [Serbian nationalists] were coming from Pale3 to attack Sarajevo, and first, Baščaršija [the old part of town]. Melica said that new barricades had been put up in front of her house and that they wouldn’t be sleeping at home tonight. They went to Uncle Nedjad’s place. Later there was a real fight on YUTEL TV. Radovan Karadžič [Bosnian Serb leader] and Alija Izetbegovič [President of Bosnia-Herzegovina] phoned in and started arguing. Then Goran Milic4 got angry and made them agree to meet with some General Kukanjac.5 Milič is great!!! Bravo!
On March 4 (Wednesday) the barricades were removed, the “kids” [a popular term for politicians] had come to some agreement. Great?!
That day our art teacher brought in a picture for our class-mistress (for March 8, Women’s Day). We gave her the present, but she told us to go home. Something was wrong again! There was a panic. The girls started screaming and the boys quietly blinked their eyes. Daddy came home from work early that day too. But everything turned out OK. It’s all too much!
Friday, March 6, 1992
Things are back to normal.
Tuesday, March 24, 1992
There’s no more trouble in Sarajevo. But there is in other parts of B-H: Bosanski Brod, Derventa, Modriča. Terrible reports and pictures are coming in from all over. Mommy and Daddy won’t let me watch TV when the news is on, but you can’t hide all the bad things that are happening from us children. People are worried and sad again. The blue helmets (actually, they’re blue berets) have arrived in Sarajevo. We’re safer now. And the “kids” have retreated from the scene.
Daddy drove me to the building on the UN peace force command. He told me that now that the blue flag is flying in Sarajevo we can hope for something better.
Monday, March 30, 1992
Hey, Diary! You know what I think? Since Anne Frank called her diary Kitty, maybe I could give you a name too. What about:ASFALTINA
ŠEFIKA
ŠEVALA
PIDZAMETA
HIKMETA
MIMMY
or something else???
I’m thinking, thinking...
I’ve decided! I’m going to call you
MIMMY
All right, then, let’s start.
Dear Mimmy,
It’s almost half-term. We’re all studying for our tests. Tomorrow we’re supposed to go to
a classical music concert at the Skenderija Hall. Our teacher says we shouldn’t go because there will be 10,000 people, pardon me, children, there, and somebody might take us as hostages or plant a bomb in the concert hall. Mommy says I shouldn’t go. So I won’t.
Hey! You know who won the Yugovision Song Contest?! EXTRA NENA!!!???
I’m afraid to say this next thing. Melica says she heard at the hairdresser’s that on Saturday, April 4, 1992, there’s going to be BOOM—BOOM, BANG—BANG, CRASH Sarajevo. Translation: they’re going to bomb Sarajevo.
Love,
Zlata
Friday, April 3, 1992