May 1

Today, when I am writing this it is May 1 or May Day. When I lived in Hungary this day was always a big holiday. Besides having a political significance it was always the official start of the summer season. Even if we froze our asses off the pools opened up, amusement parks became fully functional and summer was here like it or not.

I think the observance of this was inherited from the Soviets because they always had big May Day parades. Well if they had it Hungarians had to have it, too. Actually I do know the history of May Day but I don't want to show off how smart I am.

In Budapest all the party and government big shots showed up at the official reviewing stand and the faithful and happy workers marched and waved and sang and danced and everybody was deliriously happy.

The only reason people were happy because on that day nobody worked. And if Hungarians loved and still love something that is not to work.

Most of the time this day was combined with a possible long weekend or at least another off day. Maybe give time to the delirious people to sober up.

This year May Day falls on a Thursday. So what do the good Hungarians do? Make it a four day weekend. Isn't that just natural, right?

Even though capitalism replaced socialism and capitalism is rampant there some good old habits are hard to shed. Like May Day and August 20. August 20 was the celebration of the new constitution after WWII. Now it is called Saint Stephen day and still a holiday. Saint Stephen was the first christian king of Hungary for those who care.

April 4 used to be a holiday too. It was celebrating the liberation of Hungary by the Soviet Army in 1945. For obvious reasons that day is not observed anymore. Mainly since the good old Hungarians would have preferred the Nazis to stay and finish what they started so there was nothing to celebrate on April 4.

But going back to good old habits hard to shed. My former countrymen hate to work. They will grab at any opportunity to shorten the workweek by extending holidays and at the same time also getting paid. No dummies!

I can say one thing. May 1st is not the beginning of summer here where I am no matter how I look at it. It was raining, cold and we had heat in my building.

But just to show my solidarity with the working proletariat, I did a lot of work today. It was cleaning day at my household. Actually, I am getting to be pretty good at it. The fact that every bone in my body hurt is another problem but I'll get used to it.

It is a psychological issue. I keep telling myself that the cleaning is just an exercise and no pain, no gain. It really works at the end.

I am so gullible, I believe anything!