Oppressed rebel in local grocery store on Liberation Day

Oppressed rebel in local grocery store on Liberation Day

Photo: EC

Thursday May 8th was a national holiday, here in the Czech Republic celebrating the 58th anniversary of the liberation from the Nazis in 1945. All supermarkets and shops were closed in my neighbourhood apart from one small grocery store that always seems to be open. When I walked in, I found the store crowded with locals, engaged in heated debate. Three women and one man were especially loud; giving me the impression that they were quarrelling over something one of the women was holding in her hand. I came closer and noticed that it was a doughnut. Her hand was full of chocolate or marmalade that had leaked out of it but it didn't seem to bother her. I then began picking up bits and pieces of the conversation, especially the two words "Evropska Unie" or the European Union. I soon came to realise that the group was divided in two - those who supported the country's accession to the European Union and those who strongly opposed it. They were debating over the pros and cons of the country's EU membership. What appeared to have triggered the debate was the delicious, juicy doughnut that was still melting in the pro-EU woman's hand.

According to EU law and regulations, all baked goods are to be sold packed and fresh. A phenomenon that is rare here in the Czech Republic. A typical store displays its baked goods on a small counter without anything protecting them from dirt, dust, or worst of all, the dirty hand of the person behind the counter who has often just touched other foodstuffs such as cold cuts or cheese and has not bothered to wash his hands or put on new disposable gloves.

But to get back to the doughnut... despite us expected to become fully-fledged EU members on May 1 2004, the doughnut sold in my store was still being sold unpacked. The lady who bought it didn't say a word but the woman accompanying her dared to comment, triggering a war of words. "This so-called Evropska Unie is driving us mad with all its new regulations. We've had this store for decades and have never had complaints. We've managed to survive without the EU and don't need it now to do our job properly," a man who stood in the back of the store said - according to a neighbour who had witnessed the discussion from its start. I must have arrived just minutes after the row began. Since every one stopped to observe the extremely vocal four, I had no choice but to wait too as the saleswoman was busy defending herself. "All we want is hygienic standards" the woman with the doughnut said. "Well, take a shower", replied the man who was now behind the counter getting cover, should goods start to fly. Soon, the four became six and the six became eight. The tiny store was packed to the fullest and I could swear it was vibrating.

The noise from within had even caught the attention of passers-by, one of whom wondered whether it was Liberation Day that was responsible, the nostalgia for a revolt against oppression. Whatever it was, the rise of the masses won again this day. Obviously trapped behind her counter, fed up of the attack, the saleswomen took a plastic bag and threw it at the doughnut woman with the words "here, take it and leave me alone. You don't have to come here any more". In reflex and uncertainty over what it was that was thrown at her, the doughnut woman swung her arm around and threw the pastry over the counter. It missed its target by a millimetre and splashed all over a picture of a golden retriever on the back wall. A few seconds of silence followed and much to my surprise, everyone started laughing.