Górą Edek
There were a lot of cars and noise in the small street of the city centre. The drivers often presses horns on the steering wheels. You could smell exhaust fumes in the air.
Some cars were standing in a long row, the other cars were moving back and forth trying to find an empty parking space in a car park.
Finally, one of the parked cars left and there was an empty spot. A small, red fiat car wanted to park there. The driver was too slow and missed it.
Suddenly, a big shiny blue ford appeared behind the fiat. It was too close. The driver of the red fiat pressed the horn. He wanted the big blue car to move away. The angry fiat driver tried to communicate with his voice and hands to the other driver that the parking spot was his because he was first. He tried to fight for the spot, but the other car didn’t drive away. Finally, he gave up and drove away leaving the spot to the blue ford.
The driver of the red fiat was sad. He got out of the car. He was a slim and a bit short boy. He was wearing glasses.
The driver of the blue ford also left the car. He was a big man wearing a leather jacket.
– How could you? – asked the driver of the small red car. He spoke with a quiet and sad voice but the big man didn’t pay attention to him. He didn’t care about what the boy in the glasses was saying. He looked ahead and moved quickly towards the gate nearby.
The small fiat lost the fight with the big ford. Was it fair?
Górą Edek
How did the situation look?
It was a sunny day. There were a lot of cars and in the small street of the city centre. It was noisy there. One could hear honking of horns and screech of brakes and smell exhaust fumes in the air.
Some cars were standing in a long row, the other cars were moving back and forth trying to find an empty parking space in a car park.
What happened in a car park?
Finally, one of the parked cars left and there was an empty spot. A small, red fiat car wanted to park there. The driver wasn’t careful enough and missed it.
Suddenly, a big shiny blue ford appeared behind the fiat. It was too close. The driver of the fiat pressed the horn because he wanted the giant car to drive away. He was first here, it was his spot! He tried to fight for the it, but the others were unmoved and didn’t drive away.
Other drivers were angry, too. They also pressed the horns.
The angry fiat driver stuck his head out of a car window – he tried to communicate with his voice and hands to the other driver about his right of priority, but the big car didn’t even move. Finally, resigned driver drove away leaving the spot to the ford.
The driver of the fiat was sad. He got out of the car. He was a slim and a bit short boy with a thin face. He was wearing glasses.
The driver of the ford also left the parked car. He was a big, tall man wearing a leather jacket.
How did the story ends?
– How could you? – asked the resigned driver of the small car with a weak and regretful voice but the big man didn’t pay attention to him. He didn’t care about what the sad boy in the glasses was saying. He was unmoved and went quickly towards the gate nearby.
The sad, small red fiat lost the fight with the big shiny blue ford. Was it fair?
Górą Edek
Edek from the Tango novel
Edek is the character of a novel Tango written by Sławomir Mrożek.
The physical appearance of Edek: he is wearing an ugly checked shirt which is always unbuttoned. He has got dirty, creased grey trousers, long colourful socks and bright yellow shoes. He never shaves but there is a small moustache above his upper lip. He combs his long greasy hair from time to time and scratches his thigh. He drinks beer whenever he plays the cards. He wears a big gold watch on his wrist.
He doesn’t follow the rules of good behaviour. He is loud and rude.
Edek is not educated, his intellect stopped developing. He is strong and confident.
Almost all the members of the family he lives with accept him and even like him. However, the man turns out to be dangerous. He kills one of them and tells the rest to keep quiet and do what he tells them to do. Strength and brutality wins over intellect and wisdom.
Do you like this kind of person?
Edek on the parking space
There are a lot of cars and in the small street of the city centre. The drivers are looking for an empty parking space which is difficult to do. The cars are standing in a long row. Some of them are parked on the pavement. Other cars are moving slowly, waiting for an empty spot.
After some time, there is an empty spot. A small fiat car is first to park there, but the driver is clumsy and moves too far.
Suddenly, a big and modern ford approaches. It’s shiny and in a beautiful colour. Edek the driver immediately tries to take the empty spot. When it moves too close to the fiat, the fiats driver presses the horn. He is infuriated. He saw it first! But the driver of the ford doesn’t care. He is just standing doing nothing.
The war lasts long. The driver of the fiat honks louder and louder. Other drivers are also honking. They can’t move forward. The angry fiat driver sticks his head out of a car window and wants to catch the ford’s driver attention. In vain. Finally, he gives up and drives away leaving the spot to the ford which takes the spot effortlessly.
However the driver of the fiat doesn’t want to leave it like that. He gets out of the car. He is a slim and a bit short boy with a thin face. He is wearing glasses. He asks why the man took his spot.
The driver of the ford also leaves the car. He is very tall and strong. He is wearing a leather jacket. He is walking in a confident way. He is not even looking at the young boy. He can’t see him. He goes towards the building and disappears in the doorway.
The story shows that strong people often take what they want. They don’t care about other people’s thoughts or feelings.
