Od kontrade do kontrade

Kad bi dolazili u Savičentu, stanovnici okolnih mjesta govorili bi da idu u grad. Čim su išli u crkvu, u trgovinu, na sajam, to je njima bio grad. No ja nikad nisam Svetvinčenat doživljavala kao grad.
Jer ja sam tu rođena. To je moje selo.

Kino je bilo u domu, plesnjak je bio do pola noći.

Tamo gdje je danas Studenac, nekad je bio mlin.

Između Puljanke i banke je bila sjemenarna.

Pošta je uvijek bila pošta.

Irene je kuću naslijedila od mame. Stara je kao i kaštel. Irene je tu živjela 40 godina. Nakon udaje je s mužem stanovala u prizemlju gdje je danas picerija. Nekad davno ondje je bila postolarska radnja. Na katu su četiri sobe. Grijali su se na drva, ložilo se samo u jednoj prostoriji. Zbog širokih zidova, drvenih greda i podova u kući nije bilo hladno.

Irenina obitelj je uzimala vodu iz šterne na trgu. Svaka kontrada je išla na svoju šternu.

Savičenta je imala puno životinja, sada nema ništa. Bez svinje nije bilo domaćinstva. Mi smo imali kravu, vola, konja, tovara, svinje i koze. Štala je bila iza kuće.

I zato kad meni netko kaže, a šta ću, pa meni ne treba ništa, idem u Lidl i kupim za dvije kune, ja odgovorim: Meni se sve isplati. Umjesto da uberem pomodor veliki koji je špricani, ću pobrat’ onega malega pa ga pojesti u vrtu.

Nekad je Savičenta imala jako puno stanovnika. Irene ih je sve poznavala. U bijeloj kući na trgu je primjerice živjela šinjorina Adele. Uvijek je na glavi nosila šeširić. Irene i još neki stanovnici su joj pomagali i donosili vodu kad više nije mogla sama. Irene još uvijek čuva zeleni starinski tanjur sa crtom koji joj je Adele poklonila kad se udavala.

Kad je bila mala, Irene je s ostalom djecom trčala po kaštelu, sve je bilo otvoreno. Iza kaštela u đardinu su se igrali lovice i skrivača. Ondje je bilo i boćalište. Njezin otac i susjedi često bi ondje sjedili u hladu, brusili kose i razgovarali.

Bili smo jedna grupa cura i dečki, svi smo u Savičenti bili jedan. Živjeli smo jedan za drugoga. Nije bilo toliko para, ali je bilo društvo, veliko prijateljstvo, nije bilo ljubomore.

Imali smo vatrogasno društvo. Žensko. Dječje. Muško. Bilo je u društvenom domu. Imali smo i folklorno društvo. Plesalo se, igralo, radi društva, zbog veselja. Kad se počelo sve komercijalizirati, bilo je gotovo… nije više bilo zajedništva.

Radno vrijeme trgovine je bilo od 8 do 12h i od 16 do 19 h (zimi do 18 ili 18.30).

Irene je asortiman dućana sastavljala slušajući kupce i njihove potrebe. Prodavala je cvijeće za groblje, ikebane, svijeće, školski pribor, staklo, tekstil, sjemenje… Trgovina je bila važna pogotovo starijim ljudima koji su preko njezinog dućana naručivali robu koju nisu mogli naći u ostalim trgovinama u Savičenti. Irene je s veleprodajom imala dogovor da je naručenu robu mogla vratiti ako kupcu nije odgovarala. Misli da će trgovina nedostajati najviše starim ljudima koji žive sami, koji ne znaju kupovati preko interneta i koji nisu tako mobilni kao mladi.

Ima jako puno ljudi iz Zagreba, Austrije koji su godinama dolazili u dućan i došli su me pozdraviti i molili me da ne zatvorim jer sam jedina imala dućan od igle do lokomotive. Otvaranjem velikih lanaca male trgovine su počele propadati. No ljudi su se sada počeli buditi i traže ovako nešto, da ima dušu.

Vežeš se, zavoliš taj posao. Onaj tko misli da će se obogatiti s takvom trgovinom, ne treba ni otvoriti. Eh sad, ili će te ljudi prihvatiti ili te neće prihvatiti. Ja se nadam da su mene prihvatili. Inače ne bih bila tu tolike silne godine.

Kada dođe jesen, moraš razmišljati o krizantemama, poslije krizantema o božićnim aranžmanima. Onda dođe 12. mjesec i inventure. Jedino su 1. i 2. mjesec bili mrtvi mjeseci. Nakon toga moraš početi razmišljati o tome koje ćeš sjeme nabaviti.

Jer ljudi su znali reći ‘aha, fali mi vreća krumpira, Irene di si, treba mi’.

Mogla sam još prije godinu dana otići u mirovinu, ali sam baš tražila nekoga tko će nastaviti s trgovinom… koliko sam mogla, sam napravila. Moja je duša čista.

When coming to Savičenta, residents of neighbouring villages would say they were going into town. They came to church, to the store, to the fair, therefore a town. However, I have never seen Svetvinčenat as a town. Because I was born here. This is my village.

There was a cinema in the community centre, dances would last until midnight.

There used to be a mill where the Studenac store is today.

There was a seed centre between Puljanka and the bank.

The post office has always been the post office.

Irene inherited the house from her mother. The house is as old as the castle. Irene lived there for 40 years. After she got married, she and her husband lived on the ground floor of the house, today a pizzeria. A long time ago, this had been a cobbler shop. There are four rooms on the first floor. The house was heated by a single wood-burning stove. Due to its wide walls, wood beams and floors, the house was always warm.

Irene’s family got their water from the square cistern. Each street had its own cistern.

There were many animals in Savičenta, now there are none. Every household had a pig. We had a cow, an ox, a horse, a donkey, pigs, and goats. There was a barn behind the house.

That’s why, when someone tells me that they don’t need anything, and that they can get everything cheap in Lidl, I tell them: “For me, it’s all worth it. Instead of picking a big chemically treated tomato, I’ll pick a small one and eat it in my garden.”

A lot of people used to live in Savičenta. Irene knew them all. For example, miss Adele lived in the white house on the square. She always wore a hat on her head. Irene and some other locals helped her and brought her water once she couldn’t do it by herself. Irene still keeps the antique green plate with a decorative border Adele gave her as a wedding gift.

When she was little, Irene ran through the castle with other children, everything was open. They used to play hide-and-seek in the garden behind the castle. There was a bocce court behind the castle, as well. Her father and their neighbours would often sit there, sharpen their scythes and talk.

We were all part of a single group of girls and boys, we were all as one in Savičenta. We lived for one another. We didn’t have money, but we had each other, we had great friends, there was no jealousy.

We had a fire department. Female. Children’s. Male. It was located in the community centre. We also had a folklore group. We danced, enjoyed each other’s company, we were joyful. Commercialisation finished that era… The togetherness came to an end.

The shop was open from 8:00 to 12:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00 (18:00 or 18:30 in the winter).

Irene built her product assortment by paying attention to the customers and their needs. She sold cemetery flowers, ikebana, candles, school stationery, glass, textile, seeds… The store was particularly important for the elderly people who would order goods that weren’t available in other stores in Savičenta. Irena had an agreement with the wholesale retailer allowing her to return the ordered goods if the customer wasn’t satisfied. She believes that the store will be missed the most by the elderly people who live alone, who don’t know how to shop online and are not as mobile as young people.

Many people from Zagreb, Austria used to shop in the store for years, and came to say goodbye and asked me not to close the store because my store had everything you needed. Large retail chains have ruined small shops. But people now are becoming more aware and are looking for something like this, with a heart and soul.

You get attached, you start loving that job. A person looking to become wealthy shouldn’t open that type of a store. And then, people either embrace you or they don’t. I hope they have embraced me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have stayed here for so many years.

When autumn comes, you have to start thinking about chrysanthemums for All Saints’ Day, and after that, Christmas decorations. Then it’s December and time for stocktaking. Only January and February were dead. Once they have passed, it’s time to start thinking about what seed to get.

Because people sometimes went: “Oh, I need a bag of potatoes, Irene, where are you?”

I could have retired a couple of years ago, but I wanted to find someone who would take over the shop… I did what I could. My conscience is clear.