Od kontrade do kontrade

Kuća u kojoj živi, nasljedstvo je njegove pokojne supruge Antonije. Ona se u toj kući rodila. Obnovio ju je 2000. Sačuvao je vanjski dimnjak nekadašnje kovačnice u prizemlju. S konzervatorima nije imao problema, nisu imali nikakve prigovore.

Imam jedino tu nesreću kad smo tu kućicu lijepo sredili, žena mi je naglo obolila i za tri mjeseca umrla. Tako da sam ostao sam, a u Split ne mogu ići. Tu sam se vezao, tu mi je drago, imam svoj ritam, imam druženje, imam šetnje, vozim bičikletu.

Na kamenu ploču Mile je dao uklesati početna slova imena svih bivših vlasnika kuće od 1773. kada je kuća sagrađena do danas: Domenico, Antonia, Eufemia, Maria, Eufemia, Domenico, Giovanni, Antonia, Bianca. Na kraju je dodao svoje i kćerkino ime: Mile i Maša.

Suprugu je upoznao u mornaričkom domu u Puli u kojem su pitomci Vojne akademije organizirali popodnevne čajanke.

Ona je u to vrijeme imala momka Istrijana, ali Dalmatinci su bili strašno popularni… I dan danas su popularni. Jer su zabavni, duhoviti, a Istrijani su ljudi krasni, ali su malo zatvoreni… Kod njih sve pomalo, kućica moja, kravica moja, moja slobodica.

Rekla mi je (buduća supruga) da dođem u Savičentu. Savičenta je u ono vrijeme kotirala kao gradić. Savičenta, kad ju vidite, ona ima konture grada. I ona meni kaže, ‘Hoćeš doć’ u grad, kod mene?’ Rek’o: ‘Hoću, nema problema’. Dolazim ja tako vlakom iz Pule i pitam konduktera, ‘Di je taj grad Savičenta?’ Kaže on: ‘Kakav grad? Nemaju oni željezničku stanicu, nego ima selo Kranjčići. Imate tri kilometra na noge, pruga je zaobišla Savičentu’. Ja sam bio pitomac, bijelo odijelo, sapet do vrata… I dođem ja u Savičentu, a nje nema. Ipak, ona je mene vidila, ali nije smjela od matere jer joj je mater rekla, ‘čuvaj se bijele berete!’ A eto, ona se zaljubila baš u bijelu beretu! Izletila je s kantom na šternu i rekla mi: ‘Sačekaj me kad padne mrak tu iza kaštela…’. Tako ja nju sačekam, no nismo se pošteno ni poljubili, a već je bilo 15 minuta do deset. Zadnji vlak je u 10. Ja odavde šprint, ali sam ipak zakasnio na vlak. A otpravnik mi kaže, ‘Druže, nemate veze do pet ujutro ‘. A ja ujutro u pet moram biti u školi. Do pet mi je bila dozvola. Reka’ mi je dežurni oficir ‘Slušaj Mile, nemoj da zakasniš jer onda te moram zapisati u knjigu…’ Nije bilo druge, nego da krenem po pruzi u Pulu. I u pet uri sam bio u vojarni… Evo šta vam je ljubav!

Ova sadašnja Savičenta, to više nije moja Savičenta. Kad sam ja doša’, to je bio jedan lijepi gradić, doduše dosta zapušten. Ali svidili su mi se ti stari ljudi. Stari ljudi su bili poslovni, radišni, vrijedni. Subotom i naročito nedjeljom su išli u crkvu. Šešir i odijelo i u šetnju. Muž i žena bi šetali tamo uz Žlinju do pošte i nazad. Nakon toga bi muški otišli na briškulu i trešetu u gostionu, a žene bi išle spremat’ užinu. I onda bi se rastavljali tu negdje na trgu. Ona ide doma, oni igraju. To bi bila igra tiha, muha bi se čula. A danas, igraju briškulu i urliču. Što više viču, misle da su bolji.

Mile se u slobodno vrijeme druži s boćarima, nogometašima, s njima putuje autobusom. Voli se družiti i s mladima.

Stari ljudi pričaju o bolestima, politici, spominju Plenkija, a mene to ne interesuje.

Mile je poznavao Ivu Brešana još iz vremena dok je službovao u Šibeniku. Ivo mu je jednom prilikom spomenuo da njegov sin režiser traži mjesto za snimanje filma o Maršalu Titu. Tražio je neki ambijent sa starim zgradama. Kažem ja, ‘Znaš što, za to je idealna Istra, ima dosta napuštenih kuća…. ja živim u centralnoj Istri, u jednom mjestu koje se zove Savičenta, dosta je zapušteno ali lijepo, fenomenalno za snimanje filma’. ‘Baš ću mu reći!, kaže on i to zapiše. Nakon godinu dana u Savičentu je došao Vinko Brešan s ekipom i počeo snimati film.

Mile nije htio biti nametljiv i nikad Vinku Brešanu nije rekao da je on njegovom ocu predložio Savičentu za snimanje filma. No tada je prvi put statirao. Pojavljuje se u nekoliko kadrova snimljenih na trgu kod šterne i u sceni u kojoj Ivo Gregurević baca kredu pa ona proleti pored Miletove glave.

Popodne volim sjediti na klupici ispred picerije, a ponekad na burencetu pijem kafe. Odatle sve dobro vidim.

He inherited the house he lives in from his late wife Antonia. She was born in that house. He renovated it in 2000. He saved the external chimney of the former forge on the ground floor. He encountered no issues with the conservators, they had no objections.

Once we finished renovating the house, my wife took ill suddenly and died in three months’ time. I was left alone, and I couldn’t go to Split. I got attached to this place, I like it here, I enjoy my pace of life, I socialise, walk, ride my bike.

Mile had a tablet engraved with the initials of former house owners since 1773, when it was built, until today: Domenico, Antonia, Eufemia, Maria, Eufemia, Domenico, Giovanni, Antonia, Bianca. He added his and his daughter’s name in the end: Mile and Maša.

He met his wife in the Navy Home in Pula where the cadets of the Military Academy organised afternoon tea parties.

At that time, she had a boyfriend from Istria, but men from Dalmatia were extremely popular… They remain popular to this day because they are funny and entertaining. People from Istria are wonderful, but a bit introvert… They are calmer, cherish their homes, their cattle, their space.

My wife-to-be told me to come to Savičenta. Savičenta was thought of as a town at that time. It has town features. She asked me: “Do you want to move to town, with me?” I said: “Yes, no problem.” So, I was travelling by train from Pula and asked the conductor: “Where is this town Savičenta?” He said: “What town? It doesn’t have a railway station, the station is in the village Kranjčići. You have to walk three kilometres, the track bypassed Savičenta.” I was a cadet, in a white suit, all tidy… I arrived in Savičenta and she was not there. She saw me, but her mother told her to stay put and said: “Beware of the white beret!” And she fell in love with a white beret! She ran out to the cistern with a bucket and said: “Wait for me here behind the castle when it gets dark…” I waited there, we didn’t even kiss properly, and it was already 21:45. The last train was at 22:00. I ran as fast as I could to make the train, but I was late. The stationmaster said: “Comrade, there are no trains until 5:00.” And I had to be in school at 5:00. I was free until 5:00. The duty officer told me: “Listen, Mile, don’t be late, because then I will have to record it.” There was no other way, I had to walk the track to get to Pula. And I arrived at the barracks at 5:00. See what love does!

Today’s Savičenta is no longer my Savičenta. When I arrived here, it was a nice little town, however, somewhat derelict. But I liked the old folks. They were industrious, hard-working, diligent. On Saturdays, particularly Sundays, they went to church. A hat, suit, and off they went. Couples would walk alongside Žlinja, to the post office and back. Afterwards, men would play Briscola and Tresette in the tavern, and women would go home to prepare lunch. They would part somewhere on the square. She would go home, they would play. It was a silent game, everyone was quiet. Today, people play Briscola and shout. The louder they are, the better they think are.

Mile spends his free time with bocce players and football players, he travels with them by bus. He likes spending time with young people.

Old people talk about illnesses, politics, the Prime Minister, and I don’t care for those things.

Mile knew Ivo Brešan from the time of his service in Šibenik. Ivo mentioned on one occasion that his son, a film director, was in the search of a shooting location for his film about Marshal Tito. He was looking for a site with old buildings. I told him: “You know what, Istra is the ideal place, there are many abandoned houses…. I live in central Istria, in a place called Savičenta, it is derelict but beautiful, a phenomenal shooting site.” “I’ll tell him!” he said and jotted it down. One year later, Vinko Brešan and his crew came to Savičenta and started filming.

Mile didn’t want to come across as intrusive and never told Vinko Brešan he was the one who suggested Savičenta as a shooting location to his father. That was the first time he was an extra. He appeared in several scenes shot on the square, next to the cistern, and in the scene in which Ivo Gregurević throws chalk and it flies by Mile’s head.

In the afternoon I like sitting on the bench or having coffee at the barrel in front of the pizzeria.  I can see everything from there.