This is me. Nataša. I grew up in Pazin.
It is the kind of place where everyone knows each other. And there is plenty of parking. So this is my Rijeka story. And yes, it is about parking.
It has drama, tragedy, and a lesson. You will like it, I think.
20 year ago, as a new student, I arrived at the University with my car. I had stopped to do a a two minute job. I ran in and left the car in front of the University with all 4 turn signals on.
After the exam registration, I find same friends, and we started talking… This is when the tragedy struck. You can probably guess. When I finished my university activities, I went to the parking. But there were no car.
It disappeared. I was shocked. Of course I was panicked. Kadi klinca mi je vetura? Where the f**k was my car? [perhaps use the croatian version of an expletive] 😉
Did somebody steal it? I started to ask people if they saw anything. At the end, a women from the window shouted that there was a spider here, and took a green car.
My car!
Okay, this is the drama part. One. I had first to find where is the parking with my car and go there by foot. Two. Then I had take all my documents and wallet, from the car.
Three. I had to return in the city to take more paperwork. Four. finally, return to the parking, pay the penalty, and take the car!
It was like a Kafka novel. A happy ending?
Well, I grew up a little. I realized that as a person from a small city, I had to learn how to survive in this urban jungle.
Good story? Yes, I think so.
Author: Nataša Putinja, Manager in Ylang-Ylang
This digital story has been realised within the European project “Stories Behind the Cities”, founded by Creative Europe Programme, European Commission.