Extract from Weeds in the Garden of Eden
- an extract from Chapter 15. Fruit of the Land.
In Račišće there is one particular fruit of the land which deserves special mention and that's mushrooms. The mere thought of the mushrooms which appear each year in November sends our friend Pavo into a spin.
"You haven't seen anything like our Croatian mushrooms," he says just about every time we see him, in the weeks leading up to the mushroom season. Pavo has learnt where all the different mushrooms grow from his father who in turn learnt from his father. Unsurprisingly, the spots have become a heavily guarded family secret. There are about thirty different varieties of mushrooms which grow here predominantly under olive trees. Apparently there are two varieties which are poisonous but nobody seems to be able tell us which ones they actually are and when Denis tells Pavo he's been asking people about them Pavo tells him off.
"You must not talk about mushrooms. What I tell you about them you must keep to-yourself. It is a secret for your family and mine only!" he says, putting his finger to his lips.
The mushroom varieties pop up in cycles and as one variety finishes another one starts. Pavo's favourite mushroom, which he describes as blue and red, pops up first. We are rather repelled by his description of it and as we are sure it must be a toadstool we can't wait to see what it really looks like. It's early morning when we set out to search for Pavo's special treat.
"Where are we going? Is it near those blackberries I showed you a few months ago?" Denis asks Pavo as we trudge off into the unknown.
"Blackberries?? Did you pick those?" Pavo replies obviously avoiding any comment on where the special spot is.
"Yes I picked them. They were growing on the side of the road."
"They might be but someone will still be 'master' of those blackberries. You must ask permission!"
"But they were growing on the side of the road," says Denis.
" They may be but someone will still be the 'master' of them and you must ask otherwise there could be problems."
"Ok," says Denis bemused. "But where are the mushrooms?"
"Easy boy, easy!! Soon you will see. The hills have ears so we must be quiet and if any cars come we must hide quickly. Anywhere! We must not be seen!" For a short time I wasn't sure what Pavo meant when he said that the hills have ears but then it came to me. It is a hangover from when the country was under Tito's leadership and the control of his Secret Police. They have been gone for more than twenty years now but I guess old habits are hard to break.
Intent on his purpose Pavo begins to walk faster until suddenly a car approaches and he indicates that all of us should dive into the nearest ditch or blackberry bush as it turns out!! Not long after we come out of hiding we reach the special spot but unfortunately there is not a mushroom in sight.
"Doesn't look like there's any here Pavo." Denis says with disappointment.
"Patience. I will show you. There's plenty, " Pavo replies, smiling. What is he seeing that we cannot?
" Wait. I must go first." He says holding us back with his hand. As we watch he walks slowly and deliberately towards something invisible. Carefully he begins to dig with his hands in the mounds of leaf mulch and unexpectedly there they are, plenty of mushrooms hiding under the decaying mulch. We hasten forward and are vastly relieved to see that in reality they are actually a copper oxide colour on top.
Laden with two bags of mushrooms, we are on our way home when suddenly Pavo misses his footing when he dislodges a rock from an ancient partially collapsed stone wall. We can do nothing but watch in silent horror as his round overweight body falls, head first as if he's belly flopping into the sea. It's funny but we are unable to laugh. For a start we've been told to keep quiet in case someone sees us in one of the special spots and secondly he's fallen quite a distance which isn't actually very funny as he could be seriously hurt. When he rights himself his hat has been knocked from his head and we are surprised to see that he is bald but as he is never without his hat we had no idea. There is a gash above his right eye; his lip is bleeding as are both his hands. Strangely he is not concerned about his injuries and all that bothers him is that someone outside his family might discover this mushroom spot.
"If anyone asks you about my cuts say nothing. Don't tell them anything at all. Don't even tell my wife. Not even she is trustworthy. She's never learnt about the mushroom places," he says, rubbing his head with his sleeve to wipe away the blood. This wasn't the first occasion Pavo had made derogatory comments about his wife. I recalled the day she planted parsley seeds far too thickly and his comment was, "I know one shouldn't say bad things about one's wife but my wife she is not dumb, just stupid! I am only telling the truth!" Then there was the time when she dyed her dark brown hair very blonde and I said to Pavo, "Your wife's hair looks great doesn't it?" He responded with, "Hair look it good, but still same old brain!"
On the journey home there are no cars to be seen which is just as well as we can't imagine diving into the bushes with our mushrooms or the injured Pavo. The following day outside the store all Pavo's mates rib him about his black eye.
"What you been up to? Did you fall down?" They joke and laugh as they admire his swollen, discoloured eye.
"No!" says Denis, stepping in to help Pavo out, "his wife punched him!" Pavo seems happy with this as; at least they haven't suggested he injured himself while mushrooming!
Copyright 2011 Barbara Unković
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Contact Barbara at barbaraunkovic@gmail.com