Scene at the Nagykanizsa Train Station on the 12th of October 2016

 

There are two men. A wheelbarrow is between them. The wheelbarrow is underneath a window. There are three windows visible in the frame. They are evenly spaced and the men stand in front of the wall between the windows. The wall is bricked up to the bottom of the windows and rendered in beige beyond that point. The roof of the building is not visible and neither are the tops of the windows. Behind the wheelbarrow is some dust and fallen debris. It is not visible from behind the wheelbarrow, but has fallen from the ceiling above it. Perhaps it fell the night before? The man on the left holds a broom: he is older. The man on the right holds a shovel: he is younger. The shovel’s handle is of such a length that the younger man can rest his chin on it with ease.

 

The two men are approached from behind the camera and asked to be filmed.

 

The Older Man: [Directly to the camera.] American students are doing an interview with us, a picture showing the mentality of the Hungarian workers towards work. Working like an animal, you know? Should have seen when we were up there. Come on!  We could smile? Or what? We could cry about the work and not smile.

 

This could be the image, but it is not.

 

The Older Man: [Continuing to another man who is outside of the frame and dressed in a neat sports jacket and jeans- The Boss.] You should come here too! You will be exhibited in America.

 

The younger man asks if the people behind the camera are Americans.

 

The Older Man: American students.

 

Behind the camera a voice tells them that they are American and Australian and French. The Boss enters the frame: he stands further to the left of the older man.

 

The older man tells the Boss that they are working.

 

The Older Man: Can you see?

 

The Boss replies by telling him to stop what they’re doing and to go that way. To the video it is not clear which way. The younger man responds to the Boss, telling him that there is no need.

 

The Older Man: Anyway, we have finished this part and that was what was crucial.

 

The Younger Man: [Interjecting.] The problem is: we don’t speak English.

 

The Older Man: [To The Boss] What’s next Mr Director?

 

The Boss: Next, there's the old lady:  she's getting coffee in the office now but there's a big cabinet that was left there.

 

The Older Man: Is she moving?

 

The Boss: No no no. The cabinet is to stay where it is. Everything else needs to be rearranged to be in the middle of the room.  Once everything is where it should be, it will be covered. I'll send András or Tamás tomorrow.” [Pausing] “There's the old lamp. He should fix it. I mean take it away. Put a box in its place. I don't know if you have plastic sheets, or do we have to buy some?

 

The Older Man tells The Boss that there are some plastic sheets inside.

The Boss: [Continuing] Anyway, we will go by car and buy plastic sheets, and everything we need. Then you can look around too. We have enough for today and we will deal with the rest tomorrow.

 

The Younger Man: [Rearticulating what the older gentleman man had said] There's some. It's enough for the evening when we go inside to cover everything. It should be enough.

 

In conclusion to the discussion of such commerce that took place on the 12th of October on the platform of the Nagykanizsa Train Station, the Boss tells the two men to call if they need anything more and the older man tells the camera that the film is over.

 

This text is part of the book 'The Light and the Heavy' produced as part of a greater collaboration with Magali Rifflart-Villeneuve.