[Un leu, un leu... Chapter IX] Un Leu, Un Leu

robrigo (66)in #nonfiction • 6 years ago

This is a continuation of the book "Un leu, un leu...", which was written in Romanian by my late godfather and uncle Bill Edwards, and published by Evenimentul, a now defunct Romanian publishing company. The book is being released for the first time in English exclusively online here on Steemit, as a serial. I hope you enjoy his writings as much as I do!
-Rob

In January 1991, upon completing my first return visit to Romania since leaving Bucharest in the summer of 1985, I was going through the various security checks and customs at Otopeni International Airport when a curious and somewhat comical event took place between some airport officials and me. I have since related the story to several people in the United States, including journalists, diplomats, and Romanian expatriates. And since they found it so amusing, and typical of the present and everlasting sense of humor of the Romanian people - whatever their circumstances or station, I thought that I would share it with those of you who have never had - and especially those who have had - the experience of flying out of Otopeni on an international flight after battling security checks and customs.

Uncle Bill's lion statue

During my two weeks stay in Romania, I renewed many old friendships and retraced many trails I had trod during my previous four years there as an American diplomat and functionary at the U.S. Embassy. One of these treks down my Romanian memory lane resulted in this story. While ambling through Hanul Cu Tei Consignatia, I came across a marvelous cast-iron statue of a lion in the Florentine style. All who know me know that I love all manner of cats. I have three cats - two of whom lived four years with me in Bucharest, In fact, I was born on July 31, which makes my horoscope Leo. Well the first instant I saw this cat, I knew that I had to have it for the garden of my Romanian house besides the Potomac River. An inquiry with the lady at the sales desk - an old friend - told me that I could purchase this statue and take it out of Romania, since it was of Italian origin and not a part of Romania's patrimonia. That was the least of the problem. The statue weighs about sixty pounds. How was I to transport it back to Washington the next day? I would worry about that later. Right then my only concern was with the purchase and transport of the statue to the home of friends I was staying with on Boulevard Josip Broz Tito in Balta Alba. In due course the purchase was made and taken off.

Very, very early the next morning, after a late night of saying goodbye to friends at a farewell party, I decided to place the lion in a large suitcase I had with me. After all of the confusion that attends such a departure, we finally arrived at Otopeni at 5:30, and began the ordeal of clearing security and customs. It was after the first security check, during the customs inspection that an official noticed how heavy my bag with the lion in it was. After the suitcase was placed on an inspection table, the man, very suspiciously, asked me what was in it to make it so heavy. Still under the effects of the night before when much good Romanian wine with sonata, and tuica had been imbibed well into that very morning, I shrugged my shoulders, held up the index finger on my right hand and replied in Romanian, as I guess the average Romanian would have, "Un Leu." This answer really made him and his colleagues, who had gathered around, more suspicious of my suitcase. Very politely he asked me to open it so that he could inspect the contents. I immediately complied with his request and upon seeing the very well executed lion amid the clothing and paper I had padded it with, the officials, all burst into gains of laughter, saying, "Un Leu, Un Leu, el are nu mai Un Leu". Or in English, "A lion, a lion, he has only one lion." It then dawned on me that I had aroused their attention by saying "Un Leu", thinking that as a foreigner I was referring to the unit of Romanian currency, the Leu, and money is one of the two main subjects on everyone's mind in Romania today. I was, told amid the laughter and bonhomie generated by the incident, to close my bag and proceed.

Otopeni International Airport

I experienced no further untoward incidents as I progressed through other airport checks and controls, I think, because of the lion story preceding my progress through those airport controls. Progress even faster and smoother than I had made years before when I had gone through Otopeni with a block American diplomatic passport. Such is the power of Un Leu, which now resides over my Romanian house besides the Potomac.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this story, please tell me what you thought of it in the comments below. Also, be sure to read the rest of Bill's works that are being published exclusively here on Steemit: