Where is the spring?

It's almost the middle of March and there's still no sign of spring. This morning they announced on the radio that it was minus ten outside, so it's still a case of big coat, hat and scarf. During the day the sun melts some of the snow and leaves big puddles across all the paths which, overnight, turn into sheets of ice and lie in wait for those hurrying to work or for buses.

On February 23rd, there was a dzień bez łapówki - a day without bribes. This was advertised all over the place and I thought it was nice that, once a year, you can have a day where no-one takes a bribe. The usual excuse given as to why people take bribes is that those in poorly-paid jobs need the money to supplement their wages. So this makes it right? An 'extra' payment for doing what you're supposed to? For greasing the wheels a little? As an example, I was told that, to book the room for the wedding, I would have to give the woman in charge 'something', a box of chocolates maybe. For doing what? For writing two names in a book? And if I don't? Well, then she makes a few noises and says it isn't possible. So I have no choice now? To bribe and get what I want - and what it is her 'duty' to give me - or to ignore this and be frustrated by the soviet throwback attitude that people will only do their jobs if they get a little bit of something 'extra'. We've both decided she won't get an envelope, a box of chocolates, or even a thank you if she doesn't do what she - however poorly - is paid to do. Without a little 'gift' here and there, where is the job satisfaction? What is even more annoying is that it isn't just those people who grew up under the communist yoke that think bribery is not only an acceptable part of life, but almost a given way of getting things done.

This type of thinking sometimes goes beyond rational thought into the land of nonsense. On one tv programme, it was said that those who live together and aren't married are no better than cave people, who lived the same way, and therefore society is regressing into a prehistoric age. This was uttered without any sense of irony or mirth and reflects how the church not only keeps a tight grip on its followers here, but also strangles any kind of thought that goes against its teaching. Again, it isn't just the old who profess these things, the youth too are blatantly ignorant and intolerant and there is little feeling that change is possible. Apathy would reign if only people could be bothered...