Géb also had an unusual hobby. An interest that sometimes turned into an obsession in the noble sense of the word. The questions, which changed from time to time, but which touched and excited him deeply, would not let him rest until he found answers . This is how he came into contact with journalism, following an "accidental" invitation.
The series of coincidental events began when, as a senior in high school, his teacher, who had the precision and fanaticism of an academic, was working on the mind- and people-shaping aspects of systems-based environmentalism after a well-scored environmental paper, he did her the favour of offering her the opportunity to write a short essay for the forthcoming essay writing competition, which was open to first and second year students from a number of other higher education institutions in Budapest.
- All this, Géb recalled, happened during the 6th and last class of the first, truly loving, sunny spring day. The invitation was about as much of an honour - at least on the teacher's part - as if she had been invited to play drums on the same stage as Hollywood Undead. In short, she was unrefusable. Mr Arkon, with his brow furrowed and wide-framed black spectacles, surveyed the boy's reaction with wide-open, glistening eyes, and if not teary-eyed, he expected a response on the level of a wagging, babbling "thank you, it's a great honour, Mr Arkon". He did - as expected - although, in a quick recognition of the hopeless rejection, that was all he said
- Thank you, teacher. What exactly is this about?
The question had apparently confused his teacher for a moment, who had exchanged his searching eyes for a more piercing look and was about to open his mouth to speak, suspecting that the rewarded delinquent did not realise the weight of the great opportunity of his life, when Géb added a brief, albeit diplomatic, sentence to the previous one.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
- I only ask because I would like to get to know the details as soon as possible, to collect materials so that I can keep the trust I have earned. The thick eyebrows visibly sagged again, the line of the mouth regained the smooth pattern of the catfish moustache formation - and then he replied:
- Well done, son, very good. I'll meet you in my room at two o'clock today, and I'll give you the details.
So at two o'clock, Géb got the details. From a choice of several categories, he was finally able to start researching and gathering material on the topic of "Environment versus rational, realistic plans and actions". As I used to say, I cannot leave my talented students without a guide - his teacher launched the newly selected student on his writing career with a thoroughly realistic line of thought, embedded in a moral and pragmatic framework. It was at this point that one of the lyrics of the band Kft, which had been listened to to death by his parents, filled his mind, to the exclusion of everything that the compulsion of external expectations had tried to stealthily turn into his own thoughts. "The last drop has run down, the last straw that broke the camel's back", the song went in his head, both reassuring him and making him finally decide not to let himself be influenced. He set out in search of the truth, the truth he had experienced himself. He cares neither for authority nor for consequences. He listened dutifully to his teacher's monologue about how the wild shoots of environmentalists, though born of good intentions, must be pruned like wild shoots from a rose so that the plant can use its energy to grow the parts that ripen the flower. That's the way to do it, son - consideration of economic efficiency alone can be the basis for environmental strategies. Without it, any good intentions will only lead to anarchy, which is worse than doing nothing.
Géb was 18 years old at the time, he did not understand the above, he had little knowledge of the workings of the economy, of the organisations needed to make it all work, but he still had a disturbing feeling after hearing his teacher's ideas and his uncontroversial opinions.
"Anarchy, economic efficiency, green movement, sustainable development?" recalled Géb five years earlier, then smiled and thought that if old Arkon knew what he was up to now, he would probably deny ever having taught him.
