The route however had better avoid people queuing up for food or anything. For instance the never-ceasing queue at Leonida?s had to be hidden in the back, or on a gangway. The practice of hiding queues gained currency in the latter half of the 1980?s and was expanded to all Bucharest neighborhoods.

Besides the route had to be marked somehow, so they posted blue-eyed boys at each and every lamp-post along the way. Hence the true story that happened to the late Driscu, the famous art critic, may he rest in peace. He wanted to go to the movies one afternoon. The route included Victoria Drive, which was then swarming with blue-eyed boys, who, in the event of rain, were distributed blue raincoats straight off a lorry that drove by each and every of them. There was one such blue-eyed boy every ten meters in front of the Muzica shop and the sky looked like it was going to rain. It was also in front of the Muzica shop that Driscu was supposed to meet his wife. So the famous lorry came down Victoria drive and started distributing raincoats. By accident Driscu was thrown one of those blue raincoats. Scared to death he just took it, but troubles started only afterwards when he got stuck with one those raincoats not knowing how to get rid of it. I really couldn?t tell whether he eventually kept it or not. (I. P., 37)

RUMOR

I used to have this ?friend? who closed any fight we might have with a promise to ?show me?! He?d send an anonymous note to the Central Committee. Within 36 hours you were sure to be taken out of the house for investigation, you got tortured and beaten up. The weaker sort, though innocent, would own up to the ?crime?, only to get out of there safe. It never happened to me, thank God, but I know a person who was in for it. If, for instance, the rumor reached them that I put a bomb in Ceausescu?s house, there was no investigation. The relatives were checked, their houses ravaged. No investigation, they came and busted you. But were you to say something against Ceausescu ? that was a matter for investigation. They asked for references at your work place. If the director, the party secretary, the master, or engineer spoke well of you, the case was dropped. The important thing was for you to get along fine with the bosses at work, to do your job well. (O. S., 41)

During those times of fierce poverty, the rumor went that at the Budapesta Restaurant they served human liver for dinner. (7)

The rumor was that HE was infused with a young child?s blood, so that HE can stay forever young, and that SHE bathed in a mother?s milk to keep fresh and ?beautiful?. (I.P.)