The man with red roses.

One in the morning, I sit in a pub with a few friends, sitting back with a beer, laughing the night away. As I gaze around my surroundings, I see other international students—drinking, enjoying their youth. Half way into my watch, I see an old man, clothed in worn out, ripped attire. He is perhaps seventy five to eighty years old. In one hand he holds a bundle of roses, in the other, he holds a single rose—trying to sell this piece of nature to individuals who are completely separated from him in so many ways—class, economics, etc. Such a sight brings a sudden halt to my pleasurable night.

Thoughts rush through my head, which in a good way brings me back to reality. Being in Viet Nam the previous year, I saw this day in and day out; unable to really stray away from such inequities, but here in Budapest I have begun to live life with no worries, in luxury somewhat. I had a short discussion with one of my professors last school year as I mentioned my reasons for going to Budapest. I brought up that although the city may not compare to the inequalities of cities within Latin America or South East Asia, there are still poverty issues and other social problems that exist—for Budapest is in fact in Eastern Europe, a region where development is occurring. She said that if I really want to witness such issues, then I must really search deeply for them. Seeing that man with the red rose reminded me of my desires and aspirations here in Budapest—to observe and understand the realities of those less fortunate.

The old man walked around the pub for close to ten minutes, unsuccessfully selling his bundle of roses, besides a few. Vending these roses though, I feel, is somewhat of a temporary solution for his toils. It is a temporary solution which will probably give him food that night, or that week. But long term, selling roses does not lift him up from this socio-economic situation. Purchasing him a rose might do some good in the short term, but these problems of poverty are so deep rooted that simply buying a rose from the man will not change anything, but may even contribute to stagnation. Such thoughts reminded me of a heated argument I had with my cousin within the first weeks of Việt Nam, as we sat eating our oily Vietnamese food on the streets of Sài Gòn. My cousin’s remarks paralleled the aforementioned explanations. Despite this reality, I feel that being a student here in Budapest and in Việt Nam the previous year, I am unable to really create any concrete change to elevate these people from their socio-economic status, and by purchasing a rose from the man does more good than none.

Trần Qúy Hạc.