The first of January. Kalniņš and Dūle are driving with some acquaintances from Ērgļi to Rīga.

A rope is attached to the back of the car, and they are riding a snowboard along the edge of the highway, which is piled high with snow. It is fun.

It is happening in an extremely anti-Buddhist and ultra-hedonistic manner. On this ride behind the car with a snowboard, there is nothing that would broaden our worldview or develop our already weak thinking. Only pleasure and merriment. To an outside observer, it might even seem self-indulgent.

At the height of the merriment, a traffic policeman glides in. A handsome Madona traffic policeman, logically with a moustache, logically with beautifully curly, silky hair flowing over the collar of his uniform.

He looks straight into our eyes.

Handsome.

There is a slight feeling of fear.

Mr. Kalniņš asks if the police officer might be very angry that the lads were behaving like that on the snowy road.

And here is the end of the short story - the traffic policeman, smiling sweetly and warmly into his moustache, says: “Enjoy yourselves, men. It is the 1st of January. There is so much snow and you are so good at it. If only I could join you...”

Surprise washed over the travellers' faces. It had happened: Latvians - we - were one whole. We loved each other. The guardian of order understood us, even though there was no pragmatic or rational sense in our actions. It was not anything sensible or considered. We were not even intoxicated, which would have been more logical than snowboarding behind a car.

And he understood!

Planet Earth is changing. People are beginning to understand one another. People love each other.

Or perhaps everything was completely the other way around. I love us, the Latvians, either way. That love has made me slightly dull.
Article first published in 2003 in the magazine "Rīgas Laiks"