PETER ESTERHAZY
249
The lazy are men. There are no lazy women.
The lazy are not sluggish or slow. They are not bored. The lazy
are as far from ennui as Budapest is from Saturn.
The lazy
give things appropriate emphasis.
Thus, they don't accept
the usual, rather they prefer the extraordinary. They try to swim
against the tide (without much success though), and refuse to believe
"the deceptive noise, the stream of cant" pouring over the loud–
speakers. And while they may occasionally feel cheated like every–
one else, they, at least sometimes, see things clearly. When in a bad
mood, they say they must get things clear to see clearly.
Notwithstanding, even though they are scared, they are not
frightened (not even of themselves). They exude a kind of "on–
tological serenity." Pardon.
If you want to live, do so at your own expense. The lazy know
this. Laziness like hard work is cut to measure.
The lazy are not passive, the hardworking are.
It
is the latter
who grow tired, dull, and stiff, who turn into objects, who beg
(themselves) for a short break. The lazy don't. They are forever
alert, active, prepared for everything.
It
is they who are open, in–
genuous, receptive, always hoping for miracles.
It
is they who can–
not be reckoned with, who aren't programmed, predetermined,
quantified, who are rather unpredictable, stimulating, exciting.
Laziness means a big chance in life.
It
is the eternal adventure, the
guardian of shimmering, bygone aspirations.
It
is the lazy who have
clear minds, who are incorruptible, who remain true to themselves
in this cheaply decorated world.
It
is they who shrug their shoulders,
who don't give a damn, who beg to differ, who can turn pale, who
are burdensome, unpleasant, who fume with rage, who are unwill–
ing, who resist, doubt, distrust, stutter, who negate, who are happy,
therefore who affirm, who cannot be kept tributary to their talents.
It is they who are FREE.
The hardworking are machines, they are cold, stiff, plaster–
like, predictable. Space and order.
The lazy are organic, warm, soft. They are soil, independence,
landscape, faith.
As ever, we have allowed ourselves to be carried away. After
all .
(Inner fiasco)
It is said that hell is other people.
If
this is true,
then, we are the lazy ones. Or we would like to be. We are working
diligently on it. We have arrived at the right place. For could such a
