Testimony Return to Testimony List Gift wrapped That morning I had to travel from Budapest to the village and I went to pick up Juliana, the Romani lady who was to act as an interpreter. When I arrived at her house she was already waiting in the street. I pulled in to the side of the road and she climbed in. As we headed off she said, "It is good that we are going today because it is my sister's birthday and she lives in the village where we are going. I can give her something." I asked, "So you have bought her something?". "Oh. no" she replied, "I am giving her something I have always liked and so I know she will like it." She dug her hand into her bag and pulled out a silver bracelet, it was quite exquisite. "That's beautiful", I said. I thought a little and said, "Would you like to stop somewhere to buy some gift wrap?" She looked at me, a little puzzled, "Gift wrap? what is gift wrap?" she asked. "Oh, when we give presents we often put them in little boxes and wrap them up in fancy paper, we call that gift wrap!" I explained. She thought a little, a quizzical look on her face, she then smiled, and then said, "We have the custom to give things in the hand, I don't think I would like that gift wrap." My reaction was that maybe she had not understood, but the way she had stressed the word custom, cautioned me not to insist. After an hour or so on the highway we turned off and followed some smaller roads to the village, arriving there half an hour later. In fact I only had some short meetings to attend and by two o'clock we were finished. "Do you have time to visit my sister with me," Juliana asked, "Yes that's fine." I replied. She guided me down some of the roads away from the center of the village and we stopped outside a house. There was no on in sight. I was going to wait in the car but she insisted that I accompany her. We went up to the front door, which was at the side of the house, the door was wide open. Juliana did not ring a bell or knock on the door but walked straight in. It was very quiet in the house and Juliana called, almost in a whisper, and a reply came from a room off the hall way. A lady appeared in the doorway, "Oh, Juliana, what brings you here? How good to see you!" "It's a surprise!" replied Juliana. By the time this exchange had occurred some children appeared, peeping round the side of the door and from upstairs. Juliana then introduced me to Eva, her sister. They did not look much alike, Juliana dark with long almost blue black hair and Eva was lighter skinned with dark brown hair. Eva smiled at me and shook my hand and asked me to enter the room opposite. We entered a large dining room with a kitchen at one end. She asked me to sit down and offered me some coffee. I accepted. Gradually, the room began to fill with members of the family, several children, Eva's husband, who had been working at the back of the house came in, as did a married daughter and her husband carrying their own baby daughter. Eva sat opposite me at the table and Juliana sat to her right. "Eva." said Juliana, "It is your birthday, I wish you all the happiness in the world and I want to give you this!" The room had fallen silent, even Rudi, a little mongrel dog seemed to sense something and stopped pestering everyone. Juliana dipped her hand into her bag and handed the bracelet to Eva. Eva cupped her hands and received the bracelet and sat inspecting it, turning it, feeling it, her head slightly bowed. The room was completely silent, with everyone looking on. Eva's eyes rose, she looked at Juliana and said,"But Juliana, this was your favorite bracelet." Juliana looked back at her sister with a radiant smile, "Yes, and I want you to have it!" she replied. Eva's eyes seemed to glow, she looked at her family all looking on in silence, all smiling, clearly happy to witness this exchange. Eva stood up and crouched over Juliana and gave her a hug and kiss. Juliana somehow got to her feet and the two embraced for a short while. "Thank you Juliana." Eva said, her eyes radiant and her face wearing a wonderful smile. "That is really nice." said one of the children. "Yes, it is very beautiful Juliana." said Eva's husband. Eva then looked across at me, "Oh, your coffee must be ready, just a moment!" She moved towards the kitchen, she was still smiling, as she went she handed the bracelet to one of her daughters. One by one the girls tried the bracelet on. As Eva was returning with the coffee, the last one handed the bracelet back to Eva and she then put it on. She was still smiling and obviously happy. "Juliana," she said,"That was a nice surprise." Juliana just smiled. From where I was seated I had become increasingly aware of a wonderful atmosphere, almost overwhelming, created by this open and direct expression of contentment, of appreciation and love, yes, this was more precious than any gift wrap. By seven that evening we were in Budapest and I dropped Juliana off. She thanked me, and especially because I had taken her there on her sister's birthday. As she was leaving, she paused, turned back and bent over by the window. She said, "I did understand what you meant by gift wrap, and I want thank you for thinking about that!" I felt oddly embarassed, all I could do was smile and nod. She was also smiling appreciatively, she turned and walked off. A couple of months later I was in a Mall in Potomac, Maryland. I was looking for a birthday present for my brother. In the end I found what I thought was a pretty impressive tie. The lady at the cash register asked, "Is this for a gift?" 'Yes!" I replied. She asked, "Would you like this to be gift wrapped sir?" I almost said yes, held back a little and then said,"Oh, no, I want to give it in the hand." The lady stared at me with a confused expression on her face. "Do I take it you don't want it gift wrapped?" "Yes that's right." I replied. She seemed to stare through me with a slightly glazed expression, and said, "OK, that will be $20", I gave her the money. She placed the tie in a paper bag and handed it to me. She said,"Thank you sir, and have a good day!" Adapted from testimony from an ADF field agent.