"I have a life with tigers", Ben Blushi recounts the meeting with Monika Lubonjë

My life has not been easy, Monika said, after I was injured and left without a job, people forced me to live in a Zoo.

I met Monika Lubonja at the Tirana Zoo. She drank two coffees. I a beet juice with orange.

What are you doing here, I asked.

I was assigned to deal with the animals, Monika said.

What do you do to animals?

I take care of them, provide everything they need: food, cleaning, music, company, medicine.

And when the animals get sick, how do you deal with it?

We have a hospital inside the Zoo, Monika said.

So every day you receive a health report on their condition, I asked.

I know every day if a duck has been eaten by a cat, if a toad has broken a leg, if a bear has a fever or if a wolf feels lonely.

You are neither a nurse nor a psychologist, I said, I don't understand what work you do here?

I run the Zoo, that is, I am the Director of Animals of Tirana, Monika said.

Why did the animals of this city trust you, I asked.

Maybe they thought that after the experience I have with people, I can also tame animals, Monika said.

Who do you think are more harmful, animals or humans?

Of course people, Monika said.

Why do you think so, I asked him.

But what do you think, Monika replied.

I don't like animals, but I'm more afraid of people, I told him.

The animals have not done me any harm, Monika said.

And people, what harm have they done to you?

My life has not been easy, Monika said, after I was injured and left without a job, people forced me to live in a Zoo.

Which of the Zoo animals do you like best?

The lion and the tiger.

What would you like to be?

Let me tell you a secret, Monika said.

Tell me, I said.

I have a plan

What's your plan, I asked.

All animals here will be placed by a name.

What names will you give them?

The names of some actors and some people with whom I stayed in Big Brother for 134 days, Monika said.

As far as I can see, you will turn all the people who misbehaved with you into animals, I said.

If only I had it in my hand, Monika said.

This is how Circe dealt with people she was angry with, I said, she turned them into animals.

I was joking, Monika said, I'm not a witch.

Tell me some names for your pets.

Po mendohem, tha Monika, po nëse edhe ti ke njeri inat, ma thuaj t’ia vendos emrin e tij ndonjë kafshe.

Do na duhej një pyll, thashë unë.

E rregullojmë, tha Monika, heq unë emrin e ndonjë aktori dhe ta jap ty t’ia vendosësh një gjarpri.

Mirë me aktorët, po me ata të Big Brother çfarë ke, e pyeta.

Ka disa njerëz nga ata që nuk do doja t’i kisha njohur, tha Monika.

Nëse do e kishe në dorë, kë do shpallje fitues të Big Brother, e pyeta.

Beniadën, tha Monika.

Edhe unë, i thashë.

Nuk kam shkuar mirë më Beniadën, por do doja ta fitonte një vajzë, tha Monika.

Ku ndryshon Big Brother nga Kopshti Zoologjik, e pyeta.

Pak a shumë e njëjta gjë është, tha Monika.

Këtu të gjitha kafshët janë të barabarta, nuk ka as fitues, as humbës, thashë unë.

Unë e humba Big Brother sepse u solla si njeri, ata që u sollën si kafshë fituan, tha Monika.

Unë mendoj se ti ke fituar shumë nga Big Brother, i thashë.

Kur hyra aty isha në krizë, tha Monika, tani jam më mirë.

Sepse e the vetë, je më e qetë me kafshët se me njerëzit, thashë unë.

Dashuria e njerëzve është e përkohshme, kurse kafshët kur të duan, të duan përgjithmonë, tha Monika.

Do kishe bërë dashuri në Big Brother, e pyeta.

Nëse do kisha gjetur një njeri që e doja, po, tha Monika.

Me kë jeton tani, e pyeta.

Tani jam vetëm, tha Monika.

Po me artin i ke mbyllur punët?

Jo, po bëhem gati për një musical për Piter Panin.

Pse ke zgjedhur Piter Panin?

Po a nuk e kupton që unë brenda jam ende një fëmijë, tha Monika.

E kuptoj, i thashë, dhe kjo të shkon.

E po, në rrjete sociale nganjëherë më shajnë, tha Monika.

Çfarë të thonë, e pyeta.

Më quajnë plakë, tha Monika.

Po ti si ndjehesh?

Ndjehem e re, tha Monika, mamaja ime mendon se unë nuk jam rritur akoma.

Come on, show me the animals, I said.

What will you see, Monika said.

Maybe the tiger, I said, I want to take a picture of you with the tiger.

I know what happened to me one day, Monika said.

Tell me, I said.

A man came and told me: the tiger has no teeth.

What did you say to him?

I said come a little closer to the fence and put your hand out to see if my tiger has teeth or not.

Did you get close?

Of course not, Monika said.

By the way, does this tiger of yours have teeth or not, I asked.

Will you try it too, Monika said.

No no, I said, thank you.

You are a coward, Monika said.

Like all men, I told him.

Men are afraid of tigers, and tigers are afraid of women, Monika said.

I know that men are afraid of women, I said, but tigers I don't believe.

You have to believe me, Monika said, I have a life I live with tigers.

Then I believe you, I told him, there are no good men and bad tigers.

ben blushi monika lubonja