Az éhes város

Set against the bustling streets of early‑1900s Budapest, the story follows Orsovai, a modest clerk whose crisp indigo coat and bright shirt betray a yearning for something beyond his ordinary life. When a persistent cough leads him to a doctor’s office, the diagnosis – a worrying lung condition – forces him to confront a fragile health that clashes with his everyday ambitions. The city’s sharp social contrasts, from the polished Andrássy avenues to the gritty Váci lanes, frame his uneasy place in society.

Determined to seek a cure, Orsovai plans a trip to the seaside resort of Abbazia, a place where the lingering autumn light promises both healing and new possibilities. As golden leaves drift through the streets of Erzsébet tér, his thoughts turn to the practicalities of travel, the cost of tickets, and the promise of fresh sea air. The narrative captures the tension between youthful optimism and the stark realities of a world on the brink of change.