It’s almost 70 kilometres from the capital to Hundisilma Farm. Worth the trip, though, to hear initial words from the mouth of Centre chairman and Tallinn mayor Edgar Savisaar after his tragic illness. Thus we’re on the road, hoping to find the way and the hosts in a good mood.
Farmhouse buzzing: Savisaar coming home
Drawing near to Hundisilma, in Vihula Parish, Lääne-Virumaa, I spot a farm hand trimming the lawn while dogs trot around in the yard. I step up to the gate, flowers in hand, and ask to perhaps see the man of the house and wish him well.
The man has indeed come around, I’m told, but he has already departed. «He came to try out the ramps and drove back around noon,» said the servant, smiling.
There went plan A. I hand him the yellow roses and ask him to deliver them for me. A moment later, a grey Nissan Pathfinder comes down the country road, entering thru back gate. Turns out, this is Erki Savisaar, Edgar’s son.
Talking over the mobile phone, Savisaar Jr. briskly enters the house paying no attention to the journalists. Again and again, I’m trying to reach him by the phone, in frustration ending up sending an SMS: «Hi. I’m Jonatan from Postimees, at the gate here. Could we talk a bit?» A few minutes go by, the door opens and Erki Savisaar comes home with two wolfhounds.
«Leave the sick alone, why come around troubling. In time, he’ll be ready to talk about everything,» says the younger Savisaar, adding that father is indeed better but it takes a while to recover.
After we have talked, another car drives up and halts at our side. Then, it rethinks and drives to the back gate. A lady and a gentleman exit, and quickly walk to the area behind the house where Siret Kotka and Erki Savisaar stand waiting.
From the body language and papers in their hands, one might think they are planning to build something.
During our trip, another «operation» was underway. Namely: as we were headed towards Hundisilma, a medical vehicle passed us on its way towards Tallinn.
The gut feeling proved right, the mayor was taken back to hospital. At about five o’clock, a photographer was informed enough to stand there, waiting.