chest,” she said. “But don’t forget this is just a lighting shop, so please feel free to wear a bra.” “But it’s really hot in here, Frau Wangermann,” Bianca said in a bored voice. Judith: “Believe me, you’ll come across as far more interesting if you don’t put all your goods on show at once.” Bianca: “Well, you don’t know men.” Talking of men: “Why doesn’t your boyfriend pop in anymore?” Judith: “He’s on a business trip, in Leipzig.” Bianca: “But I saw him this morning!” Judith: “No, love, that’s impossible. You see, Leipzig is in Germany.” Bianca: “Oh please, do me a favour. He walked past and gawped through the shop window.” Judith: “No, Bianca, you must have got him mixed up with someone else.” Bianca: “Well, he was the spitting image of him.” Judith: “O.K., O.K. Listen, if you can manage it, please wear a bra tomorrow?”
2
That evening Judith met up with Gerd and some of his Graphic Institute colleagues at the Spanier in Märzstrasse. “Where’s Hannes?” he asked instead of saying hello. Judith: “In Leipzig. For work.” Gerd: “Oh, that’s a pity.” It wasn’t a polite “that’s a pity”, but a sincere one, which bothered Judith. She felt it as a slight affront to the other half of her, the half she’d only just won back.
Four hours later, when they were saying goodnight, Gerd atoned for his error. He said: “You’re always special, but tonight you were even more special, you really came out of yourself.” “Thanks,” Judith said. It couldn’t have been the topics of conversation (fine dust, mothers, leaf miners, reincarnation). Judith: “I felt happy in the company, it was a really nice evening.”
There was still a cosy smile on her lips when she locked the front door from the inside, took the lift to the top floor and felt for the bright-red light switch in the stairwell. She let out a piercing scream. The bunch of keys fell from her hand and hit the stone floor with a resounding clatter, as if having smashed a thick pane of glass. A figure crouching by her door stood up and approached her. Judith wanted to flee, call for help, but her body was paralysed by the shock impulses fired from her brain.
“Darling,” he breathed in a subdued whisper. “Hannes?” she gasped. “Are you crazy?” Her heart was pounding. “What’s going on? What are you doing here?” Only then did she see the huge bunch of dark-red roses he was aiming at her like a weapon, stems foremost. Him: “I’ve been waiting for you. You’re late, Darling, very late!”
Her: “Hannes, are you out of your mind? You can’t do this. You frightened me to death. Why aren’t you in Leipzig? What are you doing here?” She was breathing heavily. He put down the flowers and held out his arms. She recoiled. “What am I
doing
here? I’ve come to see you, Darling. I wanted to surprise you; I didn’t know you would be back so late. Why
are
you so late? What have you been up to? Why are you doing this to us?” His voice was quivering. Deep shadowy lines sprawled around his eyes.
“Go! Please go now!” she said. Hannes: “Are you sending me away?” Judith: “I don’t want to see you now. I need to be alone. I’ve got to digest this first. So please, go!” Hannes: “Darling, you’ve got it all wrong. I can explain everything. I want to be with you, I want to be with you for ever. I’ll look after you. We belong together. Let me come in. Let me explain everything!” Judith could feel her limbs slowly recovering from the shock, the anger rising inside her, and her vocal chords tightening. “Hannes, you are going to leave this building right now,” she screamed. “Now! Do you understand?” On the fourth floor a door opened and someone called out: “Shut up or I’ll call the police!”
Hannes was intimidated by the threat and all of a sudden looked anxious. “And I thought you’d be pleased,” he muttered breathily. He was already at the lift.
2
That evening Judith met up with Gerd and some of his Graphic Institute colleagues at the Spanier in Märzstrasse. “Where’s Hannes?” he asked instead of saying hello. Judith: “In Leipzig. For work.” Gerd: “Oh, that’s a pity.” It wasn’t a polite “that’s a pity”, but a sincere one, which bothered Judith. She felt it as a slight affront to the other half of her, the half she’d only just won back.
Four hours later, when they were saying goodnight, Gerd atoned for his error. He said: “You’re always special, but tonight you were even more special, you really came out of yourself.” “Thanks,” Judith said. It couldn’t have been the topics of conversation (fine dust, mothers, leaf miners, reincarnation). Judith: “I felt happy in the company, it was a really nice evening.”
There was still a cosy smile on her lips when she locked the front door from the inside, took the lift to the top floor and felt for the bright-red light switch in the stairwell. She let out a piercing scream. The bunch of keys fell from her hand and hit the stone floor with a resounding clatter, as if having smashed a thick pane of glass. A figure crouching by her door stood up and approached her. Judith wanted to flee, call for help, but her body was paralysed by the shock impulses fired from her brain.
“Darling,” he breathed in a subdued whisper. “Hannes?” she gasped. “Are you crazy?” Her heart was pounding. “What’s going on? What are you doing here?” Only then did she see the huge bunch of dark-red roses he was aiming at her like a weapon, stems foremost. Him: “I’ve been waiting for you. You’re late, Darling, very late!”
Her: “Hannes, are you out of your mind? You can’t do this. You frightened me to death. Why aren’t you in Leipzig? What are you doing here?” She was breathing heavily. He put down the flowers and held out his arms. She recoiled. “What am I
doing
here? I’ve come to see you, Darling. I wanted to surprise you; I didn’t know you would be back so late. Why
are
you so late? What have you been up to? Why are you doing this to us?” His voice was quivering. Deep shadowy lines sprawled around his eyes.
“Go! Please go now!” she said. Hannes: “Are you sending me away?” Judith: “I don’t want to see you now. I need to be alone. I’ve got to digest this first. So please, go!” Hannes: “Darling, you’ve got it all wrong. I can explain everything. I want to be with you, I want to be with you for ever. I’ll look after you. We belong together. Let me come in. Let me explain everything!” Judith could feel her limbs slowly recovering from the shock, the anger rising inside her, and her vocal chords tightening. “Hannes, you are going to leave this building right now,” she screamed. “Now! Do you understand?” On the fourth floor a door opened and someone called out: “Shut up or I’ll call the police!”
Hannes was intimidated by the threat and all of a sudden looked anxious. “And I thought you’d be pleased,” he muttered breathily. He was already at the lift.
Similar Books
