Past and Future
In the morning, two pm, driving through Kreuzbergs underground. A young man enters the train. Over his close-cropped hair a basecap, baggy pants and white flashy sneakers. An elderly, somewhat shabby looking man enters and takes a seat opposite to the man.
“Oh! Good morning!”. The two seem to know each other.”Hello, long time ago since we chatted. How have you been?” The young man tells: “Yes, good good. You know, I haven’t been there for a while. But it’s good, I am very fine now- I mean, er, except my arm”. Furrowing his brow he shows to his right, taped arm. “I am on the way to the doctor. That shit happened to me two weeks ago. In Torstrasse. Not here, no, here is my block. These things don’t happen to me here. Imagine, I just walked along the street. Just walking, and four guys crossed my way. One had a really, honestly, really strange looking basecap. With the kind of tiger glitter tattoo on it. Honestly embarassing”. When telling, the man smirked. ” So our ways passed and we walked on. Then, suddenly, the man with the strange looking basecap came back. Two meters in front of me, he suddenly pulled out a knife, and ZACK! – my arm started bleeding. He shouted, ‘do never look at me again, son of a bitch’. As in trance my arm immediately hit his nose, once, twice. This fucker! He cut my arm! Then his gang came back, shouting out loud. Getting him away from me, this fucker…”
Then, the man got calm again. “You know, I don’t do these things anymore. Not anymore. That was my past, but now I am growing. It was such a damn incident. One or two years ago, I would have had a blade with me. You know, that therapy really helped me. Now I am okay again. When you get older, duties arise. You cannot just do whatever you like anymore. When I was in prison, life was so different, you know. And these things that I have done, that’s over now. I even don’t carry a knife with me anymore. Now, not anymore. I am over with it now. I have a women and a small boy now. You know, that means I have a lot of duties now. I mean I love my women, and I have to look after her now. And my boy too. His first birthday is next week. He is a very good boy.”
hey jannapi, thanks for your comment on my blog – appreciate it. glad yo liked that story. business isn’t every day like that though, you know. i enjoyed your story, too – you’re back with a vengeance – tough piece of writing! keep it up!