Apassionata

The day got lost in itself. At 5:32 pm I entered Thobens Backwaren-Shop to revive reality with the help of a cheese bun. I looked at the salesgirl - never saw her before - young and somehow a pastry herself while she would schmooze the leftovers of deep-dish pie poppy seed pastries crumble cakes back to the main bakery over the phone.

The metal boards at the counter shimmered. No crumb on the baking sheets. "Are you in for sandwiches?" "Yes, two with cheese and one with turkey please." She gave in to my request. "But no cucumber." Whatever, no cucumber, sure. She did not ask for an explanation about me, working on the other side of the street. The butter knife - definitely suitable to slaughter a lamb according to religious rites with it - was resting on the six halves of bread rolls. Without a blink of an eye she remained behind the protective and crumb-less barrier-counter. "What's that over there."

Allargando "Is that a REFUGEE CAMP?"

A solemn silence filled the room. The pastries revealed Advent season.

Me, accented, "Yes, one may address it the way you do."

She, drumbeat, "But WITHOUT REFUGEES!"

Me, triangle: "Again," al niente, "please?"

She, fanfare: "But WITHOUT REFUGEES"

Me, recorder: "No, WITH (REFUGEES)"

She, string bass: "Is that so?"

- pause -

Molto allegro, she is spreading butter on the rolls.

Me, "Who did you think," trill, "lives there?"

She, cittern, "Well, maybe, Turks or the like that would like to work"

Me, all'ottave, "No, as a home for asylum seekers usually provides shelter for those seeking for asylum. People who fled their country because of war or corruption or political prosecution."

She, andante, "Is that so."

Adagio: "Well, I don't mind."

Accelgrande: "Everyone deserves to be given a chance."

Affretando: "But people in here bitch about it."

Me, piano: "So what are they bitching about?"

She, affetuoso: "Well, that Germany is taking all of them in."

She put slices of salami on four halves, placing two together and then again two. A long gaze: "You wanted two with cheese and one with turkey."

Me, alla breve, "It doesn't matter, salami is just as fine."

She, finale, "I keep saying: that is a refugee home, but WITHOUT REFUGEES!"

Amabile: Three days ago Niard was born. Congratulations to Hazime, Gazi, Arita and Tuana.

Niard, Tuana, Arita,Hazime