Peter Kurzeck

At one fifteen pm, a quarter past one. Without his watch! Best here by the side entrance. Always five steps back and forth, not letting himself get distracted by anything and every so often, briefly, at the clock over there on Theater Platz. An official clock. It is an official clock, isn’t it? Faces in four directions. Standard. And just to be sure, every passer-by for the time, too. Well, all the reliable looking. Central Europe. Standard time. And at least three advertising clocks around here as well, three or four. And digital clocks, even with the date and temperature. Maybe he has a fever, but doesn’t want to let himself be distracted. But then the cars and prices at Mercedes after all. The new models in the window. And walks as far as the Frankfurter Hof hotel, a Frankfurt pedestrian. Not even five minutes. To test it out, a few times back and forth between the theatre and Frankfurter Hof (always the same distance and the side entrance doesn’t change), then from the Frankfurter Hof step by step. An explorer. Expeditions. Kaiser Strasse, Rossmarkt, Hauptwache, Steinweg, Goethe Strasse, Opern Platz, Fressgass. Christmas market stand holders. The Christmas lights. Jewellers, women’s lingerie, men’s outfitters and how the day reflects in the shop windows here. Cerutti, Brioni, Armani. Designer suits for three thousand eight hundred marks. Made to measure, prices on request. Silk, cashmere, mohair. Finest Egyptian cotton. Bespoke silk shirts. Hand-sewn, the shoes of finest kid leather and last forever. Leather suitcases for all countries. And the watches and how they’re all dreamily, and smiled at me with their dials. The pavement, the sky, all the faces. Almost like the High Street used to be in Lollar during Advent, that’s how the streets approach you now and go into your head and continually go through you. Around lunchtime in the city centre. The most beautiful women wherever you go. And see themselves walking in the shop windows. And are reflected in every man’s eyes. And smell so good! Each one tastes different! Seeing, recognizing, looking at, sensing, and tasting them, as if you should carry them in you from now on! All of them! If you could, not letting them out of your sight ever again! But walking away! In every direction! How keep them beside you and in your memory? Distinctive, each one on their own and all of them together, always, how? How are you supposed to take it? One that leans forwards at a shoe shop. Special offer on the boots. And is wearing a short fur coat and a tight skirt. Leans forward twice! One passes you, has overtaken you and to your joy carries on in front of you. And how movingly she walks. Her hair, her perfume, her hands. Even her handbag and her coat you include in your love. And now moved her head a little to the left just at the right moment, so you can just, yes, her profile too, absolutely! And taking it with you for eternity. Ten to one. Out and about in the sky. The Kohl bookshop, the Blazek and Bergmann bookshop, the Frankfurt bookshop. Never, not even once in the chic clothing shops here in Goethe Strasse with Sibylle! But now it was almost as if we had that still to come and time for everything. Next time. Many lives. And where will my thoughts take me? Champagne and truffle oil in the fine restaurants on the Fressgass and lobster on ice. Fish and game to order. Clocks everywhere. Comparing the time. Finding the way back with all the treasures in your head. For ages already been stinking rich on the way back. My banged knee light and nimble. Now my hand, as if just to think better – now the hand almost doesn’t hurt any more. Never has the Frankfurter Hof greeted me so politely. Even flags. Even flower pots by the Arcades. The fountain gently splashing. Just once a ballet, an office, supplying a whole harem with expensive underwear. And quickly two-three Mercedes models. There’s a Rolls Royce stopping at the lights and it’s one-oh-nine pm. Your heart light. Even in its gloom still cosy and full of hope, this day. And has its own inner brightness, a reserved, quiet glowing.