bank employees

sit aT a small table in the Marescot

a coffee

another coffee

a meal

there was more today

but no tome to write it all into.

There are bank employees at the next table, perhaps all of them.

Now would be the time to rob the bank.

The Marescot is in Montoire

A small town in France.

West of Paris.

drive

Thursday 30th July, 2020

The mark black car is waiting at the

ride of the road in the dark at this early

mpfwhfturiardottodagisthedaytodriveto

Ttnllnttwngoumeyofoveronettousand

kilometres, hence the early start.

Twmthe

radio down before turning the key, there is no

need to awaken the neighbours with glen

gould ranging at the piano.

Some hours later, in the

dawn

naghamkul

of Augsburg. the breaks, the sky lightens,

A. brewery delivery service has fifty Trucks

on the motorway at once, all heading out to

deliver crates of beverage to those who ordered

these. All the trucks have a picture of three

glasses of beer on the tarpaulin to the rear

of the vehicle.

Pass Stuttgart, the rush hour is just

beginning.

Cross the Rhine at lfgheim, in france

Lorraine and Alsace.

Lateriverdnnihefrretktumafffm

Troyes. Alorgikngdime.

rumex acetosella

walk up the hill in the park the easy way, there is a young woman with her child using the other path. There is no need to disturb or to follow her. So take the easy path, and that is welcome enough, there is no need to strain the body into gasping for breath. The shortage of breath has got better since that bout of sickness at Christmas last.

Half way up the hill a woman in a bright orange sporty top passes at a run. Some people are just fit, why will this not work for all?

At the top of the hill sit down on the park bench there. The sun is just coming up behind the trees, watch a man with a wheelbarrow tending to a field of wild flowers. He walks out into the flowers, and reaches down with both hands and cuts something, then he has a stalk in his hand. This he carefully brings over to his wheelbarrrow and lays it down there, then he goes back and harvests more. Watch as this goes on and on, he makes slow progress along the strip of flowering parkland, with all the flowers blooming in a grass field and not in earthen bare beds. It was a thought that this was just nature, just a casting out of seeds and then no mowing of the grass any more. Yet there is a man doing gardening work.

An older man comes up the path, sits down upon a neighbouring park bench. He has two walking sticks, they are made of aluminium and look like the sticks that skiers use. He gets up after a very few minutes and walks on, his sticks clicking on the gravel, his feet crunching the stones against one another. He is like some quadruped, partly insect. He wishes a good morning, return the greeting.

He stops at the man in the field, the one with the wheelbarrow. They talk. Then the man with the sticks moves on and the man with the wheelbarrow continues to harvest whatever he is harvesting.

After another while watching walk over, following the gravel path. Go out into the field and ask the man what he is harvesting.

He is a gardener, and he is removing the sorrel from the field of wild flowers. He explains that if this is not done the sorrel will seed and that next year it will take over from and displace the other plants.

Fields of wild flowers need to be cared for too.

So he removes the stalks of sorrel carefully, one by one, taking care not to leave any parts behind.

cafe and son

The sun is bright, even though it is still early enough, The son wanted to go to a café today, so now his father and he are under way along the street. There is the monument to the fallen during the big wars, and there is the small café. Go in, he orders first. There is a new person serving, she asks twice about everything and is constantly unsure. 

Coffee?

large or small?

small

small?

small!

That is it. At the counter for the coffee fill out a form with name and adress and telephone number, and the time. This is so that the corona virus may be traced. Should it choose to strike.

Sit down at the small table, and converse with the son. He has taken a raisin cake shaped like a coil for his breakfast,  the father has a plum cake. A luxury, and the coffee has improved since the last time.

Talk about old cars.

And talk for half an hour.

Until the coffee cup is empty

Until both coffee cups are empty

Then make a small tower out of the cups and and the son brings them to the counter

Thank you

thank you

And then walk back down the street, back home.

This is a sunny holiday day, a tuesday.

And go to France tomorrow night.

But later, a haircut

At the barbers on the corner.

box

Hon 27th of July 2020

On the first weekday of the holidays wake

up early for there is a bad to collect. A

very large empty wooden box for the

son to store parts of his car in.

After having made coffee, wake the son,

he is awake soon. But then he falls back to

sleep.

Drink the coffee, make another. Feed the

cat to shut it up.

Then wake him up again.

go downstairs, move the bicycles to one

side, tip the car trailer down from its

storage space in the wall of the passageway.

It is a very small trailer, but still, it is

handy for transporting things.

Open the doors to the street, and shoo the cat back up the stairs again. She is curious by nature, and wants to go out into the street.

What the trailer out into the street, and close the doors again. Now the son has come downstairs too, 

Fetch the car from its spot

and hitch the trailer with the sons help.

And then off on a staid drive with the trailer to collect a wooden lot. 

iron

26th of July 2020, sunday

Finish reading the news, finish

looking at peoples pets on facebook. The

wife is still asleep, the son is practicing

piano.

Re- arrange the positioning of the plugs

in the three-way extension socket. Then

plug in the new iron, set up the ironing

board.

Take the first pair of trousers from the stack resting on the black camera case, where they

have been waiting since last sunday when

the wash was finished.

Turn them inside out, and pick up the iron.

It is a steam iron, and it has no water in it.

go to the kitchen, felt the plastic beaker with water

return to the bedroom window, fill the

iron. Press the button, the iron hisses loudly

"Fauch"

Start to flatten the creases in the trousers.

They are made of linen, they will not dry flat.

and when the one is done, start the

next.

Then the ones in the wardrobe.

and then The morning is done.

sport

Easy today, there is nothing to worry about now, it is Saturday, and there is leave from work on Monday.

The summer holiday time has started, the son has his results from school. And he can start into his long summer holidays.

But they are all asleep now, the wife and the son. Get up, and not bothering to change the night clothes, look up the latest news on the computer. There is nothing especially awful happening in the world today.

The day is going to be bright and sunny, this is heralded by a clear sky and brightness outside.

Leave the computer, it is time to eat something, to make a cup of coffee,

There is a sound of front paws hitting the wooden planks of the flooring, the cat has heard, she is underway, she wants attention, and maybe she is hungry. Bend down, pat her on the back. Put some food from the tin that is open in the refrigerator onto her plate. The cold food does not appear to impress her.

Put on the day clothes, leave the building for a walk. An hours walk in the fresh cool air of the morning will do good. There is a group of young people in the park among all the sculptures there playing a kind of frisbee with plastic rings. The one young man is not wearing a shirt, he has muscles that he feels good showing. Most of the group is not particularly adept at throwing the rings with any grace or direction, they seem to go anywhere but where they should. But they are having fun, it is all sport.

Walk through the park, the park is full of trees and shadows. Take the short path back into the town, past the Russian orthodox church. There is a film crew there, setting up to make another sequel to a television serial about nuns.

Go on down to the river.

All of this is a change from sitting in the small car for the better part of an hour on the way to work.

ein fluch

Friday <4th July

At work, park the car under the Tree, the

usual place. It is five past seven in the

morning, at this time the parking spot­s are empty.

Put on the mask, and enter the building

Put the little black tag against the

device

on the wall.

The LED display says three hour.

A full day, plus three hours.

Overtime

.

Climb the stairs, look at the big pendulum.

in the stairwell.

It never stops swaying,

but the direction charges.

rotates. Asttylmet

There is a string of email in the

'whose on the computer.

Four people talking about one subject,

each with a different idea. There is

no easy solution.

other Than a loud expletive through

pursed lips with a snap of the tongue

at the end.

In German-ein Fluch. 0, leave from work as of Monday.

hypnos defenestrated

Thursday, 23 rd of July.

Sleep seams to have left through the open

window, hyppnos

defenestrated at dawn.

There is the cat, hopeful mewing.

get up, hooh the left foot under the bed.tn

lever the body into a vertical position.

The kitchen looks as if a bomb had detonate

there. The son had returned late after an

outing with his mates.

. and he will most

likely not clear it up.

. But the cat only has one care, and the

is her food.

Bathroom, shave and shower, back

to the bedroom, rocks and underpants,

leave the rest from yesterday.

The news, well, america will turn

into an openly fascist country, maybe

not so well.

And after the alarm has been

silenced,

leave the house, remember to take a mask 

early

Wednesday, 22 July

2020

Wake up, and it is still dark. The lights in the

yard have dimmed, it is because their

batteries are charged by solar energy,

and yesterdays energy was insufficient to

keep them glowing all night. The cat is making

noises, it is expressing its dissatisfaction

with something.

So get up, go to the kitchen, and feed her

something from a tin in the refrigerator.

She shuts up.

It is early and dark, but why not take a

shower, wash the hair and start the day.

Later, make a cup of coffee in the kitchen.

Later still, read the news on the computer.

The American executive is using fascist methods

now, it is strange how weak the rule of law

can be.

Then it is six in the morning. The tablet's

alarm sounds. Then the sons alarm sounds

Both are turned off.

Shortly later, the son comes in. He is

upset, he gives a hug. It is his last day of

school today, his years report is due. And

he thinks that ist is nine in the morning.

Tell him that he is wrong.

He rushes off to check his personal clock

and returns, wearing a foolish express

Instead of twenty minutes until school, he

has nearly three hours. That is one drawback

of having multiple alarm clocks.

moult

Tuesday, 21 st of July, 2020

The cat reaches

up from the floor, puts her

paws onto the thinly-clothed knees. She

looks up, she seems to be seeking eye contact.

Look down, put the knees together. She

goes down onto her haunches and springs

up onto the knees. She lies down, her chin

on the left human kneecap. Stroke her

back, listen to her. purr. A mass of

cat hair sticks to the hand, cats always moult.

Especially when stroked.

The window is open, throw the small

bundle of cat hairs out. The light breeze

propels them back in, they rest on the

window sill

now.

They will be thrown out later. 

Finish the coffee made earlier, and

listen to the bells sound. The alarm on

the tablet sounds too, put a finger on the

script saying stop, and continue stroking

the cat's back. Her purring is not just a

quiet buzz any more, it has squeaky

overtones.

Stretch out the legs, the cat realises that

her knee sojourn is over and jumps to the

floor. The car is parked far away, at the

entrance to the tunnel. Hurry now, not to be late.

WS

mon

Monday 20th July 2020

In the night, in the dark but for the glow

from those decorative little led lamps in the

yard, tie there awake, as if there was no such

thing as sleep. Listen to the bells in the

church towers,

Two

bells for half past

Three for quarter to

Listen, then go to the loo

and then it is morning, half past five.

There is daylight in the window.

get up, go to the bathroom, banho.

Then return, on with the coffemachine.

Cafe da manha, later, when the device

heats up.

The alarm clock sounds, turn it off.

get dressed.

and this is the last Monday before the

summer holidays.  

nothing

Sit on the park bench, resting at nine in the morning. There was no knowledge as to why the climb up was so strenous today, out of breath so soon.

A man with a brown jacket and trekking shoes, corduroy trousers and a hat with a wide brim passes. He say good morning, and wish him the same back. Sit there on the bench, admire the foliage on the trees, admire the little path, be happy because of the sun's warming rays. 

That is all, just sit there and think. Think of the planned journey to France, in the coming weeks, at the end of this month. Just sit and relax, let the heartbeat slow down, take off the hoodie. It is good to sit in the park, it is just nice.

Go on, the park is deserted so early on a Sunday morning, the town is not as noisy as it was yesterday.

The birds in their enclosure are doing their various things, it is amusing to watch some irate geese chase a duck. For whatever reason. A goosey reason.

Walk on down the back way, the man with the hat approaches.

He has done his round.

Nod in passing

Sunday walk.

Take the back road , down the hill, through the town. There is the sound of loud music from the old school,  from an old school building.

A dance club, maybe, Or a fitness club. There is the loud voice shouting instructions as the music changes.

Some people are active early.

request

There is the sound of voices from the rear, whildt walking along the path to the local park, noisy voices, some man giving directions. The sound of approaching footsteps on the gravel, a crunching noise as the small stones are ground one into the other. It is unbearable, just as the desire to be in the public park is the greatest. Climb the path to the wrought-iron gate but do not turn around. There is no wish to be involved in any greetings, there is just a horror of conversation.

A woman approaches, she is wearing a pink hoodie. Just look down, do not pay attention. Look up, see that she is smiling, wishes a good morning. Mumble, go on.

The park is dark and peaceful, turn left in the hope that this route will be deserted.

It is not. There are people taking their dog out for a shit, they are chatting with an elderly man in short trousers. Keep the eyes on the dog, avoid catching the eye of the people. Take the rising path, around the first bend an old woman with a stick. She is concentrating on walking, carry on up the slope through the dark leafy woods. 

Reach the devil's bridge, so called. A wooden structure, a caueseway,  making a hairpin bend and leading to a steep part of the path through the woods. The usual path. There are no people, this is a blessing. There are no people untill the top of the path.

A relief.

The rage is slowly going away.

Sit on a park bench.

Relax.

just sit there untill the unreasonable fear has gone.

It leaves tiredness.

Go to the next park bench.

Sit in the sun, watch the waking birds in the small zoo. This was the same place as last week. But this horror did not take place.

But the disquiet has gone now.

Can anybody say what that was?

skip

Friday 17th of July 2020

.

There is a group of students gathered around the waste bins in the yard. They have a number of large wooden boxes that have to be discarded.

First of all, they throw a complete box into the skip. Then two jump into the ship, open the case and take out the packaging foam, this gets thrown out of the skip again, it needs to be recycled in a different way. A student gathers the foam sheeting and carries it over to a yellow bin.

The two students in the skip are wrestling with the wooden case, trying to make it- come apart. As the space is limited, and the skip is half full with other timber waste they have difficulties staying upright

Then they get one piece off, and with a great struggle, they turn the box over, and remove the other end. It is all very awkward, they constantly risk injury. Meanwhile, a second group has opened its box on the ground in front of the skip. They have opened all the catches, removed the contents, and one of the group kicks over the sides

The other group, one in the ship, has finished and they jump out of the ship. The wooden remains of the packing case are thrown into the ship, and all is finished.

Another man is dismantling a big cardboard box. He jumps up onto it, and it holds.

He does a silly grin.

He jumps again.

Up

Down.

Crunch, the box collapses, he falls onto his back on the tarmac paving. He has lost his shoe, it is inside the cardboard box. 

He is not laughing anymore, but he is not really hurt. The box is still complete, but for the place where his foot broke through.

These students are all very intelligent. They are physicists.

But they are quite impractical when it comes to practical things.

pigeonhole

Thursday, 16th of July 2020

In the basement of the university complex, there is a post office. Take out the key, unlock the door. Inside, there is a wall with many small square doors on it, each with a keyhole. Use the same key to open

the pigeon hole door number twenty-three.

In the small space inside, there is a single sheet of paper. Take it out, look at the contents.

It is a telephone bill, and a note informing that there will bear no further telephone bills.

Just a flat rate.

Peer into the pigeon hole. This is open at the back, it is possible to look into the post man's office. There is a man sitting there, short haired, dressed in a pink tee shirt.

He says "good morning"

wish him a "good morning" back

Then close the pigeon-hole's small square door and lock it.

Look at the silly bureaucratic telephone bill. It is for a very small amount, The telephone in the office not having been used much.

very

Leave the room with the pigeon holes and go

-back to the office. A larger pigeonhole. 

dental ten minutes

Wednesday, 15th of July 2020

The dentist's waiting room has a blanket made of the bark of a tree on the wall as decoration. There is a plaque attached to the wall beside it, with a description.

The whole practice is filled with African motif's, pictures of leopards and zebras too. They are all showing their teeth, and, as this is a dentist's practice, there are extensive descriptions of all of these teeth on the wall.

get up as soon as the name is called

, and follow the young woman in her white coat.

She leads on into a room with a dentist's chair,

she asks her patient to be seated

thereon.

Take the mask off, after all, this is a

dentist's practice, and they cannot work through a facial covering.

The young dentist comes ut

o the room, hear the footfalls from behind the seat.

Her face hovers into view, she asks whether or not there were any problems. There were no serious ones, and she commences to go over

the teeth one by one. Just a check-up, done in

ten minutes.

social

Tuesday 14th of July

select a roll from the selection available in the glass case. They all look good. Then-look

down into the wallet, it is a Wiener Schachtel type   wallet. All the coins are blurred, the glasses

are pushed up onto the forehead. So let the glasses fall down onto the nose, and then all is clear. It is clear for a short while only.

The exhalations from the nose, redirected by the face mask, fog up the glass. Now the bakery vanishes in a mist.

The woman behind her plexiglass sceen laughs. She says that she has the same problem.

Put all the change onto the table and let her reach out under the screen to pick the required coins herself.

All these changes, leave the cafe. 

Some distance on, remove the mask. 

Who cares

as long as social distancing is maintained

The air is fresh and bright, just as it should be on a sunny Sunday morning.

It is Tuesday.

slip road

Monday, 13th July

On the slipway to the autobahn, slow, let the big truck pass, then pull in behind it, drive slowly, the same speed as the truck.

Maybe the slipstream helps to save petrol. Turn on the cruise control and roll along behind the truck.

Most of the traffic flows by on the left hand lane, an endless string of small  cars.

Nevermind the speed, going faster will only save minutes and cause stress.

Now there is another  truck to the rear, it closed up on the tiny car which is driving

closely the truck before it. It is like a pea between mattresses, but there is no princess.

It is frightening.

Then see the following trucks left-hand indicator, and the enormous wall of metal

to the rear charges lane. It passes slowly, the difference in speed is not great.

Just as the manoeuvre is complete, the truck ahead indicates right and leaves the motorway for Munich Airport.

Follow the other truth now, it is a Czech driver, he is in a hurry. Why care, all the hurry

is evident, even though everybody is probably on time. 

So there is no need to race.

walk

before passing through the wrought iron gate, there is a smell of damp leaves, a harbinger of the quiet peace in the forest park. Immediately after the gate, the light is dim and green, and there is the sound of birds. It is such a pleasant contrast from the early morning glare of the sunlit street.

Climb the path slowly, feel the breath fail, there is no way of knowing why this has been this way, but it is this way, now and for the past few months.

There is a fog in the forest, a low cloud over the hill, the light is very soft.

Half way up the hill a tree has collapsed over the path, blown down by the storm yesterday. The broken stump is still standing, the tree broke at a considerable height above the ground. Climb over the wreckage of the tree and walk an up the path.

The clearing at the top is a bright glare of diffuse light, the cloud of fog diffuses the sunlight, the shadows are light, the contours not as sharp as they might be.

Walk on to look at the birds, They appear to be put off by having a spectator so early, a few ducks waddle over in the hope of there being something edible made available. They waddle on, off on some duck business,

Farther on, on the way back down to the town, there are loud shouts. It is a man calling his dog. The animal should be on it's leash in the park, but it is early and nobody is there to mind. The dog is some kind of retriever, following it's master on his flatfooted jog around the park.

Later, there is indecision, whether to  take the path through the castle, or just to go back down to the small entrance.

Take the path through the castle, and the steep stairway down to the town.

Return home, back to the sleeping family.

It is seven on a sunday.

misery

the steady splatter of the rain on the leaves outside is a relaxing sound, there is a bird twittering too.

Bells sound in the grey wet saturday morning.

The family is asleep, but for the cat, who wanders about seeking attention, gives up, and goes off to continue sleeping on the sofa.

The eyes can no longer focus on the tiny script on the computer, glasses help. 

And the rain splatters on.

There is no rain jacket, it will probably be necessary to buy one later, otherwise going out for a walk will just be equivalent with getting soaked.

The whistle in the head

the tinnitus in the ears

and the general depression

lethargy

weakness

It is all there today.

The sound of the rain outside, the water gurgling in the gutters is pleasant.

If it were only not for the misery.

take the small pump spray and spray a coating of alcohol and tensides and whatever they are called onto the glasses. A formulation from the optician, it renders the glasses clean and grease-free after they have been wiped down with a tissue.

The rain outside dies down, and there is the sound of traffic in the distant parts of the town.

satisfactory, no more

Early awakening is turning into an addiction of sorts. 

Early to bed the comfort of lying stretched out on the sheets, the days aches being slowly cancelled, signing out for the night. 

It is half past five, the alarm has not sounded yet, the cat is asleep on the bed, the birds have started their noises outside.

Get up, go for a shower, a short quick shower.

The bathroom is a mess.

There is a saucepan in the bathtub, this is one of the sons experiments dying clothes using coffee grounds.

Perhaps it works, perhaps it does not, but it would be nice if the mess were cleared up afterwards.

In the bedroom, take the fresh clothing from the wardrobe, socks and underpants, a short sleeved shirt from the chest of drawers.

And then the kitchen, a mess. The wife' complaint that she does not have enough space is understandable, but there would be enough space if the items were cleared away.

Push a head of cauliflower to one side to get at the coffee grinder.

Press the button, there is the noise of coffee grinding. Turn on the small espresso machine, remove the sieve, clean it.

Get a cup from the cupboard in the corridor, fill the sieve with ground coffee, assemble the coffee machine and press the button.

Take the coffee back to the writing desk in the bedroom.

Read the news, there is little good news.

But that is normal.

Look out of the window, it is promising to be a bright, cloudless day.

Gather the wallet,

the phone,

the bag,

the jacket,

Leave for work.

The work place that has lost all of it's charm.

Look forward to hearing Glen Gould disc on the radio playing the 

disc

Thursday 9th July

Play a CD on the cars radio today, it

was put into the slit yesterday, and started automatically when the car started.

Glen Gould playing -goldberg variations-

Before leaving the parking spot see that a white car does a U turn,

the driver has seen that this small black car will be gone soon.

And then where will be a free

space.The driver probably works at

one of the shops nearby.

In the mirror, seethat the white car occupies the space just vacated.

It is relaxing to listen to the piano music,

the tunnel,  and the two traffic lights

and 

then the road repairs on the country road. Drive slowly, stay relaxed.

Just passing Moosburg, realise that the music has started from the beginning again.

Try to find the button for ejecting the disc, but it is not to be seen. Press each button one after the next, but without success, the disc remais inside the machine.

The truck ahead has slowed, touch the brake and slow down to avoid crahing, then try the on the top left, a button unmarked.

Success - disc ejected

8

Wednesday, 8Th July

awaken at the usual time, with the graying

of the night.

There is a doctors appointment at ten,

and time to kill untill then.

Read the news on the computer, realise

that policy in america is about being

elected.

And nothing else.

No morals,

No holds barred.

The cat digs her claws into the knees, sparsely

covered with the night clothes.

Uncross the legs.

She jumps up.

Then she is bored. And jumps down again.

That did not last long.

It is not six in the morning yet, but go

and take a shower.

and then start to clean up the kitchen, the

wife and the son are asleep still,

Feed the cat.

She likes that.

v

7th of January

In the bakery stone, choose a braided

roll with salt on it. It contains camembert,

and a few bits of lettuce. Pay the money

into the plexiglass hatch, 

the security system

against the virus.

The narrow alley, Königsfelder Gasse, is empty of people. It is early yet, and there is a pale blue morning mist were there are no yellow sunbeams.

In the square called Feyung, there is the small black car. Put the bag into the back, and squeeze into the door, the car to the left has parked outside it's box.

There is a steady stream of cars on the

road, so many more people are driving

now. Instead of using the train services.

Because of the virus.

rush

the noise outside the office is appalling, on this hot day leave the window open and the noise is louder, the big hydraulic digger with it's diesel engine and hydraulic motors is finally destroying the building outside, leaving nothing but a crater, a sandy stony pit.

Then the whole building starts to vibrate, the claws of the digger have been replaced with a huge metal chisel, this beats the huge blocks of concrete into  gravel.

A full two weeks now of this noise, it is hard to concentrate, the mind is starting to wander.

There is a telephone call from the brother, a distraction.

There is the noise outside

then the cleaning man turns up

then a request for a job., then five uncoordinated emails for the same job.

Then a question as to why the things are not finished yet.

Frantically rushing around and everything standing still.

foliage

. 5th July 2020

There are maple leaves caught in a sunbeam, bright green. Behind, There are blue skies and white clouds. sit on a park bench, looking up at the canopy of foliage above.

Take out the camera, take a picture of said foliage

Three cyclists come down the path, Though cycling is forbidden here, But mountain bikers can go everywhere, can't they?

It is the usual thing, a walk

in the park the sound of the wind in the trees.

The wind strenthens, and a cloud covers the sun. Perhaps there will be rain.

Later or, at the top of the park, see that the cloud was really very small, air

it just moved on. Now the ducks in

the

2-or are to be heard, and there is the chatter of families, who have come up here to see the birds and the goats.

Groups of people on a Sunday

afternoon walk.

brick stairway

step through the gate at the top of the brick stairway. This is the entrance to the park, the wrought iron gate always ajar. The path leads up through a forest, The park is laid out on the steep slope of the valley through which the river Isar runs, between the town, the castle and a big hunting lodge. 

It is dim and cool under the trees, patterns of sunlight making it through here and there, but mostly not.

There are few people underway, all elderly.

Walk without a camera today, for the bag is damaged, and carrying the camera on the strap around the neck is silly, like some tourist.

The path is not steep at the beginning, but it then gets steeper. After about two kilometres, there is the top, an open field and a park bench in the early sun, dry already. The benches in the shade are still glistening wet from the rain in the night.

Listen to the many birds singing, each with it's own call.

Watch the first people arrive on their walks, a young family with two very young children.

Rest on the bench for an hour.

e an old man.

Before taking the steep path down through the forest,

step through the gate at the bottom of the path, out onto the brick stairway.

gone

3rd of July, 2020, Friday

Nothing. Arrive at the place of work, or

there is no work to be done. There is

no merit, nothing in the post box. There is

hardly anybody in the corridors, pethg

they have started their weekend early.

Do a small pot, one that is not urgent

Read the news, read about the American

disaster) about a federation's inability to

deal with a virus.

It really is boring.

The workmen outside, clearing the

remains of the building that

had stood

There two weeks ago. The building was

made of reenforced concrete, and then

hard to remove,

was

go to the basement to reset the printer,

to change the material.

Why, you never know, do you?

In exactly one years time, the

employment here will have ended, and

that will be that.

There will be one pensioner more.

top hat

2nd of July 2020

Return from the doctor, it is ten. The doctor checked, and everything was in order.

Return home, the wife is still in bed,

and the cat is hungry. Later on today, the chimney sweep will come by to look at the old stove. The old stove that is to be repaired, so that it may be used.

Wait, sit at the computer reading, and

make a cup of coffee, • Do not clear up the kitchen, just prefer to leave it." It is not my mess"

A selfish argument but true.

The doorbell rings. Outside, a man

in a black outfit waits, with a top hat.

He is the chimney sweep, here to examine the stove.

He is a friendly man, and The

examination is short. He says that The stove should go to the school for ceramics who would deal with it there.

He also says that the emissions inspection would take about four hours.

And that would be the mornings

errands. Finished. 

off to work.

metal strands

Arriving at work at half past seven in the

morning

1st of July, 2020

, discovering that the work that had been announced

is not there.

Wait for work to materialise, and nothing happens. No calls, no computer missives, 

  

no normal mail

There is just the sound of the demolition workers outside, as they remove the remains of the old service buildings. The window

is open, there is the taste of concrete dust in the air. The big excavator is crushing the ferroconcrete in its jaws, crushing it to dust and metal strands.

Later on, the machine collects the metal strands with a very large magnet, and deposits them in a heap, and shovels the concrete fragments into another.

They are tidy demolition workers, The steel can be sold, the concrete fragments used for foundations.

All the while, there is the roar of the engines.

And there is no work today, it is

really boring. It feels like a waste of time,

a waste of life.

It is a sign of poor organisation.