braces

On the way down the Bernlochner Schluchtweg a man approaches wheeling his bicycle up the steep gravel path. He is friendly and keen to talk, all the pushing is tiring. He boasts about his daily thirty kilometres to some place outside town, compliment him that he must be very fit.

That was a mistake, because now there is an unwanted lecture on alternative medicine being held by this enthusiast. It is all very well, all these cures and ancient medicine.

But it is not for everyone to believe in, and so little has been proven.

Later, in the shopping mall, go to collect the trousers, the ones that have had the buttons added.

The buttons are on wrong, there has been a misunderstanding.

Explain that these buttons are for braces, braces with six endings, two at the back and two each at front right and left.

Customers are coming and going all the time, step back to let the others in, he says he will be finished shortly.

Now there are four buttons at the back.

Explain that this is not what had been expected at all.

Four at the front and two at the back, that would be ideal, and necessary for the braces to function properly.

More customers come and go, it is a bit stressful, he is alone in his shop.

But then the customers go, and chat about his home in Syria. He is a Kurd, and he talks a lot about the politics in Syria.

Now he is running his small enterprise in the basement of a shopping mall.

In Germany.