twelfth hour

Before the alarm sounds this morning got up and went downstairs, made a breakfast, returned upstairs and ate it.

The alarm sounded, read for a while and put the day clothes on and made the bed. Then went out to the car and made a telephone call to wake up the Argentine. Today is the day that he is to go to the hospital, it is a promise to bring him there. He answers, and he is not very awake, by the sound of things. Take the car and park it opposite to his residence and wait. Half an hour after the first phone call repeat the procedure, he says that he will be out in a second.

Later, drive down the motorway to Munich, There is less traffic than expected, it is a quiet and grey day. The clinic that he is to go to was the place of work thirty years ago. It is strange to arrive there and to find that the buildings are all much the same, really, not much has changed. Even the people look the same, all in their white coats and aloof hurry. The Argentine waits, he looks worried, for the diagnosis is an unpleasant one.

Take a walk around the Occam strasse in Schwabing. All of the night places are closed, there is one café open. The waiter is friendly and helpful, sit down and order a cup of coffee and a croissant. The coffee arrives soon, the croissant never does. This is sad, but never mind. The coffee is good, but it is not cheap at all. Leave after a short while and return to the car, for the 'phone was still in there left on the mounting system on the dashboard. Pay an extra two Euros for another parking period and return to the clinic to see how things are progressing.

The Argentine is waiting for his consultation with the doctor. He has left all the other processes behind him.

Finally, leave with him and return to Landshut. On the way, have a midday meal at an Indian restaurant in Kronwinkl. They are not a bad restaurant.

Afterwards, go to the artists studio and help move a few of the things there. Then return home after advising the son on how to pack things into the back of the car.

That done, go home and have a rest.

And now it is a quarter to six, the twelfth hour since the alarm did not ring this morning.