A girl runs across the street. She’s after the 24 bus, violin in hand. She darts in front of traffic. Twice. The first time, traffic was coming at her on a green turn arrow. The Second time, a second later, she sprinted past lanes of all-out green. The violin didn’t make it. Neither did she.
A bus crawls in rush hour traffic. It rolls past a young guy standing on the median. He doesn't look familiar from the morning’s German class, but everything about him looks American. The bus comes to the next stop. Everybody not waiting for the #1 is left standing. Waiting. The first guy looks Greek. The next lady: hair covered – Turkish. The black guy – …well, that was easy. The short, old man on the end, darker skin with the black and grey mustache – Italian probably. Maybe Spanish. And I thought America was the “melting pot.” At the corner, a guy crosses the street. Looks like another ‘American’ German. …In fact, he looks exactly like the first guy did.
Gießen named its university library the “UB.” It’s short for Universitäts Bibliothek, which translates into “university library.” ..Germans are creative. On my way back I pass a Markt that’s still open after 8pm. A rarity. I seize the opportunity and grab some groceries. Lebensmittel in German. Literally “means of life.”
Two bags full hang down at my sides on my long walk back. I pass a sign that says: “Grünberg 22 km”. I feel like I’ve already walked that far. I have this relentless feeling that something is weighing me down. I look down at my ‘means of life’. Life is mean. Germans are creative.
A bus crawls in rush hour traffic. It rolls past a young guy standing on the median. He doesn't look familiar from the morning’s German class, but everything about him looks American. The bus comes to the next stop. Everybody not waiting for the #1 is left standing. Waiting. The first guy looks Greek. The next lady: hair covered – Turkish. The black guy – …well, that was easy. The short, old man on the end, darker skin with the black and grey mustache – Italian probably. Maybe Spanish. And I thought America was the “melting pot.” At the corner, a guy crosses the street. Looks like another ‘American’ German. …In fact, he looks exactly like the first guy did.
Gießen named its university library the “UB.” It’s short for Universitäts Bibliothek, which translates into “university library.” ..Germans are creative. On my way back I pass a Markt that’s still open after 8pm. A rarity. I seize the opportunity and grab some groceries. Lebensmittel in German. Literally “means of life.”
Two bags full hang down at my sides on my long walk back. I pass a sign that says: “Grünberg 22 km”. I feel like I’ve already walked that far. I have this relentless feeling that something is weighing me down. I look down at my ‘means of life’. Life is mean. Germans are creative.
2 comments:
Eeegads, Adam, does this mean the girl with the violin is dead?
Tante Peggy
No. She crossed the street. ...she didn't make the bus. :-)
Post a Comment