Sometimes when I drive around in the city or walk down a street
a man is standing at the corner. He is just standing there and looks around.
But when he feels that he's being watched, he feels caught.
You can see them at bus stops. Ordinary men just standing there and looking around.
What do these man think?
What they are looking for?
The past maybe?
On Sept. 26th,1998,
I noticed another man like this.
But this time it was different.
Because this man was me.
It should be the end of my life as a dumb, irresponsible, craven idiot.
At this moment I got rid of the bane of my life and fledged.
In the middle of the 80's I lived with my second girlfriend in my first shared flat.
When she asked me
"Do you love me?"
I said, "Yes".
But actually I didn't know
And when several years later my future girlfriend asked me,
"Where were you on Nov. 9th, 1989?"
I said, "I was there, in Berlin, on the Wall near the Brandenburg Gate"
But that wasn't true.
Because on this evening I was lying with a woman in the bed and watched a video tape.
Sometimes my life was quite good.
Sometimes... it was bullshit.
"real bullshit" Somewhere in between
I had understood in the game.
I knew how sex, love and lies worked. For years I had gotten away with this.
But now I was in my early 30's, and it happened.
I want the child. Either you want it too, or I'll drop you.
Are you serious?
Yes, I am.
I loved my girlfriend.
I wanted nobody else and I knew there was no reason to run away.
I even wanted a baby.
So why did I run away?
I didn't know it.
But I abruptly realized one thing.
I've to go away for a few days. Go where?
Berlin. I have to go to Berlin.
Berlin, yes? I'd really like to know
how you have become such a dumb, irresponsible, craven idiot, Helmut.
Me too - Really
Learning to Lie
OK. I haven't told that anybody yet.
The whole story began in 1982.
I was 18 years old, watching my father dancing alone in the basement.
Where is your father? He'll come in a moment.
Helmut! Hi, Uncle Bertram! Sit down there, please.
I'm worrying about you. About me? Why?
You know, the Soviets are standing in front of the door.
They are in Saxony and Thuringia, just in front of our noses.
But some young people are of the opinion, we should let them do what they want.
Well, have you ever been to such a... demonstration.
No. Good, and it should stay like this!
And, what about girls?
Do you have a girlfriend?
Not yet, but I'm working on it. Good!
Dear Students,
The election procedure is as follows. There are two committees,
committee A and B.
She's new. And absolutely fuckable...
Both committees first present themselves and their programs.
After that the election will be held.
Now that everybody is here finally, we can begin.
Please
Dear fellow students,
civilization is able to destroy itself a hundred times today.
Why doesn't the western world make the first step
in a world free of atom bombs and set the deployment
of Pershing-II rockets and cruise missiles in Germany aside.
The biological diversity is decreasing.
We have acid rain, which destroys our forests.
And we have the so-called peaceful use of nuclear energy.
But Harrisburg was just the beginning.
Maybe the next accident will happen in a German nuclear power plant.
But it's wrong to give up and ignore all that.
If I'll be elected, I'm going to plead for the establishment of working groups.
But you have to remember: for everything I'm going to do
I need your assistance and your initiatives.
What's that?
That's my collection. And this is the first compilation.
I named it "journey there".
No, I meant that.
That's "Lovers - Visions of him"
That's why I asked.
With this gay music you can sit in the girls' compartment.
But that's why I recorded it.
But not now, Gee! Schäfer, we barely left the city!
You can't start with this tea drinkers' cant. You have to assemble that slowly.
I think it would be suitable for now.
You would even play "When I'm Sixty-Four" at your grandmothers 64th birthday.
When we arrive in Berlin, you are probably going
to play "Berlin" by "Fisher Z", aren't you?
Yes, It suits perfectly. That's what music is for.
Gee, Schäfer, you really don't get the point.
Hello Girls!
I wanted to congratulate.
On what?
Because I voted for you!
You wanted to congratulate me on that?
No, on your victory.
Thanks!
My buddy wanted to congratulate, too!
Hello
It's nice of you that you wanted to congratulate, too.
It was nice that you came by, boys, but we just had a girl talk.
It would be good if you would excuse us now.
He's so embarrassing.
Come on, tell me what is going on between you and her?
Nothing
Rubbish! I saw how she looked at you.
Nothing, really!
We are almost in West-Berlin, aren't we?
Good day
Please lay your left ear open
Goodbye
It's a strange feeling, isn't it?
Yes
Everybody listen!
It's quarter past 3 now.
You can take a walk in the city alone.
We'll meet again at 6 pm at station "Friedrichstraße".
I'm very thirsty.
Do you want to have a drink?
Helmut. Where are you going?
We are going to have a drink. See you then.
It's nice here.
What are you going to do after leaving school?
I thought I could work
for development aid maybe.
What about you?
I don't know. There's a lot do. Probably I'll become a politician.
Here you are.
Thanks very much.
1.22 Marks, please.
Wait, I'll pay it.
The change is the tip, thank you very much.
Sorry I don't have enough change.
Then...
bring us 8 more beers, please.
I pay in advance.
Cheers
If somebody comes with a request, you've lost already.
An evening without requests is the best for a disc jockey.
But Schäfer, nobody's dancing.
I don't play that commercial shit. I'll make them dance, trust me.
Hey, Jens! Please play "Words"! I'm going to get some beer.
"Words don't come easy"
I don't have that in my collection.
Did Berlin impress you so much, too?
Yes, of course.
I'd like to stay here.
I think I'll return after high school graduation.
What's your plan?
Studying medicine. My brother studied medicine here, too.
They don't have a clue. I can't believe it.
I'd like to live very close to the Wall.
In Kreuzberg maybe. Very simple. A room in the backyard.
One small room, only for me.
May I take a sip of your beer?
Usually I don't like beer.
Chatting with you is great.
Really?
Excuse me for a moment, please.
It has been a nice afternoon today.
Same here
We should do that again sometime.
Helmut Kohl became Federal Chancellor of Western Germany a couple of days later.
Britta said it was a big disaster. I got involved with every working group
she attended:
the ecology group, the anti-atom group, the working party Nicaragua
...He is an illegitimate son of a Spanish great land owner
and of an employee of the Sandino family. Though his father was very rich...
Helmut, you are familiar with that topic, aren't you?
Yes
Would you like to create a flyer about it together with me.
Sure
Then come to me tomorrow and we set about it.
At your place?
Yes. I'll write it down for you. It's a little bit difficult to find.
At 4 o'clock.
Hello. Are you Helmut?
I'm Helmut, yes. I'm Jutta, Britta's mother.
Come in
Britta is upstairs.
Take the left way - that's a shortcut.
Thanks!
Hello
I have something for you. "Castaneda - Journey to Ixtlan"
You'll like it. It's a present for you.
Really?
Sure
Tell me what you think about it when you've read it.
Thanks.
I thought your mother's name is Jutta, not Brigitte.
Brigitte is the ex-girlfriend of my father.
Does he live here, too?
No, he's living in San Francisco.
Have a seat.
The problem is that the people think that the Americans brought
the Nazis to their knees. Didn't they?
Well, yes, but only with the help of the Red Army.
They tend to forget that today.
Ortega recently pointed out that
the USA always worked together with the enemies of democracy.
Would you give it to me?
Sure.
And in the case of Nicaragua they are in one line with the fascist...
Do you listen to me at all?
Yes, of course.
That means, the USA don't care about the protection of democratic values.
They react only when they are about to loose control.
We have to get on with it.
Let's start over.
I think we shouldn't go too far this time.
Apart from that I have got my period.
You are so sweet.
I'm cold.
Would you warm me?
Good morning.
What did you have in mind when you did this?
Did what?
Good morning.
Has your father talked to you yet?
Yes.
How could that happen?
Happen what? That I talked to my father?
Kid, we worried about you!
You could have called at least!
My goodness, I was 1.5 hours late. What would you do if I get into mischief?
Put me in the orphanage?
Don't talk to me like that.
That's not funny.
You know what happened to the son of Mrs. Heinemann.
He still hasn't found a job since he was released from prison.
Mom! I'm still in school!
Helmut!
Kid, something I'd really like to know what you want.
Jerked off today yet?
No, that's the first piece of shit I'm holding in my hand.
What's the matter with you?
Nothing, it's a just a beautiful day!
Why? It's just a lousy day like any other day.
Are you drunk or what?
No.
I'm having biology now. See you later.
Hello.
Let's go.
Yes?
Hello
I like this pub very much.
Same to me. I've never been here before.
Really?
Yes.
You probably know why I called you.
I liked it very much yesterday.
You remember? Yesterday?
Of Course.
Have you told someone?
What?
About yesterday.
No.
Good.
Let's keep it going like this. OK?
Really. I like it very much.
But I'm the head girl of our school. Everybody is looking at me.
I would like to keep our relationship just for me and you.
Do you understand?
Yes, of course.
I don't want the others to talk about us.
And if you keep it private
I'm up to a lot with you.
Do you agree?
Yes.
In the following weeks it was like this:
In school we didn't know each other, but we could meet in the afternoons.
Nobody had a clue what was going on between me and her.
Sometimes I would have liked to tell it to somebody. But that was impossible.
Mücke thought I was behaving strange, and he told me that.
"You're behaving strange!" I saw him more and more rarely.
But Britta and me, we got unrecognized through the winter.
Do you go on vacation on Christmas?
No, we always stay at home.
I don't like Christmas.
It doesn't have anything to do with religion anymore.
It's just a senseless consumption festival.
Britta and Wilfried always invite some friends. And have fun on Christmas eve.
You can come, too, if you want to.
I've to ask my parents first.
But it won't be a problem.
Merry Christmas.
Oh, it's so nice tonight.
I'm going out later.
What?
I'm going out later.
What do you mean?
There's a party of our working group and I'd like to go there.
Today?
On Christmas eve?
But we're just chatting so nicely.
Can I go out?
It's nice that you ask at least!
Hello?
Britta?
You are mad.
Look inside the ring.
To Britta from H.
You're really mad.
Do you like it?
Yes, of course. What a question.
But you shouldn't have done this.
Why?
It must have been very expensive.
Money is not important.
You are so cute.
I'm going to America.
I will go with you.
No, really.
To my dad in San Francisco.
Next week already.
But school is starting next week.
I will go to school there.
What?
For one year. I'm going to finish school there.
I can save some money and visit you on easter.
Good idea.
Why not?
Look, a year is a long time.
You probably meet someone else while I'm away.
No.
Maybe I'll meet somebody else.
You want to meet somebody else?
I didn't say that. I just said a year is a long time.
You have to go now.
I can't sleep anymore anyway.
I'll write to you.
I love you, Britta.
See you soon.
Dear Britta.
We haven't been in touch for a long time...
And I changed a little bit maybe.
The time in which I wrote five letters a week to you is long ago.
Four years later.
I stayed here in West Germany.
I'm studying German, history and politics for some years now.
And, strange to say, I enjoy it.
I've made some friends here. One of them is called...
"Beck"
Of course this thing with your American boyfriend hurt me
and that I've never seen you again.
that you stayed at you father's place and didn't return to Germany.
But I always remember your arms and legs.
I remember your hands and eyes.
I will never forget when we slept together.
On Christmas, with you between the candles and books.
Helmut
Yes.
Helmut Hermes
It seems that there has nothing changed on you.
I'd like to meet you again.
Your Helmut
P.S. I met Gisela Schmidkowski again yesterday.
She hasn't gone to Berlin and is studying medicine here.
Medicine is very good. Physicians are needed always.
Do you have contact to our old school mates?
Steffi Harnisch is living across the street.
I met Wiebke Hellers last week when I was canoing.
This thing with Schäfer made me really sorry.
Well, I didn't have much to do with him. But you knew him very well, didn't you?
What happened to Schäfer?
You don't know it?
I don't know anything. Even about Mücke.
I even don't know where he lives, this old fink.
Your smile is beautiful.
Oh my god, I have drunken too much wine.
It's nice without wine, too.
I drink rarely.
In Berlin you drank from my beer.
But only because it was your beer.
Well, what happened to Schäfer?
He's dead.
What?
He had a car accident.
Two years ago.
I thought you knew it.
I knew nothing.
Shall we pay?
Yes.
The check please.
What is it?
Do you hear that?
Schäfer still has it under control.
I'll pay it.
Good evening.
This is Rüdiger, this is Barbara, my flat mates.
I'm Helmut.
Do you want some coffee?
Good night.
OK, good night.
Good night.
Good morning, boss.
You don't have to be that friendly.
You're living here for weeks, but you don't do anything.
It's your turn to wash the dishes.
I need a job.
Something special?
No, just anything. Do you know something?
I'll have a look around.
I became a parking attendant.
It wasn't well paid but the work was simple.
I sat the whole day in a small cabin and didn't do anything.
Just to do something against boredom I seriously began to study.
The relationship with Gisela was good.
I liked looking at her. And I liked when she touched me.
We got along with each other, had no disputes
and were often of the same opinion.
Sleeping with her was different than with Britta.
She wasn't prim, not afraid of trying something new.
But she never proposed anything herself.
But about other things she had clear notions.
I'm already looking forward to our first Christmas together.
On the 24th we first visit our parents.
For dinner we go to my parents and I introduce you to them.
On the 25th I have to visit my aunt Annie.
She's really looking forward to meet you.
On boxing day I have to pay uncle Jinkovic a short visit.
Well, actually he isn't my real uncle.
But he was a good friend of my grandfather. He looked after me very often.
And the afternoon of the 26th belongs just to the two of us.
But we have to prepare a lot for the evening.
I invited some fellow students.
You could invite somebody, too. Beck maybe.
And you skin real corpses there?
Yes, we flay them and take a close look at the muscles.
Everybody in the course has to do a different part of the body.
I had the penis last time.
That must have been interesting.
I want to work at the public attorney's office.
My god, what a dreary bunch.
Friends of Gisela.
Let's go in here.
Is this Gisela's room?
No, it's Barbara's.
Her flat mate.
She is not here over Christmas.
Are you perverse?
Why?
Because you're digging in the underwear of an extraneous woman.
Barbara's not extraneous. She's living here.
That changes everything, of course.
Can we go somewhere else?
We have guests.
Gisela's guests.
Two more, please.
And two beers.
Excuse me for a moment.
Do you remember that girl?
Which girl?
She was head girl in my school.
Blonde, lived outside the city in a farmer's house.
Her stepfather was a sculptor or something like that.
What was her name?
I think it was Britta.
Britta, sure. Vanished someday. Have you heard anything from her?
No, that's why I'm asking.
The last thing I heard from her was that she moved to Berlin.
But that's a long time ago.
She was a pretty girl.
Do you see him over there?
He's coming here every Christmas and gets drunk.
Just because he had a nice evening here with his first girlfriend 15 years ago.
This pub is full of people like him.
But he mixes something up.
It's not about the girl.
About what then?
God
What?
When he was sitting there with his girl on Christmas, he had his divine moment.
There are moments like that.
Not many, but there are some. Everything was perfect.
But it was all about him. The girl was just with him.
And he mixes that up since that time.
Tragic. That's the way men are.
It's always about them.
Where did we stop?
Cheers
I heard you coming.
Damn.
What are you doing with that slip?
Which slip?
There was one of Barbara's slips lying on your penis.
What are you talking about?
Sorry, I have to go to the toilet first.
Thanks
Good morning, Barbara
Already back?
One day of Christmas is enough for me.
I can't bear it. The gifts, the cookies, the glaring children's eyes. I hate it.
I go downstairs.
Do you have something to wash?
Yes, one moment.
Why did you do that?
I was drunk.
Are you still working at the theater?
Yes
And, how is it?
OK
Gisela and me got soon along with each other again.
But we rarely made love anymore.
Sometime my mother called...
...and told me that I should visit her with my nice girlfriend.
I never told Gisela anything about it.
I began to ambush Barbara.
Barbara!
Do you want to drink a cup of coffee with me?
I like what you're doing.
How can you know that?
I imagine...
That's bullshit!
big bullshit!
Why you're doing it then?
I'm asking that myself often, too.
What's so bad about it?
Everything! The stress, the lies.
Sounds interesting!
Not if you're stuck in it.
For whom is the whiskey? It's for me, thanks.
I want to sleep with you.
Now?
No, I thought next weekend when Gisela's not at home.
I have time on Saturday afternoon.
OK then
The check, please.
Yes?
Hi!
What's the matter?
Yes, what about it now?
About fucking. You said you had the time.
Now?
Yes
OK.
When Gisela wasn't at home I went to Barbara and we fucked.
I wouldn't say it was fun.
It wasn't lovely.
But I didn't care, and she didn't care, too.
That was what I liked about.
Now I knew the difference between making love and fuck.
Fucking was like a boxing match out of control.
It's bloody, it's disgusting, it should be canceled.
But it's lustful
and completely meaningless.
"This is German Television with the news"
Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen.
The voters have reelected the administration of Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl
"After four difficult years...
the conservative-liberal administration has been reelected..."
Hello!
Helmut, are you there?
Helmut?
Have you seen Hel...
Why have you done that?
We have to split up.
If you think so.
Is that all you've got to say?
I don't know what else to say.
Maybe you want to explain something...
Explain what?
How it happened maybe.
It just happened.
Do you love her? No.
How about me?
I don't know.
Nothing else?
That's all?
You cannot stay here any more.
I found myself a tiny apartment.
I hung around and watched TV all the day for a whole year.
"The whole day citizens of the GDR
came hoping to be let in. Some tried to force their departure to the
Federal Republic by coming through the Hannover Street. Unsuccessful waiting."
"It's temporarily closed.
Please inform yourself about it in the media. I can't tell you anything."
"The government of the GDR announced that it is still wishing permanent contact"
Don't you have a smaller note?
No, sorry.
Sorry, I can't change that.
You could give it to me as a tip.
Do I have to stand here until the parking fee is as high enough
for my 500 marks or can we have a coffee somewhere?
Just keep still, do nothing, that's the best...
and you meet the most incredible women.
What's your occupation? I'm a sports reporter.
Really? Yes! My name is Gloria!
Tell me something about you? What? Everything!
Britta would be impressed if she knew that I was together with such a woman.
Hello!
Helmut? Something terrible happened!
What?
How was your uncle? He was an asshole.
a bad-smelling, intrusive, self-righteous, tyrannic asshole
But at least your uncle.
My granduncle - however, an asshole
Did you ever say to him?
Of course not.
What a pity!
So, you're the girlfriend of our son?
What is your occupation?
I'm a sports reporter.
Oh?
Excuse me! A cognac, please!
Are you serious?
I won't survive the funeral without a cognac.
But it's not even noon yet.
So what?
A double cognac, please.
You aren't serious about that!
About what?
What does this woman think? How can she appear at a funeral dressed like this?
Uncle Bertram would have liked it. He was a horny old bastard.
Don't talk about your uncle like this! Not at his funeral!
Don't talk about my girlfriend like this!
Kid, sometimes I wonder...
what I really want!
You've changed, kid.
I cannot recognize you at all now.
Excuse me, is this the job interview of professor Mutter?
Yes
What is history?
Describing how it happened in reality.
That's historiography! At least according to Leopold von Ranke
whom you obviously learned by heart.
Now to you in the short skirt.
Do you have an answer?
History is...
...the facts.
That's nonsense, even grammatically.
Your turn.
History is...
...the presentation...
...no, the process
of the things that were.
Are you serious?
What do you have to say about that?
Nothing.
Why?
I can't describe in one sentence what others can't in a whole book.
Apart from that I think theoretical discussions are... exhausting.
You've got the job! The others are dismissed.
Fascist!
The 80s ran out slowly.
In autumn I had the feeling that nothing is going to change ever.
Nothing of importance would ever happen. Forever.
What was the matter with you today?
What do you mean?
You barely said anything today.
I'm tired. I had a lot of work at the university this week.
Aha
Yes, AHA!
Stop the video tape.
But then my old friend Mücke called from Berlin and said
"They've opened the border!"
What? Then he said
"I have seen Britta"
"I've seen here on a party last night."
"The Brandenburg Gate this evening. As a symbol of the partition of Berlin...
Something unpleasant?
No, why?
You've become pale.
They've opened the Wall.
I've just seen it.
"The GDR has announced that its borders are opened to everybody from now on."
"The gates of the Wall are open."
Do you want some melon?
Yes, please.
Helmut!
Old pal!
I don't believe it! Come in! What are you doing here?
Tell me something about her tits!
What shall I say? She has tits.
But how are they? Are they hanging around her knees?
Well, she's 41- that question is important.
Here you are! Thanks.
Please! Two döners, please!
With sauce? Yes, and spicy please.
Not so spicy for me, please!
Are you gay or what?
Both spicy, please. And to celebrate this day on plates, please.
OK. Wait a minute.
Tell me, why did you move to Berlin?
The army! I don't want to do the service.
What about you?
I'm deferred.
And after that?
I don't know yet.
I thought you would refuse and do an alternative service.
Why?
You took this peace activist rubbish so serious.
Well, I thought you were crazy about running around with a gun.
That deceives.
However, firing some shots and things like that would have been cool.
But being pushed around all the time - No
Why didn't you do an alternative service then?
Cleaning old men's asses is not the thing I want to do.
Thank you.
How about now?
What are you doing?
I'm working as a car dealer. No, not what you're thinking about now.
Completely respectable, with a suit and a tie.
You said you've seen Britta?
It was clear that you are very interested in that.
It's not as bad as you think.
Do you have her number?
No. We just talked shortly.
But it shouldn't be difficult to find her.
With all the millions of people in the city?
I know the club where she's going tonight.
Well, probably...
Hello, Helmut.
Hello, Britta.
Are you here alone?
No, with Mücke.
Is Mücke here too? Yes.
But I have lost him somehow.
Can we go outside?
Yes.
Was that your boyfriend?
He's an asshole.
What have you done during all the years?
I went to bed early.
I've got a job at the university.
At the chair of professor Mutter.
How about you? What are you doing?
I'm in Berlin.
Do you have a job?
Sure.
And what kind of a job?
Why do you want to know all that?
I'd just like to know.
Do you know where I could sleep tonight?
Mücke is gone and I don't know anybody here.
Get in.
I'll open the wine.
Is this your apartment?
Anything wrong?
Nothing. I just wondered...
You mean, it's no farmer's house.
Yes, something like that.
I'm fed up with farmer's houses.
I don't want to see one ever again.
Cheers! Welcome to Berlin.
There are a lot of things going on here, aren't they?
Mücke has changed a lot.
I don't have any contact to our former school mates.
What about you?
I'm tired.
Let's talk tomorrow, OK?
OK.
Do you still have that ring?
Which ring?
I gave you it to you once as a Christmas gift.
Really?
Why have never you gotten in touch with me?
Happened anything later?
No. But I know where she's going today.
Wow, Helmut, It still bothers you a lot.
No, not really.
Come on, don't lie to me. She was the love of your life.
And she was your first. You'll never forget that.
Where do you know that from?
She told me.
I used to date her at that time, too.
What do you mean?
You didn't know I had sex with her, too?
What?
Do you really think she loved you?
Damn it! I though you know it.
No.
I returned home very fast and tried to forget Britta.
Then came the 90s.
And Britta vanished.
In the next 4 or 5 years I hardly had any dates.
A few times sex, of course.
And two or three times I thought there could be more.
But sometime I was tired of repeating the same shit every time.
pretending that I'm interested, asking more or less intelligent questions,
listening to her, be charming, but not too pushing
and a few days later the joking comment about the untidiness of my apartment.
That couldn't be the right thing.
I had tinkered enough.
I wanted someone who was standing on her own feet.
Somebody who asks more and isn't impressed too easy.
And then I found her.
Where were you on Nov. 9th, 1989?
I was there, in Berlin
On the Wall near the Brandenburg Gate.
Oh, go away with that rubbish.
Tina was the first woman I could image to be with for a long time.
After two years we shared an apartment.
Shortly after that we started talking about having children.
Who did she make pregnant this time?
Another guy.
Dieter, who was with us in the cinema recently.
That idiot?
Yes.
I warned her.
He's just an asshole, a dazzler.
I've seen cows that shat more artistically than he's painting.
It's so obvious.
But she said that, too, didn't she?
Yes, but she didn't care.
How can she be so careless?
She isn't even together with him.
What can I say, she wants a child so badly.
What do you think about children?
I know that they exist, and I know what I have to do to get some.
Can you imagine having some one day?
If it's with you, yes.
That's probably very surprising to you.
Yes.
Your mother has met somebody.
Your father accepts that it doesn't make sense anymore.
Your father will stay here, your mother will move away.
Was that a bad joke?
When?
Tomorrow.
It never had come to my mind that there were humans behind the terms
"father" and "mother". Humans with their own lives and their own desires.
But suddenly everything that has been the same all time became different.
I was scared.
Everything had become so serious.
Hello.
Can you imagine? I just rescued a hedgehog.
He was sitting on the middle of the street and was covering itself.
I avoided running it over in the last moment. It must have been really scared.
I was certainly not the first one almost running over him.
I stopped.
Took off the jacket
Walked to it, picked it carefully up
and brought it to the next lawn
at the central cemetery.
I was a child when I saw a hedgehog the last time.
What's the matter with you?
My parents get divorced.
What? Yes!
You have to make the decision if our relationship is permanent finally.
I want the child. Either you want it too, or I'll drop you.
Are you serious?
Yes.
I loved my girlfriend.
I wanted nobody else and I knew there was no reason to run away.
I even wanted a baby.
So why did I run away?
I didn't know.
But I abruptly realized one thing.
There was one thing I still had to do.
Immediately.
Hello
Hello Britta
Helmut? We haven't seen each other for a long time.
Can we meet each other?
How about tomorrow?
At 9 o'clock in the pub "Letzte Instanz"
I'm sorry, but the garden is closed.
If you want to come in.
What can I bring you to drink?
I'd like to have 8 glasses of beer.
All of them now?
If that's possible.
Here you are.
8 glasses of beer. Thanks!
"This is the the answering machine of Britta Prinz..."
Thank you.
You haven't changed a bit.
I already ordered something for us.
I am sorry to be late.
But I didn't have your cell phone number. I would have called otherwise.
I forget my cell phone at home anyway.
It's a pity. But sometimes it's nice being undisturbed the whole day.
In the past it did go without, too.
A dry white wine, please.
Tell me, what you are doing now?
Are you married?
Do you have children?
Me? No.
But you have a girlfriend, right?
No... well, yes...
I am not really sure about that.
Sounds complicated.
It is.
What's the problem?
Don't you love her anymore? No, no.
That's not the question.
I think, I'm the problem.
Why?
I've been an asshole.
So she doesn't love you anymore?
Do you think so?
Well, I don't know how she's like. But an asshole is nobody's favorite.
Do I know her?
No, I don't think so. Tina Kallmann?
She is a self-employed tax advisor.
That doesn't sound very exciting, I know.
But actually...
actually she is...
exciting.
Yes.
Sometimes she looks down,
as if she would like to say
"I know exactly how you feel."
"I've lost my way somewhere there, too."
When somebody is talking nonsense, she doesn't frown. She tops it.
She has a very beautiful smile.
Not very striking, but...
honest. With no disguise.
That's the point - without disguise. And I blew it.
What did you get into mischief?
I stood up, walked away and came here.
I was thinking I have to see you once more.
And then you came in.
And I saw you.
Somehow you're just a human.
Excuse me.
It was nice to meet you again.
Do you invite me?
Tina?
Tina, I had to tell you the whole story.
There was this one moment when everything was clear.
There were no doubts and nobody else in my head than you.
I know I treated you wrong.
But I want this one chance.
I know this one thing for sure.
I love you, Tina.
You're so silly, Helmut.
The End