The Other Side of the Street
Millions of newspaper copies...every day
Hundreds of thousands of notices...every day
Hundreds of thousands of fates
Who gives these any thought between coffee and cigars?
"At the Parisian Bridge this morning, the body of a man was dragged out of the water...
...His skimpy clothing was severely shredded, such that he must have been killed in a struggle...
...Most remarkable is the fact that this old man..."
"...this old man..."
...and a young man in the big city–alone...
"To have wandered the port all morning...and again found no work."
"Let it be, my boy. You can still stay with me in the rowboat...Two by two you'll live better!"
"Head back home untroubled, I'll return to my corner, until the evening."
The thought of the necklace would not let her in peace.
On this day the alms flowed more abundantly. It was a happy day.
Jak, the notorious and feared pawn-broker, was expected in his usual pub this evening.
"The necklace has brought me luck! Come, for this we'll drink one down."
"Now, what's this business about your necklace?"
"Then go on and dance, boy!"
"Get out of here! You'll have the police on our throat!"
"Leave me alone for tonight! Tomorrow, early."
"You!...but if it comes to nothing, then you'll regret it!!"
"It's so nice with you!"
"You're welcome to stay with me."
"So you've got a customer! Where's my cut?"
"And the rest?"
"I'll bring the rest tonight."
"We have no use for wretches that don't pay!"
"You! Where are you planning to go?"
"I won't let you walk the streets any more!"
"Then what will we live on?"
"You remember the old man from the bar yesterday? He has a pearl necklace..."
"...that he needs to sell. Then all three of us would be alright!"
"You know, I know someone who would pay a pretty good price for a thing like that."
"Go fetch it!"
"I only want the chain in order to sell it for us."
"Out with it then! Here with the necklace!"
"The boy is already fetching it."
"The old man won't have it. He threw me out."
"You bitch! I'm not your monkey!"
"Leave me! It's all pointless! Nobody gets out of this muck!"
"...if you had at least brought the necklace!"
"Take the necklace from the old fat-head! It'll get both of you..."
"Money!"
Hunted and chased by the one thought...
The necklace!...
"The necklace!"
"At the Parisian Bridge this morning, the body of a man was dragged out of the water...
...His skimpy clothing was severely shredded, such that he must have been killed in a struggle...
...Most remarkable is the fact that this old man..."
"He held in his tightened fist a pearl necklace...
...which, after further inquiry, was proven to be a worthless knockoff...
...The chief suspect is an unemployed young man, who lived together with the old man...
...and since yesterday has disappeared."
The End