Huge meal [1]
By Helga Novak [2]
Translated by xia23 [3]
I am seldom in this town. I am here by chance.
I have a female friend in this town. We are very close. We write to each other extensively and intimately.
I’m here by chance. I don’t want to meet my female friend. I only stay here for a day. I don’t have time. If I meet her, I have to devote myself to her. She takes full possession of me. She says, what do YOU do here, or what do you DO then here, or what do you do then HERE. I say, absolutely nothing. She pulls me. She drags me along. She says, you do not call me. I say, I just want it now. She says, then it is terrific, that we meet each other. I say, ya. I ask, aren’t you on your way to your work? She says, absolutely not, I have a day off for doing housework. I say, you have so many things to wash. She says, I don’t think of that to wash, since you are already here. I say, is here a movie theater near here? She says, a movie theater. Go to a Café shop first.
She takes my arm. She says, when do you arrive here. I say, yesterday evening. She says, that is then impossible. And where have you slept? I say, in a hotel. She says, but, but. We take your luggage immediately and bring it to my place. I say, that is not worth the trouble, I leave in the afternoon. She says, you leave in the afternoon, you can’t do that to me. I say, I’m not evil, I have no time. She says, what is your plan. I say, nothing special. She says, by the way what does the relationship turn out. I say, what relationship. She says, the relationship in your letter next to the last. I say, in my letter next to the last. She says, his name is Roland or Ronald. You already know what I mean. I say, oh that. She says, why is that. You have written pages long about him and that would be at your wits’ end. I say, he is out. She says, an easy way out. That is fantastic. I say, ya. Is here no movie theater?
We go to Kaiserallee street. We sit in a coffee shop and smoke. She says, why do you have only your movie. We haven’t had a real talk with each other. I say, none. She says, have you had already breakfast? I say, no. She says, I get some food for us to eat. I say, I’m not hungry. She says, but you have to have a huge meal, would you like to have an open sandwich or cake? I say, nothing.
She goes to the counter. She takes two trays. She talks with a waiter. I leave the coffee shop through the exit to the Königstraße street.
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[1]. Kräftig essen. P. 63. Der Weg zum Lesen. Harcourt Brace College Publishers, Fort Worth…Tokyo. 1985
[2]. Helga Novak
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helga_M._Novak
https://literaturfestival.com/en/authors/helga-m-novak/
[3]. Note: The author's writing style is rarely seen. I almost have to translate the story liturally. The author's sentences and the story are extremely short, exactly as described as "a laconic, tender and bitter picture of love" [2].
