Sly after breakfast I leave my apartment, carrying t I ested; t ion reports, eac urn sideo to stay rig least c imitate t I ment. Im supposed to meet  ten. At Ebert Platz I take train to ein, ed, not far from tation. Ill meet s. ell c for about ters of an  ty minutes about test s of time about electric trains. tine for years, but I still get a little nervous every time. It goes back to my particular conceit, ely during tions t at ed t from my mot its not  tire lifetime. I used to struggle against ts of t, but not anymore. Naturally I o make a special effort ice my conceit at all.  Im an electric train  just like  to tec  early trix and Fleiscs.  realize t Im just draore of knoer time. Its also possible t ell me one of edious stories, o ory sympatook nearly ten minutes to tell me about tion. On trip from Italy to Germany   to run out of gas. But t back  incident. t ory. I sat still in front of en minutes and laug urned out t entails a nearly continuous collision of y and disgust. trengty admoniss precisely t idiotic stories of your fello you sen to! At time,  taunts me: If you dont escape rigs infuriating is t tant colliding never alloo  go on running tell myself t Im prepared for anyt aside t me. I observe t Frau Fiscs to be in ts out te and goes in sly after I do.

    ting at ands up.

    Aer tester! .

    My conceit triggers a  of a smile. I  gray carpet. t ligures. t in gently dimmed lig; Frau Fisc, in front of  I catc of a ain on t of . I stare at ares at me.

    Unfortunately someone took a s at me, says habedank.

    ho? I ask.

    A fired tester.

    Oh, I say.

    herr habedank, herr habedank, says Frau Fischedick.

    o his swivel armchair.

    Dont believe a word he says! says Frau Fischedick.

    ural death, says herr Oppau.

    Savoring t last remark, I sit doors cions on able.

    A felt-tip pen o leak in my s pocket, says habedank.

    I dont knoo say to t. ions. I reaco my bags and take out a pair of itcip brogues as  lengto be t of test batcen to my report. I let myself believe t its a pleasure alk about ss no accident t I talk about sensions of my o ed to tly escapes by  and t value on s my s t me, but all I do is t t. My commentary on trike me as poorly cut, is s. Its aloo narrooo stiff, titc t.  I  my efforts are meaningful and important. I dont knoions (a surrogate for ter I finisary,  a cion, t ell by tters to can only be a matter of seconds before o join alk about electric trains from the 1950s.

    Unfortunately to economize, ead.

    I dont knoo say to t, and  for  sentence.

    I mean is, says  in ture Ill only be able to pay you fifty marks per , in other words for every pair of shoes.

    t seems ratic, I say.

    tuation has changed.

    So suddenly?

    Yes, says ty poition. t is doing very  on.

    Aha, I say.

    to make up for t, youll be alloo keep test, says habedank.

    No. Suddenly it daed to ed to see ake tion. But to see. I only o tell me I mig tly till values my future  a quarter of t. But o do o eithem away.

    Im sorry, says ion  my decision, Im just supposed to tell you.

    I nod. trut really surprised. tuation t o my sense of living  inner aution. Ive experienced tly. I dont even o repeat ten t follo to see if o join eria. But today tation—evidently because uation.  on op. t o tand up and say to ions in about three weeks.

    A minute later Im ing for train t ake me  a frencand. ttaco eps arying to peck open a plastic bag full of garbage. Using  s  eeto open tic bag, immediately sending orange peels, yogurt cartons and pizza boxes flying around train platform. ting, but it gives expression to my os on botare at tras t. A motroller appears at t of tairs leading up to train platform. ttle teeteet stand just a ferain comes roller s for me to open to t knoeet rubber. I see it as a sign of ly some forms of opposition occasionally dissolve of t could mean t Im getting closer to tion. I retract my finding and come to a ne dare alert to tential frig tens ion like t  I cant find t o elegantly combine jest and  time conceal my oy. Just last nigly before falling asleep, I knerain tickets left in my ; I no it into ticket validator. une! Presumably Ill o give up tion of er of too mucolerant man like me. Presumably I  be meeting  togetions. At Ebert Platz I get off train ention of quickly vaniso Gutleut Strasse, le younger t  Im doing tices right away.

    You dont o pretend h me, she says.

    Fine, I say.

    You still dont  to tell me o?

    I just lost a job, I say.

    Oh, says Regine.