H. Adler - The Wall

“What’s his name, then?”

“Arthur Landau, if I may, my husband!”

The leader stepped closer to me and shoved me nearly as far as the street in order to get a better look at me in the light.

“Is she telling the truth?”

“The name is right, I can’t argue with that.”

“There, see?” Johanna interrupted. “I already told you so!”

“Yeah, if that’s the case,” Brian said, “then you have to get in the coffin. We have to catch a train.”

“There, you see,” Johanna said triumphantly. “And you didn’t believe me.”

“Keep still and worry about your own affairs. I’ll settle this alone with the gentlemen.”

Johanna made a pleading gesture toward the men, which remained a puzzle to me, and then retreated into the room, still shaken and giving me a contemptuous look, but also clearly saddened.

“You can see that there’s something wrong here. I’m tired and somewhat sleepy, because I’ve worked too much. You know what that’s like, right? But dead, just take a look at me. I’m really not dead. Don’t you agree?”

Derek poked Brian in the side again. It was clear that he wanted to prod him to make a quick exit in order to avoid embarrassment, but Brian poked his colleague in return and didn’t stir.

“Whether you’re alive or not, I couldn’t care less—”

“But you don’t disagree, then?” I shot back quickly.

“I couldn’t give a damn. But it’s right here in black ink. At eleven you’re supposed to burn. And then, I guarantee you, you’ll be dead for sure.”

“But until then … Look … try to be understanding!”

“Until then? Hmm …!”

Again Brian scratched away, as he had done earlier.

“Look, could you please not scratch while in my house? I think you should wake up your driver outside and disappear. Otherwise, I’ll chase you off.”

“Mister, I’m a civil servant, don’t insult me!” He said it angrily and sadly at the same time. “You won’t, I tell you, improve your situation that way. Just think about this!” Brian said as he waved his fist. “You certainly won’t have a chance against that.”

“What a joke,” I wanted to reply, but I didn’t, for both men looked so ready to have at me while blocking my way as I tried to slip between them and into the street that I thought it smarter to keep quiet for a while and wait for a moment that would be better. Meanwhile, the leader grabbed me by the shirt and tie and threatened me.

“Look, I just want to whisper something to you. If you want things to go well, then I’m advising you to just get in the coffin on your own. We’ll just put the cover on loose and not nail it shut. That way, you’ll have the chance to tell your story to the director of the crematorium yourself. Maybe he’ll let you go. I’m only making this one exception for you, and because you want to live. But, once you lie down in the coffin, you’ll see how all your desire to live will disappear.”

I didn’t agree with this suggestion, but by now I was well versed enough not to openly resist the man.

“I don’t want to give you any trouble, but I’d like to make a different recommendation. Put the coffin in the hearse and let me remain outside. I give you my word that I will walk there on foot in order to straighten everything out.” Quickly I added, in order to come to an immediate understanding, “How’s that sound, gentlemen?”

Whether it was this last comment, by which I put myself on the same level as the pallbearers, or because of caution in the face of a situation never encountered before, the leader seemed willing to consider the suggestion and was no longer keenly focused on my ruin.

“Well, yes. But, as you have to understand, that can’t happen. Orders are orders, but we’re the ones who have to handle the situation. As for the coffin, that seems fine, if you don’t want to ride along. We can tell Jock, and he can drive ahead with the empty coffin. But you’ll have to get a move on, and we’ll all go together.”

That I wanted to avoid. I didn’t want any escort on the way to the crematorium, for I wanted to speak privately with the director.

“Couldn’t you just go in the car and say that I’m coming? I’ll be right along.”

“No chance. Man, do you have any idea what I’d be risking if I let you walk? So it’s either into the box and off with you or to walk there, but only with us along!”

I had to agree, and breathed a sigh as the men shouldered the empty coffin, carried it out to the street, and stowed it in the glassed-in rear compartment of the hearse. I looked on and was amazed at how knowledgeably Brian and Derek went about their business. To my surprise, since I didn’t know where they had got the stuff, they neatly arranged sprigs of flowers on the coffin lid and made every effort to make certain that everything looked just like a regular funeral. These bright decorations of gladiolas and tulips, mixed in with the deep, dark green of palm leaves, made me feel sure that someone really did want me dead, there being nothing wanting but my assent. I almost regretted missing out on such a dignified opportunity, for it would be merciful to suddenly counter my decision and quietly say, “Look, I’ve thought about it, and I’d like indeed to give the coffin a try.” There was nothing left but to ready myself for the final passage, it only being a comfort that no one on the street will know how dead I am, for no one thinks of a pedestrian as being dead.

The men had finished decorating and looked over their work once more from all sides before carefully closing the back of the hearse. Unfortunately, their work sparked the interest of the neighborhood. From the nearby houses, grown-ups and children appeared who looked on and observed and whispered among themselves. From the large apartment building across the street, people looked out their windows, the two women and their cats among them, everyone looking on with interest, though without concern, at the fatality. Such detached interest was horrible to me; I drew back almost as far as the front door and would have loved to close it, though of course I couldn’t commit such a breach of trust against the men, nor would they be very pleased by it. Nonetheless, I was curious how everything would unfold. Then I heard the squealing voice of Mrs. Byrdwhistle as she wished her neighbor Mrs. Stonewood good morning.

“Looks to me as if the stranger is a goner.”

“He should have pulled through.”

“It all happens so fast. I say it’s a shame, a crying shame!”

“Yesterday I saw him still horsing around with his kids. You know, the stranger — he’s just like a child.”

“Yes, yes, just like a child. Indeed, he loved to play with them, always horsing around with the kids.”

“He’s all played out.”

“Yes, played out.”

“Yes. You know, Mrs. Stonewood, if he had stayed back there where he came from maybe he’d still be alive today.”

“Perhaps, that could be. You think then that if …”

I didn’t listen any longer to what Mrs. Stonewood said in reply. The men were done with their work, and Brian turned to the driver, who was still snoozing, and thumped him hard.

“Hey, Jock! Are you awake? Let’s go!”

Jock rubbed his eyes, looked confused, and shook his head several times.

“Okay, then. Everything go all right?”

“You’ll see soon enough. Get going and tell them that we’ll be coming along later with the body.”

Jock opened his mouth to say something more, but the leader lifted his hand and gave him the signal to drive off. Then the ignition turned, the gear shifted quietly, and the car began moving and was soon gone. The pallbearers stomped back into the house and laughed, saying they had done it. Johanna was also there, letting children back into the hallway who had not been able to see what was going on. The bright ringing of voices rose as they bounded around in their uncontained joy over the visitors, who looked around them, they not half so powerful without a coffin.