Arnon Grunberg - Tirza

They looked at him, inquiring, as if they wanted to know whether he is a joke.

'My feet are a jewelry, I am told,' said the wife after a short pause. They laughed friendly. She did her best, as far as was clear. But he also. That was there become of them: two people who did their best. Who knows they were always been that.

'Have you viewed them? I have my jewelry well maintained.'

She went a bit on his seat and stretched her feet along the table. The nails were pink dyed. The tip of the toes Hofmeesters reached upper leg.

He anxiety.

With the dry piece of bread in his hand and threw a glance at the bare feet and the naked lower legs of the spouse. The toes that his pants touch anything. When he crossed the dry piece of bread in his mouth and began to chew.

'You have nothing to say, after all these years?'

"Something To Say?'

"Something an intriguing sight. Do you like me to see again?'

'On your feet do you mean? Something an intriguing sight?' The bread was very dry, but he had no meaning to stand and the side to be toasted.

'You know how important certain things for me. You would have something to say hartelijks, after all that time. You will still feel.' She moved her toes a few times and ship's steward threw another view on her feet.

Cordiality, that was so there you expected when you wife again after three years on the pavement.

'Your feet are unchanged,' he said.

'Is that all?'

'I think so.'

'They are a jewelry, Jörgen. My feet. Many have looked at them. It is often said to me.'

When she made her legs back under the table.

Ship's steward stared at the flowers. It was an expensive forest. Perhaps thirty euro. Of those who had received Tirza who? She did not have a name. They rarely mentioned names of boys. At the table they spoke about everyday things. The news, the food, the weather, her friends, the school exams, a single time came to her trip around the world. But political calls avoided them. About Africa were different they believe.

'I think…' started a ship's steward. Because he did not know what he thought, he took a break and at that time he heard the stairs and get rid Tirza he decided that it was no longer necessary to make its meaning. That was the Tirza an intriguing sight and hartelijks something to say, if there if necessary hartelijks something had to be said, what was doubtful, but if it should, if necessary, than it was on her to do it.

'Gadverdamme, what stinks the Tirza here,' shouted. She wore a white bloesje, she was dressed. Otherwise they are not verkleedde for the food. Unless there was visiting. And if there was visiting over the past years, than was the Tirza's visit. Only the worker came from Ghana for ship's steward, but they could visit in the strict sense of the word are not mentioned.

The daughter Went and sat. Ship's steward took his glass and said: 'Let we drink, Tirza, on the unexpected visit of your mother. Let us make drinks that all of us here, almost all together again, sit as a… well, if a family. And that we are healthy.'

The daughter had its glass already raised, but put it down and said: 'Daarop drinking i not. And here it stinks, Papa you can smell that not? She has just sit Paffen. There must be no smoking.' Tirza Also could, if they wanted to speak, as a teacher. Its Dean had once said: 'They is a born leader, they shall take the initiative. They will always comes first and then drag the others.'

There was a silence. Ship's steward arm of the nerves still a piece of dry bread in his mouth.

'We drink…' started a ship's steward.

'No,' said Tirza. 'I do here not participate. To this rubbish.'

They prakte with its fork hard safe in the oven dish of her father.

'Well,' said ship's steward, 'on the life than. On your list of marks, ok, Tirza? On your final exam. On your future. On you.' before someone could make further objections, nam ship's steward quick the first sip. The wine was not cold enough but it went just. On such a night as this was much.

Hofmeesters casseroles were better in the past have been successful but as long as there was eaten everything went well. It was under control, the evening, the company, the family.

After a few snack persuaded the wife the sunglass of her head and she asked: 'And Tirza, how are you? I told you that I you father personable found.'

Tirza peuterde a trickle comes out of its cheese knife. There was also cheese through, it was a recipe from a French cookbook. Tirza said: 'as if you so half-heartedly that what care.'

'Yes, that can me cares,' said the wife. 'Dat cannot even very much care. I have often thought to you. You are really personable.'

'?'

'Even more exciting. Than you already was. You were always personable, but you are now really, how will I have to say in full bloom.'

And Tirza replied: 'O, funny.' She at with long teeth. If a child at them. Ostentatious reluctantly. She played with the food.

'Funny?' asked the wife. 'What is funny?'

'Funny that you remember that I had also previously was personable. Funny that you can care less what the with me. I have noticed that the last few years. Say: Nothing.'

After this little incident at men silently. But the nervousness had taken possession of a ship's steward, even more than just now, when he had stood in the vestibule and to the case of his wife had a look. That is why he is still only a couple stuffed his willie pieces of dry bread in his mouth. He worked for the complete contents of the bread basket. It had to be. Discarded was sin.

When her board was practically empty, asked the wife: 'What is this for wine?'

'South African,' said ship's steward. 'Tirza and I have discovered the South African wine.'

'Discovered?' She snickered. 'What do you mean, discovered? What have you discovered exactly?'

'On Saturday afternoon organizes the liquor store just around the corner tastings. This will continue and i ve been Tirza. Not, Tirza?'

The mother of Tirza studied the label and said: 'Oh, you are just two turtledubs. On Saturday afternoon together to the wine tasting. What romantic. Who would have thought? You again as well with each other might find?'

'Papa,' said Tirza.

But the father did or he had heard nothing. He said: 'Tirza is particularly interested in South Africa, in the whole region there. Tirza is really interested in the whole of Africa. I say it so well? In the whole of Africa? Tirza would prefer by public transport from the southernmost tip of South Africa to Morocco, but that I have prohibited. Of course there is also little public transport. Public transport in Cameroon, what we must also contain proposals? The death. I have read that they are not even hearses, that they are simply the dead in the bus need to be taken to the cemetery. Under the arm.'

He laughed. The idea that you dead family members under your arm in the bus to the cemetery had to take, death a lot less threatening. If you but it did as if there are not as many on the basis there was also not so much on the basis. He got a shovel against his leg. That was for him the character to the crumbs from the bread basket to collect and to stop his mouth. Food was mercy.

'Dus you want with the public transport by Africa?' The mother of Tirza did her best, but it did not. She had the best of intentions, always had, but she was fully occupied by itself.

Tirza did not reply. They miniseries again against the leg of her father. Perhaps that was also a reply.

'I have said to her,' said ship's steward, 'dat public transport in Africa…' is a shovel.

'Tirza,' said ship's steward when his mouth was empty, 'Here I can do anything about it. Here I can happen to really do anything about it. For the change.'

Tirza shook her head only. They continued to shake of the head, if a toddler who actually should be sleeping and that of the fatigue has become dreinerig.