Excerpts from
EX
By Christina Hesselholdt
"Who?", asked Daniel.
"The bloke I just told you about: Johan", Judith replied.
"Good grief", said Daniel.
"Well, itīs a long time ago now".
"I saw a horrible scene the other night. This couple, they must have been halfway through life".
"Like us".
"Yes, like us. They were yelling at each other outside The White Bridge. Thatīs a bar you can miss quite easily. Itīs on the first floor and you get there by crossing the road on a bridge with high metal railings on both sides. I stopped on the pavement and looked up. They were arguing about a beer he thought she should have bought him. She denied owing him anything. And then he suddenly went berserk. He grabbed hold of her jumper and threw her against the railings so she was facing me. Then he wound the jumper round her neck from behind so her breasts were squeezed against the bars.
An empty beer bottle dropped on to the pavement and smashed, just a couple of feet from where I was standing".
"I know The White Bridge all right: there are steps leading up to the footbridge form each side of the road. The treads have been worn right down by people walking on them. What did you do?", asked Judith.
"I got away, just like everyone else".
"Iīd probably have done the same thing. But I like seeing things fall; like when a hand drops a key or lets a watch fall on to the bedside table last thing at night. I donīt mean just any hand, but a hand Iīve been waiting for".
"You might make things easier for yourself if you didnt think it was love every time", said Daniel.
"I donīt think anything lasts for ever".
"Nor does it. But youīve got to learn to adapt."
"Yes, but take Johan. He had such a beautiful voice. There wasnīt really room for anything else. But anyway, I must tell you about August".
"Iīve been expecting that".
Translated by Malene S. M. Tingley
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