The Wall

  They spent about an hour talking. Soon Elsa had to go away. Richard then said:

- Wait, could you please do a favor for me. I helped you once, now you should help me.

- I listen.

- I want you to call my friend Herd from Leipzig and inform me about him and his family. Take it, - Richard threw a rock with a phone number written on it by clay. – Please, contact him. I need to know he’s alright.

- Alright, I’ll do it.

- Thanks! See you tomorrow at the same time!

 And they went away. At home Richard looked at his old photos and remembered all his previous birthdays. He also tried to call Herd – no connection. As he was falling asleep a few memories came to him: football match, Richard is a goalkeeper, his team wins, everybody’s happy; a field, lots of kids playing, planes in the sky; ruined houses, lots of soldiers, mom’s trying to take Richard as far from them as possible…

- I’m going on a conference today, so, Richard, you’re the leader now. Sebastian, be good to him, - Herr Schwarz said and added. – Yeah, Richard, if you try to reach the wall again…

- No, Herr, I won’t, I promise, - Richard smiled. Schwarz left them for a few days. Sebastian, it seemed to Richard, became more opened. He told a lot of things about himself. For example, about how he jumped out of the window, trying to escape. Then Sebastian told Richard about how his father and he used to play football. About school routine, about his previous jobs… It seemed he didn’t want to keep silent. Richard only listened, rarely did he say something. Sebastian seemed to be kind-hearted, cheerful, though a bit lost.

- Hey, won’t you tell Schwarz about it? – Once he brought alcohol drinks.

- No, I won’t, - Richard thought he would drink a big. Well, later he would understand he was wrong.

 Elsa and Richard met at the same time, just like the previous day. They were walking left-right along the wall and talking. At one moment two tanks appeared on each side. American tank was on Richard’s side, Soviet one was on Elsa’s. Richard and Elsa glued to the wall being a bit frightened of the soldiers. Soon the machines went away and it got quiet again.

- What a loud noise, - the girl muttered.

- One shot and there’s another big war, - Schmidt sighed.

- I believe in peace, - Elsa said. – What a pity is it when people laugh at people like me.

- I understand, - the man smiled. – Hey, have you called Herd?

- Oh, sure! At first he refused to talk with me, but when I told him about you and Uli, he agreed… Herd is extremely happy. They called him Henrich. They are in Leipzig and Herd also found a new job. So, in one word, everything’s alright. Herd wanted me to congratulate you with your birthday.

- Oh, that’s great! Thanks to him! Please, call him as often as you can.

 They talked a lot. They changed topics very quickly.

- So, what are you going to do?

- I’ve found a new job. Though, here my boss is way stricter.

- How do you think, when would this wall be ruined?

- I can’t guess… I don’t even think about it.

- Sure, let’s think and speak about other things.

 Suddenly there came a boy, Claus. He still had a plaster on his cheek.

- Hi, Richard! – He said happily.

- Hello! Claus, this is Elsa. Elsa, this is Claus, - Richard said. Both nodded to each other.

- I see you’re totally surrounded by kids, - Elsa smiled.

- No, it only seems so. I love kids, anyway, - Schmidt laughed. Claus came closer to Elsa examining her. The girl looked at his plaster saying:

- What is it? Are you wounded?

- No… I mean, yes, - the boy got a bit lost.

- You said no? – Richard surprised.

- I… I don’t want to show it, - the boy couldn’t lie. – Please, don’t look at it.

- Hey, you begin to frighten me, Claus. Show us, - Elsa bent to Claus.

- Promise you won’t tell anybody, - the boy muttered shyly.

- I promise, - Elsa smiled at him.

- Me too, - Richard said. Elsa slowly put the plaster away. There was a black paint on Claus’s cheek. And it was… a swastika. Elsa’s eyes got wide. Richard came closer and was surprised too. And the next moment memories attacked him again. Claus got red and shamefully put the plaster on his cheek saying:

- I don’t know how to wash it away. It washed only a bit.

- Well, - Elsa said thoughtfully, - if it washed a bit it would be washed away one day. I think I need to take you to my cousin, she is a chemist.

- No, you promised not to tell! – Claus exclaimed.

- Claus, that woman will just wash it away, - Richard explained.

- Don’t worry, she always kept all my secrets. So, she won’t tell anybody about your… picture, - Elsa added.

- Well, alright, - Claus slightly smiled. They walked a bit. A few tanks appeared nearby. This time there was less noise. Soon Claus had to go. As Richard and Elsa stayed alone, Schmidt began:

- I like that boy. I don’t like the situation he’s in. If I had a chance I would go to that orphan house and check everything.

- I have such a chance, - Elsa said. – I can go there.

- If you can, wouldn’t you mind? You should even take him away from that orphan house, - Richard told Elsa in the end.

- I’ve thought about the same thing, - Elsa said. Then Richard was at home again. This time it was even harder to fall sleep – memories again. Ruined buildings, smoke, the narrow street full of soldiers laughing at Richard. “Hey, boy, do you love arts?” “Come here, boy!” That paint could be easily washed away. It wasn’t Claus’s situation. However…

 The next day Richard entered their place and found out he wasn’t alone – Sebastian had come earlier. The man was sitting on the sofa drinking a bottle of whiskey. Richard came closer and looked at the man angrily. Sebastian looked at him and began to laugh:

- Are you offended that I’ve started alone?

- No, I just led you drink only one bottle that you brought yesterday. I think it would be enough, - Richard took the bottle.

- Hey, don’t you like t entertain a bit? We’re working all the time… - the man tried to stand up, but fell down instead – he was completely drunk. Well, no, not completely. He stood up from the third time.

- Richard, we need to relax! – He said. Schmidt was going to throw the bottle in the rubbish bin.

- No! – The man jumped at Richard laughing. – Silly boy! It’s not the cheapest one!

- But we need to work! – Richard exclaimed angrily and slightly pushed the man.

- I have too many problems to work, - Sebastian got angry too.

- I think that work is a better cure than alcohol, - Richard said strictly. Sebastian looked at him attentively, he got sad, it seemed to Richard. Suddenly the man went away. Schmidt followed him saying:

- Hey, I can’t complete the work alone. Sebastian!

 The man began to run, Richard ran too, shouting:

- It’s not funny! Stop!

 Soon both appeared near the wall. Sebastian began to climb at it. Richard shouted:

- Sebastian, what are you doing?! They’ll catch you!

 Richard began to climb too. The man was drunk, so Schmidt got on the top faster and caught Sebastian.

- Let me go! I have to go there! – The man shouted.

- It’s too risky! You’re drunk, by the way! – Richard put him on the ground. Sebastian pushed the man and began to heat the wall with his fists.

- Hey, Sebastian? – Richard slowly came closer. The man still was heating the wall saying:

- I shouldn’t have left him! Why am I so stupid?

 He then looked at Richard crying and clutched at his shoulder.

- Sebastian, what’s wrong? – Richard asked worrying.

- My nephew’s there completely alone… I left him alone! Understand? – Sebastian exclaimed. Richard then said:

- Let’s go away from here. You need to cool down. Let’s drink something. Not alcohol, but…

 And then he remembered about Claus. Claus! He was looking for his uncle… What if Sebastian is the right man?

- Let’s go back to our place and you’ll tell me about your nephew…

 Short, blonde, brown-eyed… His name was Claus. Sure, Sebastian was his uncle. The same eve Richard met with Elsa as usual. Elsa looked a bit worried.

- I visited that orphan house… Not bad, indeed. Claus is fine. I took him to my friend today and she washed that paint away. After that I sent my documents to the orphan house. I’ll take him to my home. He needs someone.

- It’s brilliant, but…

- But what?

- I’ve found his uncle. I think it’s him.

- Prove.

- Claus lost his uncle and recently I’ve learnt from my colleague that he jumped out of the window to escape from your side. He left his nephew alone and he feels a great pity because of that. He said his nephew’s name is Claus. He also said that his nephew is a blonde brown-eyed boy. We need to do something.

- So, what are we going to do? We can’t throw Claus out of the window. We can’t reach the wall.

- Rivers, for example, cellars, tunnels… We can make up something new.

- Richard, it’s too dangerous!

 Both a bit kept silent thinking, then Elsa continued:

- Let’s at first show them to each other and then think.

- Maybe, you’re right. How is Herd? Have you called him?

- No, I was busy with Claus. I will call him today, anyway. I hope everything’s good.

- Alright.

 Richard went home after that talk. It was the first time he didn’t try to call Herd – he had Elsa for it now. Schmidt was standing at the balcony and thinking about Uli. What to tell her? How would she react? Anyway, sooner or later the girl would know the truth. So, Richard decided to call his nephew and tell the truth now.

- Hello, Uli, how are you?

- Hi, Richard. It’s so exciting here with your mother! I was riding horses today and Granny also taought me to bake cakes.

- Sounds great…

- How are you? Is everything alright? Your voice seems sad to me.

- I’m alright, Uli. Don’t worry. Uncle Herd and his family are happy together. Everything’s good. But…

- But what? What happened?

- Uli, I have to tell you something.

- What? Please, don’t lie. Tell the truth.

- Your parents are going to divorce.

 Silence.

- Uli?

 Silence again.

- Uli? Where are you?

 Uli ran away, pushed her granny bringing a cake for her, so the cake fell down on the floor. Uli broke her clay figures that were made as a present for her parents. She locked in her room and refused to talk.

- Uli? Uli?!

- Richard! – There came Francesca’s voice.

- Mother, where’s Uli? - Richard continued sighing.

- She ran away… What happened? – The woman explained.

- Uh, she’s offended by her parents’ divorce.

- Divorce? Is Hanes going to divorce with Gertrude? – The woman was no less surprised than her grandchild. – How?

- Yes, he is… - Richard sighed.

 That eve Richard couldn’t fall asleep. All his thoughts were about Uli and Claus… He stood up and left his flat. Richard took his motorbike and began to ride along the city. He spent an hour riding his motorbike, then two, then three… Soon he was back to the wall. Richard still didn’t want to sleep, though felt exhausted. He was walking along the wall while suddenly there appeared Esa. She looked pale and tired, though worried. She was walking along the wall nervously too.

- Hey, what are you doing here? – Richard asked. Elsa noticed him and came closer.

- I just can’t fall asleep.

- Me too.

- Uli?

- Claus?

- Her parents are divorcing, she was shocked by this fact.

- I’m worried about Claus. He’s again there, lonely and bullied…

- You know, I had the same swastika on my face. It was in 1945 when I was five or six… Five years old. I was walking near the Reichstag, watching all the notes that were written at the entrance of it and once I appeared on one narrow street, the soldiers were playing guitar and singing. They noticed me and decided to play a joke on me. They took some paint and drew swastika on my forehead. I didn’t understand what the joke meant, but my parents were shocked to see me with such an art…

- Soldiers played tricks on me too.

- Really?

- Yes… My mother was caught and taken to Germany from the USSR, here she met my father. In 1945 the soldiers were everywhere in Berlin and some of them knew about my mother. They threw rotten fruit and vegetables at her and at me too calling us “racists”. I know what it’s like to be hurt for nothing.

 The next morning Richard found Sebastian lying on the sofa. Well, he looked better than the previous day. Schmidt looked in his eyes. Sebastian pushed the man away muttering:

- Don’t look at me like that…

 Sebastian stood up and looked around.

- Sebastian, we’ll have to go to the wall this eve, - Richard announced.

- What for? You want to catch me one more time? – Sebastian laughed and began to drink the water out of a bottle.

- No, - Richard said. – I guess I’ve found your nephew.

 Sebastian stopped drinking and looked at Richard with surprise.

- I guess it’s him. You can look at him today, - Richard continued. Sebastian pushed the man shouting:

- It’s a bad joke, boy!

- I’m not joking! – Richard exclaimed. – Just look at that boy. He’s a short blonde brown-haired boy, his name is Claus. He lost his uncle and now he lives in an orphan house.

- Are you bored?! – Sebastian pushed Richard stronger.

- I’m not kidding! I tell you the truth! Just look at him!

 Sebastian cooled down a bit, thought and then said:

- If it’s another joke….

- It’s not a joke. I think it’s him, just look at the boy.

- Alright, let’s look at him…

 That eve Richard and Sebastian were waiting for Elsa near the wall. The minutes passed and Sebastian got more and more suspicious about Richard’s words. But when Elsa appeared, Sebastian’s face changed totally. The girl was holding Claus’s hand and smiling happily. Clau, having noticed Sebastian standing behind the wall, ran to the wall shouting:

- Uncle! Uncle! I’ve found you!

 Sebastian ran closer to the wall wanting to hug the boy dearly. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible.

- Claus! I thought I’ve lost you forever! – The man cried. – I’m so sorry!

 Elsa and Richard were standing further from them.

- Please, forgive me I’ve left you, - Sebastian asked.

- I’ve already forgiven you, don’t worry…

 Now Claus was under Elsa’s care. The girl promised Sebastian to look after the boy. The man then promised to wait “until somebody would break the wall”. The same eve Hanes called Richard. Schmidt tried to control his emotions while communicating with his brother and Uli’s father.

- Hello, Richard. How are you? How’s there in Berlin?

- Hello, Hanes. Everything’s alright. Except one thing.

- What do you mean?

- Uli’s deeply upset by your divorce.

- Oh, Richard, I… I wanted to talk about Uli.

- So?

- I wanted to ask you to take Uli to Bonn. You see, we’re divorcing and we can’t press on our child totally. We want Uli to choose with whom to live.

- What?

 Richard was shocked by the things he’s just heard.

- Uli has to choose – either me, or Gertrude.

- Choose?!

- Yes, choose.

- Do you hear what you say? How can she choose between you?

- We have no variants.

- Hanes, there’re always variants.

- Richard, just take Uli back to Bonn. You’re only her uncle and you can’t interfere in the process of divorcing.

 Richard sighed cooling down.

- Maybe, you’re right. I’ll take Uli.

- Thanks, Richard. We’re waiting for our girl. Goodbye!

- Bye…

 That day Uli still was hiding in her room. Well, as the eve got closer it got too difficult for her to stay alone with her thoughts. The girl went out of the room silently, she baked a cake while her granny was sleeping, then found the broken figures and began to remake them. When Francesca woke up, Uli brought a cake in her bedroom.

- I behaved terribly and I destroyed your cake. So, this is for you, - she said. – I’m sorry for what I did.

- Don’t mind, - the woman smiled. – I myself am upset by the fact that Hanes and Gertrude are divorcing.

 They ate the cake and after that Uli got a call from Richard. How glad she was that her uncle would come to Italy soon. Richard met with Elsa before going to Italy – Herd and his family were alright, Claus is happy to live with Elsa. What great news! Five days later Richard was at Francesca’s farm. Only then he told Uli why he came:

- We have to go to Bonn. Your father told me.

 Richard didn’t tell Uli what for they were going to Bonn. Well, the girl herself didn’t ask. She knew that something’s waiting for her. So, she just enjoyed the trip laughing and communicating with Richard. Four days later they were in Bonn. Richard decided to stay there for some special cases. Hanes and Gertrude were waiting for their daughter at the hall. They announced that they were divorcing and that Uli had to choose with whom to live. Uli was shocked to hear that. She was looking at all the papers on the table silently. Then she put a box with her present on it saying:

- I love you both and don’t want to choose. So, I’ll live with my uncle.

 Hanes and Gertrude had nothing to do and sent her back to Berlin. There Uli lived with Richard and found new friends at a new school. Her parents looked at the present only after she went away with Richard. There were three figures made of clay. These were figures of Uli’s family. Hanes and Gertrude were deeply touched by such a surprise from their daughter. In fact this present made them change their made about their divorce.

 The September came. Uli went to school. Richard, Sebastian and Herr Schwarz still were working together. Claus went to school too, while Elsa was looking after him. Uli’s parents soon decided not to divorce and to work on their relationships instead. Herd and his family lived happily in Leipzig… And the wall… It still was building. It would be building the next years too. And all this time Richard, Sebastian, Uli, Claus, Elsa, Herd and others would be detached from each other from it like the whole both Western and Eastern Germany.

- What sense in doing that? – Uli once asked an Eastern German building the wall out of the bricks.

- I’m not interested in the work I’m doing, girl, - the man said angrily. Yes, he hated his job.

- I don’t mean you, I mean this wall.

- Maybe, those who decided to build it are too much proud of their stubbornness, - the man smiled saying that. Uli smiled at him too.

- Anyway, this wall is useless, completely useless. It can’t make us stop speaking to each other, - Uli noticed.

- It’s not enough tall at the moment, - the man said.

- No wall can reach the sky and pierce the ground, - Uli said. – It can’t be put in our minds and hearts.