Page 80 - November 2020

80
Litterateur
November 2020

Emilia

Emilia You've no idea how your affectionate words warm my heart.
Grossmann I'm glad you are beginning to be sensible about the
misunderstanding you caused.
Emilia That's marvellous! The misunderstanding I caused?
Grossmann Of course. What's so surprising about that?
Emilia I can't believe my own ears. You couldn't possibly say that - ever. You
just couldn't say such words. I mean, the idea wouldn't even occur to you.
Grossmann You're right. Until now I could never have said anything like that, or
even secretly thought it, because it's a fact that until this moment you have never
caused a misunderstanding. Never mind, it's never too late to start.
Emilia That's the kind of objective view you should take of your school
graduation suit - and of course your funeral, too.

Grossmann Since when has my funeral got anything to do with my school
graduation?
Emilia Don't change the subject. It's not so much the funeral itself, as your
view - your objective view of it.
Grossmann Then don't worry your head about my view. I can see things only too
clearly and in focus. It would be more to the point to test your eyes, if you can't see
this old suit has long been no use for anything, to say nothing of an occasion such
as a funeral and my funeral in retirement in particular.
Emilia At your funeral what will be important is not so much that you were
retired as what you were before your retirement.
Grossmann You needn't try so hard. I understand you very well. I know what you
want to hint at, or rather, say. Yes, I'm no longer what I've been up to now. Either in
society or in the family. And if you want me to spell it out: either in the bank or in
the bedroom. But that still doesn't mean you have to punish me by disgracing me

entirely - shamelessly getting your revenge at my very funeral. In public, in the eyes
of my friends and colleagues.
Emilia Strange, how suspicious you suddenly are. You never used to be
like that. You were overflowing with confidence and now you don't trust me. You
assume I have dishonest intentions. You give your friends and colleagues as an
excuse, while they'll probably never even live to see your funeral. Just think of
them, with all their complaints and ailments.
Grossmann Strange, how you're burying everyone all of a sudden. You never
used to be like that. You were overflowing with joie de vivre and now you talk of
nothing but death. You don't even given anyone else as a excuse.
Emilia You're wrong there! I'm not talking about death. I'm talking about
life, which will go on even after the death of your friends and colleagues.