He led me through the hallway of his flat into a brightly lit living room -- a rarity in Berlin. The windows were completely ajar, opening out into the tranquil inner courtyard of the apartment complex. A soft stream of wind brought in a muted heat from outside and tousled the heavy, opaque curtains languidly.
Besides the plants, decorations, and various esoterica scattered about the shelves and stands in the room, the only object of real gravitas was an enormous cream colored sofa positioned exactly in the center. Two girls lounged on either side, their bare feet mingling in the middle. They wore loose fitting shirts and pants that fluttered and rippled in the tide of the wind. A long stalk from a house plant gently scratched against the wall, the effect was quite soothing. Then there was a boom as Jan slammed the window shut and cranked the handle to close it. The girls both sat up.
The brunette was a stranger to me. She regarded me with a look of mock suspicion that I have come to realize is attraction mixed with curiosity. Her head was canted at a charming angle and she smirked.
The other girl, Lotte, swung her body and in attempt to stand, but the momentum failed her and she collapsed into herself and stayed flat on the sofa, letting out an absurd giggle.
"I'm high with glee... and some weed."
She giggled again at whatever look I unconsciously cast her way then put her hand out for me to hold. "Pull me up, silly," she said after clasping mine. With sudden yank, she was already embracing me in a standing hug. She whispered that the brunette on the couch was called Katerina.
I looked down over Lotte's shoulder to see Katerina watching me, the same expression frozen on her face. She offered a subtle wave using just her fingers. I returned the gesture with an open palm, allowing Lotte's hug to conclude.
Lotte pulled back and grabbed me on either shoulder, beginning to chatter excitedly about her recent trip to Greece. Her voice was a low rasp that carried a loving sweetness. She was clearly lost in the stream of her thoughts and stories, her dark blue eyes filled with an abundance exciting things to tell me. Even when her stories dragged or introduced irrelevant non-sequiturs, men found it difficult not to hang onto each word.
I told her how I had stopped in Budapest on the way to Berlin and everyone there sent their love.
"I knew they'd miss me," she nearly squealed.
"No one knows how to make a Friday night come together anymore."
"Jan, let's go back. You still have so much vacation time."
Jan, who had been thumbing through a collection of vinyl, suddenly put his hand on my shoulder as the first notes of a guitar rang out.
"What are you doing in Berlin, Paul"
"I'm writing code."
"Who for?"
"Retrenter"
"Never heard of them," he went to examine the browned dry leaves of a plant.
I felt defensive.
"You will. At least if you stay in Berlin," I said
"Oh I'm staying in Berlin. Where else is there to be? Barcelona? Psh," he sat down on the couch next to Katerina, and pushed Lotte not so gently away from the sofa for no apparent reason. He began to roll a joint.
"Agreed," Katerina said decisively. Jan lit the joint and smoked nearly half of it in a few short drags before offering it to Katerina. "No thanks," said Katerina, "I have to DJ tonight. I need to stay lucid for my set."
I looked at Katerina, she was short and slim, with dark brown hair and eyes that seemed almost like negative space against her pale skin. Her expression never once changed during this exchange of glances. I suddenly realized I'd seen her somewhere before, maybe her picture online.
"You live in Wedding?" she said mockingly. "I know a guy up there."
"I don't know anyone yet."
"You must know Kerekes?"
"Kerekes, who is Kerekes," demanded Lotte.
Before I could answer, the doorbell rang. "Must be our pizzas," said Jan springing to his feet. "I got them from the only place worth it in this city."
Besides the plants, decorations, and various esoterica scattered about the shelves and stands in the room, the only object of real gravitas was an enormous cream colored sofa positioned exactly in the center. Two girls lounged on either side, their bare feet mingling in the middle. They wore loose fitting shirts and pants that fluttered and rippled in the tide of the wind. A long stalk from a house plant gently scratched against the wall, the effect was quite soothing. Then there was a boom as Jan slammed the window shut and cranked the handle to close it. The girls both sat up.
The brunette was a stranger to me. She regarded me with a look of mock suspicion that I have come to realize is attraction mixed with curiosity. Her head was canted at a charming angle and she smirked.
The other girl, Lotte, swung her body and in attempt to stand, but the momentum failed her and she collapsed into herself and stayed flat on the sofa, letting out an absurd giggle.
"I'm high with glee... and some weed."
She giggled again at whatever look I unconsciously cast her way then put her hand out for me to hold. "Pull me up, silly," she said after clasping mine. With sudden yank, she was already embracing me in a standing hug. She whispered that the brunette on the couch was called Katerina.
I looked down over Lotte's shoulder to see Katerina watching me, the same expression frozen on her face. She offered a subtle wave using just her fingers. I returned the gesture with an open palm, allowing Lotte's hug to conclude.
Lotte pulled back and grabbed me on either shoulder, beginning to chatter excitedly about her recent trip to Greece. Her voice was a low rasp that carried a loving sweetness. She was clearly lost in the stream of her thoughts and stories, her dark blue eyes filled with an abundance exciting things to tell me. Even when her stories dragged or introduced irrelevant non-sequiturs, men found it difficult not to hang onto each word.
I told her how I had stopped in Budapest on the way to Berlin and everyone there sent their love.
"I knew they'd miss me," she nearly squealed.
"No one knows how to make a Friday night come together anymore."
"Jan, let's go back. You still have so much vacation time."
Jan, who had been thumbing through a collection of vinyl, suddenly put his hand on my shoulder as the first notes of a guitar rang out.
"What are you doing in Berlin, Paul"
"I'm writing code."
"Who for?"
"Retrenter"
"Never heard of them," he went to examine the browned dry leaves of a plant.
I felt defensive.
"You will. At least if you stay in Berlin," I said
"Oh I'm staying in Berlin. Where else is there to be? Barcelona? Psh," he sat down on the couch next to Katerina, and pushed Lotte not so gently away from the sofa for no apparent reason. He began to roll a joint.
"Agreed," Katerina said decisively. Jan lit the joint and smoked nearly half of it in a few short drags before offering it to Katerina. "No thanks," said Katerina, "I have to DJ tonight. I need to stay lucid for my set."
I looked at Katerina, she was short and slim, with dark brown hair and eyes that seemed almost like negative space against her pale skin. Her expression never once changed during this exchange of glances. I suddenly realized I'd seen her somewhere before, maybe her picture online.
"You live in Wedding?" she said mockingly. "I know a guy up there."
"I don't know anyone yet."
"You must know Kerekes?"
"Kerekes, who is Kerekes," demanded Lotte.
Before I could answer, the doorbell rang. "Must be our pizzas," said Jan springing to his feet. "I got them from the only place worth it in this city."
