broken

The hours before leaving a city.

“Do you still remember your first day in this city?”

The crossroad junction. A map in hand, foreign names swirling in my face. Green man. A hurrying girl. A glance back. The middle of the road. That moment.

e lue, e lefe.

One look, one love. That Flenien saying.

Café Raqele. The setting autumn sun down the street. A cod stew. A girl cuddling with a guy. Bliss. Noticing the attention. Stopping. A giggle, another kiss. The smiling waitress.

Say, is there a place where there are only lonely people?

A thoughtful look.

Franzi. Maybe you can try Franziska’s.

Franzi. A name I have almost forgotten.

On the streets again. The chilly wind. Pulling the collars up. Red light. Through the glass. A girl, staring at something else. Maybe a person from her past. Lost in thought. Green light. A distracted nod and smile to her friend’s words.

Getting on my way. Heard a song, right in the middle of the square. A familiar song. Could it be that song from long ago? A startled passerby.

No, this is a new song.

The big screen on the building. An unknown MV, an unknown singer, an unknown title.

Overwhelmed.

Midnight. Bright lights dimming. End of a day. Start of a day. Never made it to Franzi.

“You are ok now, aren’t you?”

A half-finished latte macchiato, an empty seat.

So, this is goodbye.