Mr Broken-Hearted Man

In the heart of Berlin. A rooftop. Alexanderplatz in the distance, the TV tower a beacon in the night. Guiding broken hearts home...

"A cigarette?" a girl appeared beside him, taking him by surprise and interrupting his thoughts.

"I don't smoke."

"Do you mind if I smoke?"

"No."

She lit her cigarette and inhaled deeply, then exhaled, turning away from him. "Nice view isn't it? Berlin looks fabulous at night."

"It does."

"So what are you doing in Berlin?"

"Would you believe me if I tell you I came here to salvage a relationship?"

She laughed. "No way. You think what, like in the movies?"

She noticed his silence. "I am sorry if that was rude. It's just that…you see, I don't believe in love. I don't believe in relationships and stuff… so, any luck?"

He shrugged.

She placed an arm around his shoulder. "Look, I don't know her, so I don't know how fantastic she might be and all, but look, look at this city. There are thousands of girls out there. So why waste your time over one girl?"

He frowned.

She removed her arm and laughed, shaking her head. She flicked her cigarette butt over the railing and it disappeared into the night. "I am going in. Cheers, Mr Broken-Hearted Man," she clinked her glass against his, and disappeared down the stairs, back to the bar.

With the girl gone, peace and quiet was restored. But he couldn't continue from where he had left off.

Saturday, Hackescher Markt. Weekly market. Homely grandmothers peddling their ware. Gruffy grandfathers carefully slicing cuts of meat for their long-time customers. Little kids begging their parents to buy them the colourful sweets. Just like any Saturday. But strangely, it feels a little different now.

And then, he saw her. Sitting by the side of the courtyard, sipping from a cup of freshly-squeezed orange juice. The girl from the night before. He wasn't 100% sure. She was taking in the hustle and bustle around her. Calmly. Their eyes met. She didn't show any sign of recognition and proceeded to fixate her keen eyes on the little girl holding her ice cream with both hands, breaking into a small smile. And just like that, he became part of the background again.

 

Crossing the Spree. Friedrichstrasse. You loved the overhead railway tracks. Character, you would declare. And you loved the little shops tucked beneath. Like secrets of the city, you described.

Our secrets.

Gendarmenmarkt. The cathedrals gleaming in the sun. People sipping beer or wine at the cafes. A couple cuddling on a bench, laughing in delight, oblivious to the world staring at them. We were like that once, weren't we? It could have been us.

Döner.

And he remembered how she used to drag him all over Berlin, searching for the best Döner, the best currywurst, the best this, the best that. She would be looking intently at whatever was on the agenda that day, almost studying it, before taking a careful bite. She would then chew slowly, closing her eyes, savouring it, before proclaiming her judgement.

And he found himself back at the bar again.

He got himself a drink, and climbed the stairs to the rooftop.

Someone was there. She turned around upon hearing his footsteps. It was the girl again. "Oh, it's you, Mr Broken-Hearted Man."

She smiled. And he knew it was the same smile he saw hours earlier.

He joined her at the railing.

"So, how are you feeling today, Mr Broken-Hearted Man?" she asked, staring out at Alexanderplatz.

"I saw you at Hackescher Markt today."

"Oh? It's one of my favourite places. There's a weekly market on Saturdays."

"Yeah I know."

"You know Berlin well, don't you?"

"I used to come here a lot. Like every two weeks."

"I see."

"What about you? Do you live here? Why are you always at this bar?"

"I live around the corner. I don't have such a great view of Berlin from my apartment."

"So… you don't come from Berlin right?"

"Ich bin ein Berliner," she said and laughed. "But yeah, you are right, I don't come from Berlin."

"So why did you come to Berlin?"

"I fell in love with this place, and thought I would stay here forever," she answered simply, and they drifted off into their respective thoughts.

"So, what are you going to do now, Mr Broken-Hearted Man?"

"What do you mean, 'going to do now', and could you please stop calling me that?"

"I mean, when are you going back to wherever you came from, and what are you going to do between now and then, Mr Broken-Hearted Man?"

"I am leaving tomorrow morning. I guess I have no reason to stick around. It's like there is no place for me. Even the city itself seems to have changed. It's like I don't know it anymore…"

She smiled and shook her head. "Hopeless."

"What?"

"Well, Mr Broken-Hearted Man, you looked so sad the first time I saw you. And you still do." She put an arm around his neck, pulling his face close to hers. She grinned. "Smile."

She released him, and patted him gently on the cheek, winking. "Remember that. Good night, Mr Broken-Hearted Man. Leave Berlin and start afresh."

She walked towards the stairs, and before going down the steps, she turned and pointed a finger at him. "Smile. Remember that."

And he was alone again.

It took him a while to react, but when he ran down to the lift, it had already reached the ground floor. He ran down the stairs.

Stepping out into the cool Berliner night, he knew she was gone.

Berlin Hauptbahnhof. A monument to our dead love. They demolished the old Lehrter Bahnhof, and built a new, sterile juggernaut in its place. As my train pulled away, I saw, amongst the people waving from the platform, firstly Lisa, whose face blurred as the train picked up speed, and then I saw her.

Smile, she seemed to be saying.

Berlin Hauptbahnhof slowly disappeared from sight.

I haven't been back to Berlin since. But I am sure she still believes in love.