The letter

Kim happened to write me THE SAME DAY, also asking for your address. I sent that along in a separate e-mail to you both. Do drop her a line. She is going through a bit of a rough spell (finishing graduate school, boy trouble). Although you've been out of touch for a while, I hope this is a good time to reconnect.

I am right now sitting at 100Wasser, a cafe named after a famous German architect (Hundertwasser). Do you know him? Google his name for examples of his work.

Hm. I just did. Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Turns out he's not even German, but Austrian. Lordy.

I had never heard of him before moving to Berlin although this is, admittedly, more a reflection of my cluelessness about architects in general rather than German (or Austrian) architects specifically.

Are you still doing those architectural tours of Chicago?

Right now, I am enjoying my "farmer's breakfast," an omelette of potatoes, bacon, vegetables and onions. It is snowing like a scene from a Christmas Carol, so it's also a pleasant time to write. I wouldn't mind more bacon though.

Things for me are well. Work is going well (although the pay is nothing I would have accepted in the U.S.) and my base of friends grows.

Last night, I was out with Jennifer, a fellow American feminist who escaped (as she says it) from the U.S. just one week before the Sept 11th attacks. We were joined by my politically-disinterested but quite-the-hottie coworker, Markus. He looks a bit like one of the elves from Lord of the Rings. Tall, blond and with strong features. The very Aryan of Hitler's warped dreams, I suppose.

We talked quite a bit about movies, mainly horror and sci-fi. I got to finally confess my desire to be a vampire (the clothes! living for ever! sexy neck bites!). Jennifer was disgusted. "Besides," she reminds us, "I'm a vegetarian."

I want to write movie scripts with moments like that.

Mind you, Jennifer loves horror movies, and the more gore, the better. She has read feminist analysis on it though. :)

You would like her.

On blood and such, glad to hear that you are recovering from the idiocy of our fellow humans. I met a runner here who was hit by a motorist who, like yours, wanted to sue him for the damage to his car. WTF. I can only wonder what planet people like that live on, where human casualty, dismemberment or disabling is deemed less important than some factory-manufactured part. (Um, it is THIS planet, and I am just frickin' naive.)

I can identify the click of a lighter now without even turning around. Smokers.

Of course, 100Wasser *has* created a new non-smoking section, but my laptop battery has been on the fritz and the sole plug in this Internet-ready place is in the smokers section. Still, this IS progress in Germany. I think I heard that it is the #1 smoking capital of Europe. (Heard it from the friend of a friend of a friend who...)

Anyway, sorry to hear that the parents made the final break. I suppose your mum is doing ok? How are things with your dad? Are the siblings well? Do say hello for me.

And what's this about a vandalized locker? The dissolution of a friendship? A year of hell?

I am WOEFULLY out of the loop here, and I am sorry. You're right that e-mail is substandard for maintaining the intimacy of friendship. It doesn't help that I don't enjoy talking on the phone that much. (Some people would laugh to hear me say that, but it's true.) In any case, your phone number disappeared into my dead Palm Pilot. Send it again. There is no reason that we cannot actually make time and gab like we're sitting on a couch together.

To which, Kim says that she might want to visit in August or September. What about you? Maybe we can do a Wild Women's Tour of Europe (yes, all in Title Case, as it deserves). Think cocktails, smart clubs and German landscapes made even more beautiful by Summer.

And, if we're lucky, the clothes! living forever! sexy neck bites!

Your silly friend,

Tammi