At the shore of the river Havel in Berlin. A walk outside into the setting sun. It’s white outside and quite cold. Nobody is out. Slowly the night quickly falls. The sun vanishes. It dives into the water. The surface of the Havel is frozen, covered with ice. The sun’s heat does not allow for melting into the water. Thus, it decides to slowly dissolve on the snow-covered surface. It changes its color, fades to red. Dark red. Blood red. On the path near the shore, shadows of lonely people appear. They cross my way. In these Corona times, people are surrounding each other, carefully keeping the most significant distance possible. They would walk as close as possible to the walls in a hall, wishing to push them another meter further to keep the distance.
Warning: please cover your nose and mouth with a medical mask.
I ask myself how long the virus can survive far below zero Celsius. Did they, the virologists check it out? The night light has switched to twilight mode. The snow reflects unreal coloring. Earbuds in my ears and attentive emptiness on my mind like a dry sponge capturing every single impression there is. There is not much. Or is there?
A giant on my right asks me for a light for a cigarette. Giants don’t care about not smoking.
Sorry, I reply. But you can try my vape.
No thanks. By the way, you don’t have some dope to cope, don’t you?
Nope.
The giant kneels down. He’s still about 5 m high or half a mile. Sad, dark eyes the size of a vinyl album look at me. In his eyes, reflections of the wisdom of forlorn times. He takes my earbuds. Listens. The dark voice. His dark voice is at the edge of infrasound. He starts singing.
I remember when rock was young. Me and Susie had so much fun. (Elton John, Crocodile Rock)
I’m getting cold. The giant picks me up. Puts me in the pocket of his coat. I stay there for a while. A short moment. Thousand years.
Havel river shore, Berlin February 2021©2021 rockphan aka Ulf A. Fischbeck
Hey, man, I say. I guess I got to leave.
Wo-man, the giant replies.
What?
I am a Woman. The last of my kind. I mean, the only one here.
How come?
No idea. Worlds collided. Universes connected. I remember having fun with my love, you know, my baby. Kisses, cuddles, sex. We have spent a fabulous day of 1 million years together, and then instead of coming – Ooops – I found myself here. Sometime ago or in a time that will come. Maybe tomorrow, maybe 1960, or in the year zero.
Timeshift, I reply.
Yeah. Sort of. I am having difficulties getting used to this place. It’s weird. Nobody told me where I was. How I stranded here. Landed here. I was too shy to ask anyone. I don’t wanna bother people. Humans are so nervous. Narrowminded. Full of fears. Boring.
Sorry? Am I boring?
I didn’t mean it. That’s just what my Wo-mom told me when I was a kid. I always knew you existed. My mom made fun of me. But nicely. She’s a nice mom. WamPamTam, she used to say, these are tales. Fiction. Stories. I love these tales. They were so funny. But now I have to admit humans are boring.
I got dizzy and started dozing in the pocket. In my dreams, I heard the murmuring of the giant. I guess she was telling me the story of her life here.
I mean, said the giant, all these people passing by never notice me. I mean, I’m a giant. Am I transparent?
No. But you look a bit like a tree for those without fantasy. Why did you ask me for a light?
You’re not human. You are a ULF. An Unidentified Living Form.
I’m what? I always believed I was a human.
Well, you were mistaken.
Oh. I nod. How do you know?
A dwarf told me. The one with the purple cap.
I see. I met him the other day at the grocery. He’s going out with a fairy, doesn’t he? At least that’s what he told me when we were waiting in the queue.
He was. The fairy left him for an elven coz this dwarf is a male chauvinist.
Ok. Poor guy. I thought this was a typical human characteristic. But I haven’t met so many dwarfs yet.
I’m getting tired, and I wanna leave.
WamPamTam, that’s your name, right?
Yeah.
I got to go. I’m tired, and I have to look after mom.
Living with your mom?
Well, with my parents for a while. They’re getting old and need some help. Especially during this Corona crisis. Did you hear about this?
Oh yes. There are so many of these humans talking about Corona or money. By the way, what exactly is money?
Sorry, that’s long to explain. In fact, it’s mere imagination, but it rules our world. To be honest, it’s a very dull thing. Next time. Promise. Bye. It was nice meeting you.
You’re welcome. Could you bring your spaceship next time? I need to see some other worlds.
I don’t know. It’s in the workshop at the moment. One of the dark matter conveyors has a black hole in the warp speed transmission gear.
You should have asked me. I was a spaceship engineer where I come from. Unfortunately, I’ve got no job at the moment. Here on Earth, you’re so far behind everything. It’s a drag.
Sorry for that. I’d wish we were a bit further, but apparently, we still need to learn a lot. I don’t know. Anyway, let’s talk another day. I guess I’m in a hurry right now.
The giant smiles, whistles. An elven woman appears.
Whuzz up? Asks the elven. Hope you don’t ask me for a light.
No, sista, just a short flight. My friend here needs a lift back home. He’ll show you the way.
It’s ok. So you need a lift? She turns to me. In a rush?
Sort of. We were talking. WamPamTam was listening to some of my music, and I slept off in the pocket of her coat. I mean, I don’t mind walking, but it takes a while.
ave you got music here? Wow?
I hand her my iPhone, show her my music app.
Cool. Samantha Fish. Love this girl. She plays a fantastic guitar. May I?
Sure.
All of a sudden, out of nowhere, an electric guitar in her hands, a VOX AC 30 next to her. She begins to jam to Samantha’s blues. Wtf* it’s incredible. WamTamPam starts playing a bass. Very low. Very dark. The soil vibrates. A drum kit appears. I’m joining in. She starts to sing with a voice of an unearthly beauty:
Come and join the party
Wanna rocknrolll
Let's jam until midnight A Havel river shore show Don't worry about getting home Time's just turned off Let's travel through the sound warp Until the night blows off.
Samantha Fish appears in person. Playing an outstanding solo. More and more folk comes to join us. Some are standing in the snow with the weirdest instruments. Some dancing on the ice. It’s unbelievable… All together, join in the chorus.
This is a jam in Heaven Universes blow Welcome to 5th dimension To the never-ending show.
rocknrolll
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