A special day in my -ahem- town
Friday was a special day in Harburg. No. It went down in the history books as one of the most eventful days here. Ever.
On a personal level, I learned, early in the morning, that I’d failed the test that I felt I was going to fail. So, I tried to set up a meeting with the professor. The Nazi granted me a couple of minutes but would barely sympathise, and did not offer any truly helpful suggestions… So I left with a big decision to make.
Also, I met with my research supervisor. The Yoda to the other guy’s Darth Vader, so to speak. This guy cleared up a lot of the vague issues I had, dedicated a LOT of time to me, and I left him in good spirits!
The stuff of interest to the Harburg community lies nestled in between these two events.
On my way from the first appointment to the coffee shop, to kill a few hours before the second meeting, I decided to take the bus. Walking to the closest stop, I noticed that the police had cordoned off the entire block, and was redirecting traffic. The flurry of official activity had me thinking they’d found some terrorist, again. Sadly, I was mistaken. It was a huge car crash.
They were only letting the buses through, so I gritted my teeth and waited a few minutes in the windy darkness that is Hamburg’s 10 A.M. I get on the bus, and can already see the traffic from the accident. I take out my camera, and ready myself to take some photos…. Car crashes, blood, gore, police… who can resist???
Past two more police cars, a fire truck, an ambulance, and 15 minutes waiting, a tow truck comes into view, pulling one of the cars involved. The other car already lay on the side of the road.
I’m no mechanic, but I’d say the repair job on both cars together would cost around a 100 dollars…. I guess things are kinda slow at the Harburg police department these days… They should ease up on terrorists some more, let them spice things up…
Anyway, I reach the townsquare, and I am jolted back into reality by a garbage truck honking. I look around, and tens of people are walking towards the square, carrying flags. Fire trucks, garbage trucks and other utility service vehicles drive by, carrying flags and honking.
I’d heard there was going to be some sort of protest, but didn’t really give it much attention.
More garbage trucks parked close by, with workers carrying flags stepping out and joining in. I guess they were protesting for better wages or something, because most of them were using very, very old phone cams…
Anyway, this was getting a little too boring… I rolled up a cig and stood to the side, watching the protesters sing ‘Labamba’ (yeah… I hear it mobilizes the masses)… A woman came by, and handed me some list they were passing out… I tried to convince her to join their forces with mine… I pledged my unwaivering support to their glorious cause, and in return, asked that they supported my quest to kick that teacher’s ass… Either she didn’t get me, or pretended not to…
Either way, the protest had lost it’s appeal… I threw the list, and a few other useless papers in a nearby bin (my final act of support) and, considering my next step, walked towards the coffee shop…