Tirza

Also the arrivals hall will see it endearing. A doll house. In a corner he sees an ATM. He tries to get cash, but it is not possible.

The exchange office is closed.

In his pocket he retrieves a handkerchief and wipe clean his face. He takes a deep breath. In vain he looks something on a tourist information point appears.

Then he walks with determined step out. His shoes, which he still in Amsterdam has polished, Glimmen.

A young man called upon: 'Taxi?' he has Hofmeesters suitcase already and for ship's steward good bite and can understand what is going on, he sits behind in a blue Mercedes from the seventies.

'Wind Angle?" asks the young, dark driver.

'Wind Angle,' says ship's steward.

'It is over forty kilometers, you know, boss?' The driver speaks English with an African accent.

'I do not know. But it does not matter. I have to go to Wind Angle.'

The vehicle is started. Ship's steward is running the window open.

'Where in Windhoek, boss?" asks the driver.

'I do not know yet. I find a hotel, a good hotel, you can recommend something? And call me a boss.'

He takes the handkerchief back from his pants, but he will receive his face not dry.

'I will call you not a boss. I am Jefried. You do not hear in the event of a group?'

'No, I am not one of a group. I travel alone.'

Jefried Runs fast. But there is no traffic so that saves. However are looking for ship's steward sitting on the rear bench seat to a belt. That they must learn to die does not mean that the à la minute must be done.

There is no belt. Or rather: the seat belt is broken.

'you will view the country?'

'I come for my daughter.'

Ship's steward retrieves the photo come out and leave it to see Jefried him from his hands and grabs.

Jefried kicks hard on the brake pedal. They are silent along the side of the road in the sand. The driver opens the glove box of the car, retrieves a dingy booklet from, vist a scraps photo from the booklet and press that ship's steward in the manual.

Ship's steward tail to five black children.

'My Family,' says Jefried. 'My children.'

Ship's steward opens the door. 'I need to go outside,' he answers, 'Want a bite to eat.' He gets the car from, with his hat and his briefcase.

He puts the hat on, binds the briefcase under his arm. No traffic on the road. No houses. Sandy and withered grass. Here and there a half bare tree. Gently rolling hills. The sandy seems to the kilometers to change color. Where am i? Calls on ship's steward, what am I doing here? What is this?

It is now also Jefried disembarked. It is next to a ship's steward.

'Not afraid, a boss,' says Jefried. 'I believe in Jesus.'

'I am not afraid, i had to get a bite to eat. And call me a boss.'

A GUST OF WIND does Hofmeesters afwaaien hat. Jefried rent after that. As a dog. He gives the hat back to ship's steward, which he set up but not more.

'Jefried, where are the beasts?'

'What beasts, boss?'

'Call me a boss.'

'What beasts, gentleman?'

Ship's steward points to the empty, half withered plain.

'De wild beasts. Where are they? I see nothing.'

'Die are hiding, sir, it is in the middle of the day. It is too hot for them. They are there, but we do not see them. But of course they see, Mr. They see us and they smell like us."

So they remain. Two men along the side of the road. The first is waiting on the second, the second waiting for something he cannot appoint itself. On a brainwave. A reminder. The reminder of what he came again.

'Meneer,' says Jefried after five minutes, 'You will find the very if we continue the drive to Wind Angle?'

Ship's steward shakes his head. 'no problem at all. To which hotel you go me? I searched on the airport to a tourist information point, but everything was closed. What is a good hotel? Do you know the hotels in Windhoek?'

'In Windhoek. There are many good hotels. What exactly are you looking for? Great hotel, small hotel?'

'The best hotel.'

The best, why not? Such a first night in a foreign country wants to ship's steward take any risks. And duration will not be here. Now the financial independence is destroyed, it may also be wasted. something best

Jefried starts to think out loud and ship's steward feels how are dry mouth is. He gets into the vehicle. On the rear bench seat is still the photo of Jefrieds children. He gives it to the driver and in return they receive the picture of his youngest daughter back. Also he looks back to. Lively eyes. Yes, perhaps that is the first thing you notice if you go to Tirza looks, on this photo. Lively eyes. In a peculiar way of reassuring eyes. As if the world has reassured, and they in turn now to do the same with the world.

'Heinitzburg,' says Jefried.

'What?'

'Heinitzburg.'

'What is there with Heinitzburg?'

'Dat is a good hotel. Really something for Mr.'

Heinitzburg. It sounds like the name of a village forty kilometers across the border in Zevenaar.

'Heinitzburg,' reiterates ship's steward.

'Are you German?'

Jefried starts the vehicle.

'I? No, Dutch.'

'but they speak German there? Where you come from? Huh?'

'They speak Dutch there.'

'but you speak German?'

'I have studied German. And criminology. The last study never killed. I was offered a job on a publishing company, an offer which I could not refuse to do so. It was in line with expectations that i would be publisher.'

Jefried seem not to listen to them. It travels fast. He turn the radio on.

If he is the first houses of Wind Angle, asks: 'You accept ship's steward also euros?'

Jefried looks at him through his mirror. 'prefer not to sir, but there are banks, we can stop.'

'Atms?'

Jefried nods. 'It is a modern country, Mr. We have everything. In addition to work. There is not enough work. Everything here is further.'

In a street which gives the impression to be the main street of an abandoned village, they stop at a gas station. Small Wind Angle is called the here, has a ship's steward on a board. Small, say that to.

Jefried points to him an ATM.

Tirza's father is there.

There are only blacks on street. Perhaps it is the district, perhaps the hour of the day. The few whites who he sees, sit in cars. While his Post Bank Card in the machine stops, he looks again at the blue Mercedes of Jefried.

Jefried can now pulling away. With Hofmeesters stuff. It is not much but it would still be annoying.

Despite the fact that there is little value vols in his luggage, the idea that benauwt Jefried there with his suitcase fleeing. A color handling remains a color handling. Whereas for the machine status, he tries the car unobtrusively into the holes, which he observes that a three to oblige the petrol pump aanstaart him.

He presses the hat more firmly on his head.

Here if he would withdraw money, he just has no idea what the rate is of the Namibian dollars. Against his habit in he has badly prepared on this journey. Say: not. He decides to thousand Namibian dollars, that will be enough for Jefried.

From the petrol station are within a 5 minute walk to the Heinitzburghotel, that a castle on top of a hill.

If the vehicle is parked Jefried, two young men on the Mercedes. They mantle Hofmeesters on luggage. They also want to his briefcase from his hands, but that he will not allow it.

'How much I owe you?" requires a ship's steward to Jefried.

'Four hundred, sir.'

He gives Jefried four hundred and fifty. And Jefried says: 'If you need me, Mr. I drive safely. That you have seen. Where you want to go. Walvis Bay, Swakopmund. Or beyond. To the north. I know the country. If you need me. Call me.' Jefried gives a business card ship's steward.