He was on the bus that ran over his wife
He sat in the bus that ran over his wife is a story by Gabriele Wohmann that appeared in the Luchterhand collection of the same name in Hamburg in 1991 .
content
Constanze and Manfred Grimm have been married for five years. Both are employed. The speaker Constanze updates a cultural calendar. Manfred works in an architecture office. Constanze would like to have a baby. Manfred is proud that nothing has come of it yet. Because one day he would like to spare his poor children the trouble of putting him and his wife in an old people's home.
It's about the guest list for Constanze's birthday party. Should the forty year old public prosecutor Thilo Schelling be invited? Manfred is against it. Constanze prevails. Manfred thinks she just wants to scout out Thilo's misery. The public prosecutor had been sitting behind the bus driver when his cycling wife Gerti crossed the lane at an angle - just like that - and had a fatal accident.
After the couple of years of marriage, Constanze already feels that Manfred is a burden, despite all the love. In this context, Thilo sometimes feels like a traveler without luggage.
At the party, Manfred finds it exaggerated how intensely Constanze takes care of Thilo. Constanze's boss, also present at the party, praised the “psychosocial act” of her employee. Constanze's mother, who later visits her children, simply calls it humanity.
At the same time, Constanze had gone to the questioning ice during her party when she wanted to know from Thilo: "Is that consoling that Gerti was at least to blame?" reminded of traffic offenders, especially cyclists. Constanze quickly saw her simple-minded chatter. Soon it was Thilo who had to comfort his hostess.
shape
The text is - due to its immediate catchiness - one of Gabriele Wohmann's almost unsurpassable masterpieces. In addition, the very serious subject of the unexpected death of a loved one is presented with a sense of humor, which is neither perceived as offensive nor unreasonable.
literature
Used edition
- Gabriele Wohmann: He was sitting in the bus that ran over his wife. Stories. Editor: Klaus Siblewski . 280 pages. Luchterhand Literaturverlag, Hamburg 1991. ISBN 3-630-86767-7 (also contains: I wished for something. The day with the meatballs. Enviable people. Mom has made quarters. A festival of love. Frostbite. German answers. Peace days . The summer friend. Frankfurt will soon be by the sea. Hostage-taker. A member of the academy. Don't rejoice too early. Peace comes first. An alliance case. Mimosa. He cares about that. Natural talent )
Web links
- June 28, 2015, Georg Magirius : Complete stories by Gabriele Wohmann. Alphabetical directory 25 pages pdf