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Monica Cantieni 
Michael Robinson, Translator
from The Fog-Drinkers
Translated from the German by Michael Robinson
Pillwein never got up before midday. He lowered himself into a warm bath, and requested that Renk or Heisel bring him a cup of tea. After this he went to his wine-shop, which was called "PILL WINES" and also sold necklaces, rings and watches.
But today Renk and Heisel were late, so Pillwein pottered around and tried peering over the vast girth of his underlying belly in the hope of seeing his feet. His stomach flopped out of his dressing gown and drifted aimlessly ahead of him like an abandoned ship. It was absolutely pouring with rain. Pillwein looked out into the rain through the open window. The concrete slabs on the waste land by the factory blurred into each other between the mounds of green grass. A fleeting memory came to Pillwein, then went away, distracted by the sound of car doors slamming in the street.
Renk and Heisel came in with a soaking carpet. It slapped wetly down at Pillwein´s feet. Heisel looked at his watch and hurried to put the kettle on. Soon the kettle lid was tinkling, and Pillwein grumbled:
-Is that all?
-There wasn´t anything else worth taking.
-I send you off and you bring me a carpet.
-It´s pretty big.
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