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SECTION 3
CONFRONTATION
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It is Christmas Eve - Klaus Friedrich has surprisingly invited Martha, Rachel and me to the White Villa for the evening. There will be my half-brothers Ewald and Edgar, Christel the new wife, and the Portuguese housekeeper Maria. In the Conservatory - a huge, beautifully decorated Christmas tree is standing, under it parcels, in the fireplace room wooden turkeys, on the table as candlesticks. Edgar has to read out the Christmas story of Kuttel Daddeldu by Ringelnatz. At first he is coy about it but then he obediently fulfills his father’s wish, thinking of my utter dependency on the old man. So he does it with an embarrassingly halting voice, since he is not used to speaking freely - I feel almost pity for him. We are festively dressed, and there is a buffet with lobster, crayfish, caviar, and paté de foie gras, and as well huge quantities of Ayala champagne and later Calvados. I have made myself comfortable in an armchair by the fireplace, in front of me a well-filled glass of Calvados and in my hand a Cohiba no. 1. Then, near my ears a conversation starts up that is utterly incredible. Martha is sitting on the edge of a sofa turns to her father-in-law with a stoic glance, and addresses him directly:
“Klaus, your firm is slowly turning into a useless dump. The profits are going down, your executives Hermann and Hohlwein are thumbing their noses at you and just do whatever they like ...”
Klaus Friedrich is surprised (and, I see it in his facial features, is conscious of the embarrassing situation) but answers in a quiet tone:
“And that you, my honored daughter-in-law, a former stewardess, can judge ... ? ”
this being said with undisguised sarcasm.
"Yes, I can, you see, I can observe very well, and I have in contrast to you knowledge of people. You really have to see that you’re drinking too much and are gradually getting too old to hold the reins in your hands. You should hand over the business leadership to Harry before it’s too late.”
What the hell s she talking about, I wonder. Christel is standing in the corridor from the Conservatory to the fireplace room. She intervenes with a jingly voice:
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