Empathy Suppressor
CLUB FRIEDRICH JECKELN
I am claustrophobic. I can hardly bear closed spaces.
And how are things downtown?
Another question.
In what way are you different?
You are not different. You work in pharmacology. Or ethnic cleansing.
The arts.
Will you do me one favour?
Get me a small tent for tonight. Some food, maybe.
I want to recreate the atmosphere of the summer camps. And festivals.
I can’t breathe in here.
But how can a tent cure your fear of closed spaces?
If I have a tent, I can scout around. See the land, the sky. Go defecate in the woods.
Maybe spend the night with someone.
At school I enjoyed gymnastics, sports. The intellectual disciplines. Oh, how I remember. When we danced and we danced and we danced.
But you cannot live like that.
Not when inside the blocks everyone is allocated a bunk bed, a bowl, a plate, an aluminium cup, a knife, fork and spoon, as well as a small cloth for drying and polishing the utensils. For washing, everyone will be given a toothbrush, nugget of soap and small towel. Allocated a tiny shelf to keep items on and brown paper bags for clothes and belongings. Hair shaved closely to the scalp. No Polish lice here.
Did you pray for the reunion of all your scattered families?