Geschichte: Ten Years Away

Josephine is travelling home to visit her family. She lives in a different country, so she is travelling by plane. She doesn’t want to return. She doesn’t like her country.

“I’ve been away for ten years,” Josephine thinks. “Maybe my country is better than I remember.”

Josephine arrives in her country. She leaves the plane. Immediately, she thinks: “It’s too hot here.”

She’s tired and hungry. She drives into the town. All of the restaurants are closed, except one. She goes inside. She is the only customer.

She looks at the menu. “I remember this food,” she thinks. “I don’t like the food in this country.”

The waiter asks for her order. He is a fat man with a beard. Josephine doesn’t like him.

“I would like the chicken with chips, please,” she says.

“We don’t have any more chicken,” says the waiter.

“Fine, please can I have the salmon with leeks.”

“Sorry, there are no more leeks.”

“What do you have?” asks Josephine.

“Soup with bread.”

“What kind of soup is it?”

“Chicken and leek soup,” says the waiter.

Josephine is very angry, but she speaks calmly. “Chicken and leek soup, please,” she says. “And a glass of water. You have water, right?”

The waiter leaves. Josephine waits for forty-five minutes. “Where is the soup?” she thinks. “This is worse than I remember.”

Finally, the waiter brings the food. The soup is red. It is tomato soup. Josephine is upset. She doesn’t like tomatoes. She eats the bread. It is hard and cold.

“I hate this country,” Josephine says. “I hope I can leave soon.”

The waiter sees that Josephine is upset, and still hungry. He brings her a dessert.

“It’s free,” he says. “I’m sorry about the soup.”

Josephine is surprised. The dessert looks really good. She remembers it is a special local dessert. Only people in her town know the recipe.

It was her favourite when she was a child. Her grandmother used to make it. She eats the dessert. It is delicious. She feels like a child again. She smiles at the waiter.

“It’s great to be home,” she thinks.