"Was it that bad?" Molly was at a loss for words.
"Undoubtedly. I was quite young when the War ended, but I still remember. My father's cousin was an assistant of the notorious Joseph Mengele, and was condemned on the same charges as the latter, although Mengele himself managed to escape. I never saw Uncle Kurt since then – he commited suicide soon after his incaceration. But I will forever remember his eyes, reflecting the horrible realization that all that he believed in and considered to be true turned out to be false; that feeling of the whole world crashing down in a moment and uncertainty of the future awaiting him. So, when many years later I met Jonathan, I told myself that this time I could try and actually do something to help him , not be just another indifferent passer-by. Because, you know, there is a saying – I fail to remember the author – "If you don't let go of your past , it won't let you go."
...Contrary to his apprehensions, the intreview with Prof. Gerhardt Schtolle, the Head of Psychology Department, went quite smoothly, and wasn't even too long, as they had previously been corresponding for quite a while. Having been granted a trial work period, Jonathan was sent to the Rector's office to sign his papers – this time without any (mis)adventures - , and while waiting in the lobby, caught a glimpse of his previous self-proclaimed escort, who was at the moment speaking to the Rector's secretary. "Ja, Herr Dekan der Fakultat", the latter answered to the man's question, and the professor nodded and quickly disappeared in the corridor, but not before winking good-naturedly at Crane through his vintage round glasses.
Later that day, when all formalities were settled, and even his possessions were alredy in his newly-assigned quaters in the campus , Jonathan realized he was indeed hungry. Deciding to put his old habits (and that of skipping meals among others as well) behind , he went to the closest campus canteen he noticed earlier that day ,while checking in.
.."You might want to try the Eintopf soup , they cook it really well here" - while standing in the queue, Jonathan suddenly heard the already familiar baritone over his shoulder, this time only mildly surprised. "And , if you don't mind my meddling, the Kartoffelsalat I see here on the tray is quite good either."
Funny enogh, several minutes later Crane found himself seated at the table across the owner of that voice ( with the same dishes he had been recommended , and even the dessert, which was really not quite usual for him, but whatever).
"Well, as we keep on running into each other since your arrival to our Alma Mater, " , the older man chuckled, "I suggest we at least make proper introductions. I am Otto Friedrich von Kellius, but you may call me Otto", and he held out his large hand to Crane. "I'm from the Neurobiology Department, so we won't be exactly working together – unless you choose to change your mind later - , but this doesn't prevent us from getting to know each other."
"Crane. Jonathan Crane" - ,after a moment's hesitation, Jonathan somewhat awkwardly shook the foreign Professor's hand.
"As in "Bond, James Bond"? Ah, you Englishmen are really original!" the odd scientist beamed at his new acquaintance.
"Actually, I'm American", Jonathan corrected him , still feeling a little uncomfortable. He wasn't used to such cordiality, to put it mildly, least of all from strangers.
"Oh, I see. Pity – I was about to make a joke of "our ways are not your ways", but maybe it's not that much of a joke, after all. Forgive me if I sound rude to you, but I always thought of Americans as optimistic enthusiasts – or enthusiastic optimists, whatever you prefer. No wonder you decided to move to the Old World - I can only imagine how difficult it was for you to survive – ot rather endure - back in your home country."
" Beg pardon, Herr Professor..."
"It's Otto, I already told you."
"Beg pardon , Otto, but you don't exactly look like a pessimist in my view", Jonathan carefully started, being too shocked to dwell on his own emotions.
"That's because I'm not.", Crane's interlocutor put his spoon aside for a moment.
"But I wasn't speaking about myself. As for you..."
"You have no idea", Crane's answer sounded a bit more bitter than he meant.
" On the contrary, I believe I have", von Kellius' grey eyes were piercing straight through the spiky shell in which Crane's soul was usually hidden. "But then...every nation has its own prejudices, and not all of them are harmless. For example, a popularl belief that everything should be "OK", - he paused for a moment – "we usually ask a person :"How are you?" , but we don't expect him or her to actually tell us how this very person is doing. We expect to hear something like "all right" or "fine" and move on. Unfortunately, most of us don't give a second thought to the person's possibly being not "fine" . But everything cannot be always "fine", and sometimes things are rather far from 'ok", because this is life – c'est la vie, as our neighbours say, and there are good days and bad days. And, I believe, it's very unwise to pretend that you're fine when you're indeed not - because forbidding yourself to feel, repressing your emotions can be outright dangerous - , but to think that if one isn't 'ok", then he or she is "not normal"or, as they say nowadays, 'weird" – that's outright foolish! " .
"You really think so?" Crane looked at von Kellius as if the venerable professor had grown a second head on his shoulders.
"I do", the latter answered nonchalantly, returning his attention to the food, as if the "moment of truth" hasn't just happened. "But I'm sorry – you're hungry and I keep you waiting with my incessant talking. Greta always says I don't know where to stop once I get started", he chuckled good-naturedly. "By the way", he added sometime later, when their plates were almost empty, "although the cuisine here is quite adequate, it's nothing compared to my wife's – but I hope you can test it yourself when you visit us this weekend – I hope you haven't had yet made any previous engagements?"
"No, I- I haven't", Jonathan was caught unawares again. He couldn't believe his own ears – has he just been invited to von Kellius'house after having just met him several hours before?!
"Than that's settled!" Otto smiled contentedly, getting up from his seat. "Our dear Gerhardt is also coming over this Saturday, so we can have a nice discussion about your article in "Spektrum" and how on Earth you managed to outsmart Gerhardt so that even he himself had to admit it! But that," he added, noticing Crane's paleness, "is a topic for another time! You must be rather tired after such a long and busy day, so have a good rest! See you tomorrow, my friend!"
And the odd professor once again vigorously shook the astonished Crane's hand , and left the cafe before Jonathan could pronounce "Imperativ katigorischer".
Otto von Kellius has called him a friend, and,possibly, even meant it.
It felt odd for Jonathan, who until recently had never had any friends apart from Jervis (well, he had Molly's friendship too now, but he still wasn't sure how he felt about it, and whether those feelings were just friendly or something more), but, strangely enough, it was a good kind of odd.
Who knows, he might even get used to it one day...
Suddenly Jonathan didn't feel so much alone anymore, nor afraid of the future that lay in front of him.
At least, he mused, he had a future now, which was more than he ever had.
"I'm glad you were there for Jonathan , Otto," Molly quietlly said as they were leaving the cathedral to join the "old gang" awaiting for them on a bench across the square, "and I cannot be grateful enough. Jonathan needed this second chance at living his life, probably more than any of us."
"The pleasure was mine, Fraulein Molly", Professor von Kellius' smile was tinged with sadness. "As for second chances...", he glanced back at the magnificent old cathedral that was now behind them, "our nation's whole recent history is about second chances, as you probably know..."
And they crossed the square together, in order not to keep their company waiting any longer.