I love this. I am originally from Berlin (and sadly, I must admit that I am the owner of a black Jack Wolfskin-Jacket that I love to wear for any kind of occasion (I actually wanted something more colorful when I bought it, but there was not a great selection of colors)) and your description of public transport and the start-up scene there is delightful. It is lovely to read how Berlin is perceived by somebody not native to the city.
Honestly, letting them trade jackets does not seem impossible in the madness that Berlin can be. I also really like your characterization. There is so much warmth in how you write these characters. I was smiling pretty much the entire time reading this chapter and I'm looking forward to the next chapters.
"The paradox of big cities, coupled with German indifference, and Berlin’s trademark rudeness." The thing about German indifference is so true and really hard to get used to. I lived somewhere else in the world for a year where people were much more open and friendly and interested and I struggled so much to adapt again to that indifference when I returned. I always try to be friendly and interested when I meet people from other countries to make it a bit easier for them. This indifference is something I really don't like about Germany. Berlin's trademark rudeness I haven't witnessed so often, but there was one glorious instance when I was at the main station in Berlin, just sitting there with a friend waiting for my train, when a man passed by and muttered "You are all so fucking ugly". I don't think it was even directed at me, it just seemed very world-weary in general and it seemed quite funny to me. Is the "Berliner Schnauze" something you have encountered often?
Thank you so much! I am always happy to see Berliners in my comment section! :)) No shade on anyone owning jackets like that, I have a black North Face rain jacket myself so I should be the last one to judge :D Why do you think I am *not* native to the city? 😏
No, I agree, them trading jackets is not that outrageous when you know how Berlin can be. I'm happy you liked the characterizations! I really hope you'll enjoy them just as much going forward :)
Honestly, I'd take German indifference over American fake-politeness any day but I guess this is just a matter of what you grew up with and are used to. I sympathize with anyone coming here and struggling to adapt but I do think it has it's upsides as well. And the Berliner Schnauze thing is a controversial one. I mean, in essence it's just a dialect. But most people use it to describe the extra-bluntness in Berlin compared to the rest of Germany, so this is what I'm referring to. To be fair, I don't encounter it that often, but I'm also not standing on the wrong side of the escalator or stopping in entryways when there are people behind me :)) As far as I heard, it's something mostly people that are foreign to Berlin experience while they are still adjusting to the pace of the city.
Oh, I am sorry for assuming! I read some previous comments before writing my own comment and got the impression that you hadn't lived in Berlin your entire life. Your observations and descriptions of Berlin also reminded me of how some people I know who have come to live in Germany from other places in the world talk about it: with love, but slightly despairing over some customs and with a small amount of distance that provides insights that otherwise would be much harder to make. But that could be just what I connected to the story and could be due to other things, so I am sorry for making assumptions.
I think the thing with "American fake-politeness" is that it is important to know not to expect more than some superficial politeness from it. But I don't think it necessarily has to be fake. What's so difficult to just be nice to each other, to exchange some friendly words, even though it's just that and nothing more? It could be the best thing to happen to the other person that day. I get why people don't like it. The assumption is that it is not only superficial, but dishonest, that people are indifferent to strangers anyway so it's better not to fake it. I think it's not necessarily dishonest and also sometimes some fake superficial but friendly smalltalk is the only way to notice that there is more to the other person than the first impression gave away - I guess that I'm just optimistic in this regard (I'm very pessimistic in others, so it balaces). I have also never lived in the US, so maybe I wouldn't like it after all; I've only been to Latin America and liked how people there talk to each other.
I'm sorry, you are correct, I haven't been living in Berlin my entire life (for a long time now, however) but most experiences are universally German, I would think. I must say though that anything I wrote in this story is Sirius' POV! And he is, obviously, foreign and new to the city, that's how this narrative builds :) It's not specifically my own.
I lived in the US for a short while, so I totally get what you are saying! To me personally, superficial and fake is very similar, and while I don't *mind* when people are nice to me (of course not!) I just don't get it, it confuses me :) Why is the shop assistant asking how my day was? They don't care, I won't say anything but 'good', so what's the point? This is peak German thinking right here haha I think the important thing for people coming to Germany (and Berlin specifically) is to understand that nobody owes you nice. People do their job, quickly and efficiently (hopefully, at least), and if they are nice to you it's because they actually mean it. The baseline is just different, I guess :)
Anyway, thank you so much for talking to me! Now that I know you're from Berlin I'm *dying* to hear what your thoughts on the rest of the chapters are! If you want to share, of course :)
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