By Pieter Thomassen

The sign board of Balkan grill Boro shows two hot-headed chefs who are out to kill each other with shashlik skewers. After drinking four glasses of Bull’s Blood downstairs in the dining cellar, Axel’s mother is in the mood for a confession. Over her dish of crêpes flambé she whispers: ‘Now, Axel, you’re finally old enough to learn that daddy and I have met each other through… Well, that we’ve met in different circumstances than what you’ve been told all this time.’ From the jukebox next to the men’s loo Dean Martin’s voice thrills: ‘When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore.’
      Bewildered, Axel looks up from his Coupe Jacques. ‘You’re saying, you didn’t run into daddy on the maternity ward in the hospital?’ Well, not quite my boy, I read his advertisement in Woman’s Weekly. “Slightly disabled man is looking for a loving wife.” So, we went on a date.’ Axel widens his eyes and stares at his mother. An Indian who sells roses wants to fix the moment for eternity with his Polaroid Instant. After he has put his mother on the train, the unmistakable shouting of a stag party can be heard among the rain soaked chestnut trees in the square. Laughing out loudly, a man dressed as a baby, pushes a dummy between Axel’s lips.

© Pieter Thomassen
© Translation Holland Park Press

Axel 45 – Axel 44 – Axel 43 – Axel 42 – Axel 41 – Axel 40 – Axel 39 – Axel 38 – Axel 37 – Axel 36 – Axel 35 – Axel 34 – Axel 33 – Axel 32 – Axel 31 – Axel 30 – Axel 29 – Axel 28 – Axel 27 – Axel 26 – Axel 25 – Axel 24 – Axel 23 – Axel 22 – Axel 21 – Axel 20 – Axel 19 – Axel 18 – Axel 17 – Axel 16 – Axel 15 – Axel 14 – Axel 13 – Axel 12 – Axel 11 – Axel 10 – Axel 9 – Axel 8 – Axel 7 – Axel 6 – Axel 5 – Axel 4 – Axel 3 – Axel 2 – Axel 1