Clueless (And Loving It) in Berlin

MikeachimThe Everyday18 Comments

He points at me – no, past me. A blast of German.

“I..don’t speak…”

“The train station is closing”.

I turn around and head back out of the Alexanderplatz U-Bahn, running just far enough ahead of the advancing officials to buy a sandwich from a kiosk. I’m dimly aware I have a good walk ahead of me. How full is my water bottle? Oh – not very. And I’ve had a few beers, so I’ll start dehydrating soon. Maybe I should get a taxi?

NO, says an adventurous, tight-fisted and gently sozzled part of my brain.Read More

I Think It’s My Heart

MikeachimThe Everyday20 Comments

“I think it’s my heart,” I say at the desk.

The receptionist picks up the phone and speaks into it, unhurried but certainly not dawdling. I’m led to a waiting nurse. They’re all watching me. Waiting for me to do anything…dramatic.

Oh god. Not like this. Please.Read More

How To Be Rude To A Latvian

MikeachimThe Everyday12 Comments

(April, 2000)

Well, maybe it’s down aisle 3.

I try aisle 3. Bread. Strange jars of cabbagey, pickly things. More bread. Larger pickly things. Even more bread. Dear god, Latvians like their bread. Sadly, I’m not after bread, I’m after what is apparently the rarest of things in Latvia – a jar of curry sauce. And if it’s in this supermarket, it’s not down aisle 3.

Okay, maybe it’s down aisle 4…Read More