The Tanners

“I always cook myself,” the nurse said when the two of them had reached his apartment, “it’s become a habit with me. I enjoy cooking, take my word for it. Just wait and see how tasty you’ll find the beans with this lovely bacon. I also knit my own socks, for example, and do my laundry myself. You save a lot of money this way. I’ve learned to do all these things, and why shouldn’t such tasks be suitable for a man in exceptional cases if he happens to have a taste for them? I don’t see what could be shameful about activities of this sort. I also make my own house slippers, like these you see here. Such a task certainly requires a bit of care. Knitting wrist warmers for winter or making vests doesn’t cause me any particular difficulty. When one is always so alone and on journeys like myself, one picks up the oddest habits. Make yourself at home, Simon! May I call you by your first name? I feel we’re becoming friends—”

“Yes of course, please do!” And Simon blushed, which he found utterly incomprehensible.

“I felt fond of you right from the beginning,” said the nurse, whose name was Heinrich, “one need only look at you to be convinced that you are a dear chap indeed. I should rather like to kiss you, Simon—”

Simon was finding the air in the room oppressively close, and he got up from his chair. He guessed what sort of man it was who was looking at him with such odd tenderness. But what harm could it do. “I’ll go along with it,” he thought. “I see no reason to be uncivil to this Heinrich, who is otherwise so nice, over such a small thing!” And he yielded up his mouth and let himself be kissed.

It was just a kiss, after all!

Besides which he found it charming — it suited the state of softness in which he found himself to allow these tender liberties. Even if this time it was only a man! He felt quite clearly that Heinrich’s strange affection for him required the most delicate and provisionally indulgent consideration, and found himself incapable of dashing the man’s hopes, even though these hopes happened to be unworthy ones. Had he any cause to feel indignant? “Not at all,” Simon thought to himself, “for the time being I’ll let him do as he pleases — it goes well with everything else taking place around me!”