Три товарища

           sunshine.Theyglowedlikeamber."Looksmarvellous,"saidI."Wheredidyougetit,Otto?"

           Köstersmiled."That’salongstory.Butsay,Boy,howdoyoufeel?Thirty?"

           Ishookmyhead."Likesixteenandfiftybothatthesametime.Prettypunk,inotherwords...."

           "Prettypunk!Whatdoyoumean?"objectedLenz."Why,that’sthemostwonderfulthingintheworld.Itmeansyou’veconqueredtimeandarelivingtwiceover!"

           Kösterlookedatme."Lethimalone,Gottfried,"saidhethen."Birthdaysweighheavilyonone’sself-esteem.Earlyinthemorningespecially.He’llpickuplater."

           Lenzknithisbrows."Thelessamanthinksofhimselfthebetterheis.Doesn’tthatcomfortyounow,Bob?"

           "Notatall,"saidI."Thebetteramanisthemorehehastoliveupto.Ifindthatratherstrenuousandaboreanyway."

           "Wonderful!He’sphilosophizing,Otto!He’ssavedalready,"saidLenz."Theworstisover—thecrisisisover—he’spastthebirthdayhourwhenamanlookshimselfintheeyeandfindsthatafterallheisonlyapoormutt...Nowforthedailyroundwithaquietmind,andtotheoldCadillactooilhisinnards."

           Weworkedtilldusk,thenwashedanddressed.