In Berlin, only the Späti still has rolls
The first supermarket purchase after the holiday has just been done, there is no bread intentionally in any of the bags, that’s even better from the Aufback-Baker around the corner. The disillusionment follows in front of his front door: company holidays – for two whole weeks. A boy barely older than six or seven is walking away with an empty bag.
When he sees that I’m studying the info posted in the shop window, he exclaims: “That sucks!” In a way, yes, but there are far worse things. Because he WILL learn that soon enough, I just shrug my shoulders in agreement: Can’t do anything. Lost in thought, he whirls around his own axis and lets the empty bag flap in the wind.
What remains now is a Späti, which offers passable rolls. However, the display is already quite plundered, only three rolls, sprinkled with different kernels, are there. When asked whether two of these specimens are sesame buns, the saleswoman behind the small counter first raps harshly on one of the pieces with her tongs to confirm and then, no less roughly, on the front bun, which is one to trade in sunflower seeds. The blow created a crater on its surface that resembles a distorted grin.
“These are still mine!”
“Hey, don’t hit me like that,” I say – not only in a friendly way, but with a smile that leaves no doubt that it was joking. The woman replies: “These are still mine!” Another customer in overalls, who is waiting for his bockwurst to be warmed up, laughs heartily.
She still hovers the tongs menacingly over the relevant baked goods. Before she strikes another blow, I’ll let you know that I’m interested in trading. The two sesame buns change hands for 1.30 euros. The fate of the sunflower remains open.
On the way back, big-city phenomena accumulate, which were not missing on vacation: While the practiced gaze automatically turns back to the ground in order to be able to avoid the anti-personnel mines of the dogs, a frail man has to slalom his walking frame around in the way steer e-scooters around.
In the meantime, two drivers hiss at each other on the narrow side street because neither was willing to wait in a wider spot to let the other pass. The no-parking zones planned for this are parked up anyway. When cut open, the rolls make a dry impression. But in the end they taste a lot better than expected.