Five friends stay in touch E-Book

Erich Skopek

• Herausgeber: novum publishing
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 163

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

"Five Friends Keep Talking" - what a groundbreaking title for this book, inspired by "The Five Friends" by Enid Blyton, whose stories the author devoured in his childhood. Now Erich Skopek himself embarks on a search for the lost art of togetherness and attempts to revive it. Because, in the author's opinion, genuine relationships with individuals have become rare. Either people have forgotten how to build such togetherness or they are afraid of the effort and expense involved in creating true community. The author is certain that this is why many people today suffer from loneliness and superficial relationships. A small group of friends now proves that it is worth living authentic friendship.

Leseprobe

Remark

All the names and events in this novel are fictitious. Perhaps not all of the latter after all. Only the places and the buildings worth seeing in them actually exist. You can visit and marvel at them at any time.

Prologue

Tolerance becomes such a

level,

that intelligent people

thinking is forbidden,

for the idiots

not to offend.

(Dostoyevsky)

The mother of fools

is always pregnant.

(wisdom of life)

Foreword

Dear reader!

From the time I was able to read coherently, my father took me to the public library in St. Pölten every two weeks. I have many positive memories of the many treasures I discovered there. In the beginning, it was the books about 'The Five Friends' by Enid Blyton that sparked my interest. I looked forward to their adventures from week to week. After that, it was the works of Karl May, with whom I took countless trips to faraway countries, because real journeys there were not as common back then as they are today. It was the time when Winnetou was still allowed to ride and Old Shatterhand was allowed to strike his famous blow with his fist. A time when cultural appropriation was perhaps understood to mean the theft of a painting. And the book 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' by Roald Dahl with the illustration by Horst Lemke did not leave any lasting damage on me, any more than the film version with Johnny Depp in the leading role would have done in later years. Nevertheless, I hope that you will enjoy the following story, even though I have largely refrained from using genders in order to preserve the German language. The same goes for 'political correctness', even if I might get the GeSpraPo, the secret language police, after me for it. I'm not yet afraid that 'cancel culture' will put me in the modern pillory. But in my first two novels, 'Five Minutes Past Twelve' and 'Midnight of the World', I clearly set out how things could go on in our society.

Nevertheless, don't let it spoil the fun and don't put the book down. Because it could really enrich your life, even if this phrase has been misused too often by do-gooders. By this species I don't mean people who really do something good for others, but those who base their actions on a certain, usually left-wing, pattern and then pat themselves on the back self-righteously. People who propagate that the children of foreign citizens or those with disabilities should be taught in public schools that are open to all, but send their own children to expensive private schools. The same people who let their parents drive them to the weekly truancy demonstration in an electric SUV. No, but not with me. The following story is about people who often have different opinions and openly express them, but are still able to build strong relationships. Sometimes they change their minds and sometimes they insist on them. They remain true to themselves and do not bend out of a false sense of tolerance. Even if they sometimes take different paths, they can rely on each other and stand by each other in difficult times. So start reading with courage and expectation.

Departure

It was February 14, 2023, a Tuesday - Valentine's Day. Herbert Meinhardt and Erwin Nemec met for the first time on this day in a coffee house in Mariazell. Meinhardt had his secondary residence in this town (from a purely political point of view). His partner, Christine Bürger, was out and about on a voluntary basis that morning, bringing lunch to elderly people who were no longer able or willing to look after themselves. He was a retired social security employee, but had worked in various jobs in his youth. As a master gardener, he had worked as a plant protection officer at the horticulture college where he had received his training. He then set up a worker for a Christian social foundation in Carinthia, where he looked after young people with learning difficulties in a kind of apprenticeship for their later entry into working life. It should also be mentioned that he worked as a proofreader for a local newspaper for six months. Erwin Nemec was also involved in agriculture. He ran a market garden and also a wine-growing business. He sold his wines three times a year in his own wine tavern, which also served excellent food during this time. He sold the rest to various inns. That's why he came to Mariazell to visit his two customers. Erwin and Herbert had known each other for over forty years, as the gardener had his business in Langenlois am Kamp, where the horticultural college was based. Even though their contact was no longer very close, they had not lost sight of each other over the decades. Herbert would visit Erwin and his wife when he was in Langenlois or on a trip from there to the Kamptal.

Nemec was traveling by train this time, as he had never taken the Mariazell Railway's Himmelstreppe, which offers a wonderful panoramic view of the Dirndl Valley and the foothills of the Alps. He had parked his car in St. Pölten in the parking lot for commuters behind the main train station and then changed to the train. He had gazed in amazement at the landscape and taken a lot of photos, especially of the mountains, with his cell phone. He had had breakfast as soon as he got on the train, having previously bought a blueberry muffin and a coffee to go at the station. His discussions with the innkeepers had been successful and he had even gained a new, third customer in Mariazell. One of his two customers had recommended him to the other and had of course been rewarded with a special discount. The second time that day, the two met at Jagasaftl, a kiosk in the immediate vicinity of the station. Due to the extreme weather conditions, the train was half an hour late. The famous Mariazell Jagasaftl, a digestible stomach liqueur made from sixteen different herbs, looks back on eighty years of history and is often bought by tourists. But the two acquaintances ordered a mug of beer and a shot of apple juice. They decided not to eat, as they were both still full from their extensive breakfast.

Finally, the time had come. After Herbert and Erwin had paid, they walked the few meters to the station. But due to the thick snow and the stormy wind, which whirled the flakes around violently, this short walk was a bit of a challenge. The train had already arrived and Herbert and Erwin boarded the first carriage and made themselves comfortable. They unpacked the sweets and drinks they had bought in the kiosk and waited for the train driver, who had already greeted them before boarding. Erwin had already bought his return ticket at the beginning of his journey and Herbert only needed to show his annual climate-ticket. They were denied a view of the landscape by the heavy snow. They reached Mitterbach in a few minutes. At the station, they could dimly see another person getting on. If the weather had been nicer, they would have noticed that the man was carrying two heavy suitcases. Apparently he must have been in the village for some time or perhaps he was from here. The valley station for the cable car to the Gemeindealpe is located in Mitterbach. This mountain is the best known of the ski mountains on the Mariazellerbahn. In winter, the Gemeindealpe offers many opportunities for skiers and snowboarders to practice their sport. But there are also plenty of opportunities for relaxation and fun in summer on this 1,626 meter high mountain. In addition to the extensive panoramic views of the surrounding mountains in all directions, numerous hiking trails invite you to explore the magnificent natural surroundings from early spring to late fall. The mountain cart is a very special attraction. This vehicle takes you quickly down the valley on a five-kilometre gravel track. Herbert had never ridden it before because he thought it was too dangerous. And for younger guests, there is also the popular climbing playground.

But you wouldn't have seen any of that today, even if you had been close enough to the slopes. The masses of snow fell inexorably from the sky and at times the lightning bathed the landscape in a bright light. The thunder that followed did nothing to lighten the mood. The newly boarded passenger must have taken a seat in the other carriage, because Erwin and Herbert didn't get to see him. Not yet. Perhaps that would change during the two-hour journey to the state capital. After the collector had checked their tickets, she talked to them for a short while. As she wanted to turn back towards the train driver, Erwin pointed out the passenger who had just boarded the train. The young woman then turned around and went to the next carriage. She soon came back and said that the control center in St. Pölten had meanwhile announced that the train would arrive in St. Pölten with a long delay. To make use of the time, Erwin took a book out of his bag and Herbert took his smartphone out of his rucksack. This was his trademark and it came in a large and a small format. Today, the large version was in demand. The wise man carries all that is his with him, he often quoted a Latin proverb from antiquity. He didn't think much of philosophies, because their representatives were usually like some doctors, he thought. If you ask three of them about a certain topic, you will get four different opinions. And that's not always helpful, of course. And yet he was happy about the medical profession and medicine, because at the age of sixty-nine he noticed that the body sometimes no longer kept pace with the mind. He had not been able to relate the Bob Dylan song 'Forever Young' to his physical condition for years. However, the medicine he was prescribed helped him physically. By medicine, however, he only understood so-called conventional medicine - unfortunately a term from the brown moth box - and not 'fake remedies' from esoterics and con artists, even if they were prescribed by people in white coats. He was deeply opposed to sugar pellets and any healing methods from distant countries that sounded esoteric. He didn't think much of herbal active ingredients either, even though he was aware that many of the active ingredients found in tablets, injections and ointments were modeled on those found in nature. The pharmaceutical industry was always on the lookout for active ingredients found in plants or animals, which could then be produced and used in large quantities for the benefit of humans. But tablets were easier to dose and were often better tested in clinical trials than natural remedies. He was of course aware that his effective medicines also had side effects, but compared to the benefits and quality of life they guaranteed, he considered these to be negligible. And it was also right for him that only such industrially produced medicines were paid for by the statutory social insurance system and not any beads and tinctures prescribed by quacks or methods highly praised by them.

Suddenly the train stopped in Gösing. They would soon find out why. Due to the immense snow drifts, it was impossible to make any further progress today. As darkness would soon fall, it was impossible to clear the rail network of snow. It was simply too dangerous to clear the tracks of the drifts on the same day. When the train attendant had finished speaking, the passenger who had boarded in Mitterbach entered the compartment where Herbert and Erwin were sitting. He dragged his two heavy suitcases along, panting. The young train attendant had to repeat her message. The man with the suitcases reacted very angrily. He had to get to St. Pölten today to be able to attend an important business meeting early in the morning, he said angrily and took a seat in the compartment. The two acquaintances looked at each other questioningly and it was clear from their expressions that they were not happy about his presence. And they were proved right in their suspicions. As they continued their conversation and talked about organic trends, the often misquoted sustainability and regional economies, the new passenger frequently interrupted the lively conversation they had started in the Jagasaftl with false and one-sided reports. It soon became clear to both of them that the man had no idea what he was talking about, like so many people who, parrot-like, only parrot what green NGOs say due to their ideology. They clearly asked the newcomer to refrain from his interjections. It turned out that he was a representative for biological fertilizers and pesticides. However, as he did not comply with the request to remain silent, they interrupted the discussion and adjourned it to a later time. When the train attendant pointed out to the passengers that there was a hotel in the town, but that it had been closed since July 2022 due to a shortage of workers, the new arrival reacted even more indignantly than before. He complained vehemently about the circumstances and when his words threatened to escalate, Herbert silenced him and asked him again to return to the other carriage. But as he apparently couldn't be without an audience, he remained seated and began to search for information on his smartphone. But it didn't have any other news for him either.

He tried several times to persuade Erwin and Herbert to leave the train with him and see if they could enter the hotel. Of course, that would have been trespassing. The train attendant checked on the stranded passengers several times, but had nothing positive to report. There was no catering on the train, so they had to do without food and drink, as their meagre supplies were soon used up. Once again, Mr. Peter Schwaiger, as the man with the unqualified remarks had introduced himself, began to rant loudly about the situation. The two acquaintances immersed themselves in their reading again without paying any attention to Mr. Schwaiger. Herbert began to read up on the technical data of the train on the screen in the train. The route from Mariazell to St. Pölten main station is 91.1 kilometers long. This narrow-gauge railroad with a track gauge of 760 millimetres reaches a maximum speed of 80 km/h. As Herbert was about to look at further details about the train, the screen suddenly went dark and the light in the carriage went out. And it wasn't long before the young woman, holding a brightly lit flashlight in her right hand, informed those present that the power had gone out. But she couldn't say how long the outage would last. There was no emergency generator on the train, so they had to make do without heating and lighting. Apart from the battery-powered emergency lighting, it began to get darker and darker as even the sparse light shining in from outside finally went out.

The fact that the initial situation could deteriorate so much in such a short space of time was not to be expected. As was to be expected, Mr. Schwaiger once again began to rant about the weather and the train operator, who was really not responsible for the driving snow. His request to finally get off the train and try to find an entrance to the hotel sounded like a mantra. He repeated the sentence like a Tibetan prayer wheel: Maybe there's a key hidden somewhere. Herbert and Erwin didn't think it was a good idea to give in to this idea. When the train driver finally came into the compartment, he also tried to dissuade Mr. Schwaiger from this idea. He once again informed the passengers about the current situation and concluded by saying that this was going to be an unpleasant night. With no food, no drink and no heating, spending the night on the train was certainly not going to be a bed of roses. And, of course, it was still up in the air when we would be leaving for St. Pölten tomorrow. Without interrupting his loud moaning, the grumbling passenger put on his jacket and prepared to leave the carriage. When the two fellow passengers saw this, they didn't have the heart to leave him alone and accompanied the disgruntled passenger outside. Before doing so, they had asked the train attendant for her flashlight, as the night was pitch black. Only the thick snow brought a glimmer of light into the dark night. The main entrance to the hotel was, of course, locked. Together they walked around the building without finding an unlocked entrance. When they finally came to a small door that was only locked with a padlock, Mr. Schwaiger searched for a tool to break it open. Using a cramp he found in a tool shed, he was finally able to force the door open. Of course, he left a lot of damage to the entrance.

But there was only one flight of stairs leading down from the door, which ended in the cellar. There they found enough food supplies and candles. They just had to hope that the cellar door was not locked so that they could enter the hotel. They were lucky, but the hotel was also pitch black and when they found the switch box with the fuses after a long search, they realized that the power supply had been switched off. This meant that they had to do without electric light and cooking. Only a large number of candles, which had apparently been stored for candlelight dinners, were available to the three companions. The mood was literally in the cellar and Peter Schwaiger moaned almost incessantly. It was only when they made their way to the guest rooms and saw the beds with cushions and comforters that Peter calmed down. Of course, the beds were not made up, but that was the least of the problems for the three trespassers. Herbert made his way back to the train with his flashlight to report to the staff. The train driver and the train attendant stayed on the train, as was to be expected. Herbert went back to the hotel, where Peter and Erwin had discovered a small wood-burning stove and some fuel. There was now nothing standing in the way of a small hot meal. They quickly fetched some tins from the cellar and Erwin conjured up a spicy stew. The pot, plates and cutlery were quickly found in the kitchen. Although there was no side dish, everyone was happy about the warm meal and thanked Erwin profusely for it. For dessert, there was a canned peach compote. As the water had also been turned off, there was no need to wash up afterwards. Cleaning the dishes with snow was too tedious for the three of them and they didn't want to waste the small supply of wood on hot water.