The Beggar's Diary, 30.09.2007. - Today is the day. Many, oh so many words have been used to speculate as to what would happen today, but, ironically, the day starts with a process of healing: an orthopaedist takes a look at Filch’s knee at the fyal*f. After the examination ("Does this hurt?” “Yes.” “And how about this?” “YES!!!"), Ulli concludes there’s no damage done, but he does prescribe some rest. "Well, I'm sure that won't be a problem," says Filch.
Robert, the forklift driver of Gustav Metzger's stones, has come to say goodbye to Filch. He wants to drive him to the Spiekerhof.
A group of people has come to say goodbye and the fyal turns into one big gathering. When it’s time to go, Robert and Filch make sure they have a last bit of fun together (see film). Filch joins Robert only for a short distance, though. He wants to walk the distance one last time.
At the Spiekerhof the scene repeats itself: a lot of people say goodbye, with some people giving him farewell notes, and others some money for a cup of coffee. A woman is interested in Filch as a sculpture, and she wonders where he'll be tomorrow: "That I really don't know." She looks at him sadly, and then gives 4 Euro.
Time flies by, and by 1pm he's ready to leave. At the museum office he picks up a poster of Rijeka and heads for the harbour. He realizes on the way that he no longer has any use for his money, and accordingly he gives it to two young people sitting on public space ground. "Here, have my cup and my money. Please use them."
Anna wants to help him attach the poster, and a photographer from the museum asks if he can take pictures of this last moment. "No problem," Filch smiles enigmatically. They reach their destination and the photographer wants to know how long it will take. "Oh, shouldn't be too long ..."
"This made me think of you and of your plan to drive to Rijeka. When you mentioned it to me, I knew it was not the first time I had heard that name. I have been there, you know. If I am not mistaken, the city was once a beautiful and prosperous place, as one can see from the lost grandeur of the colonial buildings and splendid streets. (...) the sea is still there. And you can still gaze at the silhouettes of the Adriatic islands, the countless bays, and the endless, glittering blue."*
* Constanze, http://beta.thebeggarsopera.org/node/146
"O and the sea the sea crimson sometimes like fire and the glorious sunsets and the figtrees in the Alameda gardens yes and all the queer little streets and pink and blue and yellow houses and the rosegardens and the jessamine and geraniums and cactuses and Gibraltar as a girl where I was a Flower of the mountain yes when I put the rose in my hair like the Andalusian girls used or shall I wear a red yes and how he kissed me under the Moorish wall and I thought well as well him as another and then I asked him with my eyes … *
*Ulysses, by J. Joyce
The water is in front of him, and if he turns around he has a view of Rijeka. "All a beggar needs," he thinks. He's calm. He looks at Anna and the photographer, and then, between two shots of the camera, he's gone.
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