„But this does not happen, I want to look,“ I say in the most
ingratiating tone that I can. That seems to convince her. In any case, she
steps aside and lets me enter. She leads me to the in-house library. Carefully,
I open the door and freeze. From floor to ceiling, all walls full of books.
I’ve really fallen into the cold from the rain, but there, a bright spot: in
the middle of the room, surrounded by all the venerable literature, is a PC. I
pounce on it.
„No, no,“ a thin voice tears from my
hopes, „you cannot do that. The encyclopedia is up there. „I follow
with the eyes of the direction that the small arm points me. At the top are the
dictionaries, meters long. Sighing, I reach for the ladder and climb up,
grabbing band K to use the situation for me, but immediately there is a protest
from below, „This is the wrong band. Over there is the right one. „So
close to the goal, yet I obediently return the volume K to its place like Knurx
and instead take the volume E,“ existentially, „I read,“ to the
immediate and essential existence related, common.“
Relentlessly, the little voice continues,
„And what does that mean now?“
„Well, yes,“ I want to declare
stammering … „concerning you in your heart.“ A voice frees me from
my embarrassment, a deep, calm voice. Out of gratitude for the professor’s
redemptive appearance, I almost forget that I’m still on the ladder. I almost
fell at his feet.
„Oh, you meant that it’s important.“,
The little girl is heard again, „Why did not you say that right
away?“
I diligently pass this unqualified question.
„Professor,“ I turn to the venerable
gentleman, „I come to you with an extremely urgent question.“
„It’s a most curious way to invade my
house,“ he says, „but he accompanies his statement with a highly
derogatory look, „but if you’re here, ask.“
„Tell me, Professor, what is a Knurx?“,
I can finally get rid of my question. „Please what?“ He asks
confused.
„Just a Knurx,“ I reply. I start to get
suspicious.
„Knurx,“ he muses, „maybe an
abbreviation … I did not find that in a recent publication … no, or
…“.
„Dad!“, The little one intervenes,
„Daddy“, and pulls him on the coat.
„Not now,“ says the father, „I have
to think.“
„But dad …“.
„I said, not now, I have to think.“, And
again turned to me, „I have to admit that this terminology is mine – and
it must be one that I am sure – just not present, but I will consult a
specialist colleague. „Embarrassed to be able to give me no information,
yes to have been caught in a knowledge gap, he picks up the phone.
„Colleague,“ he begins, „you know
what a Knurx is. Can you take my memory for granted … but Mr. Colleague,
Knurx. I think I remember the term … well, look it up.“ He seems a
little calmer, because his colleague does not know.
„But dad,“ the little girl insists, but
the professor now has no eye for her. „Aha, I understand a matter of the
highest national importance, a classified thing. Thank you.“ With that he
puts the phone down and turns to me angrily: „You, sir, how come you to
national secrets? The police will come – you do not need to justify yourself.“,
He stops my objection, „Then you can tell everything. That’s how long you
will be my guest.“ When I am led away, I hear a soft behind me,“ But
daddy, that’s all very different. It really knows everyone what a Knurx is …
„
After a two-hour interrogation, and the succinct
statement that I am probably only mentally confused, I am transferred to the
care of my wife. Thank God, finally home. I fall onto the sofa, exhausted,
drained. My daughter walks past me.
„Nathalie,“ I apologize to her,
„please tell me what a Knurx is.“
„But Daddy“ she says disparagingly,
„everyone knows what a Knurx is. A Knurx is someone to love.“
That evening, my daughter found a small message on
her pillow: „You are my Knurx.“
