Heike Schulz, slim, small, square face, blond hair, shoulders hanging, short legs, greenish eyes with a cloud of smoke touching her facial expression. Walking slowly with tired eyes, she took the cup from the Coffee Machine, poured it out into her cup that was always standing in the tiny sink underneath the window when not in use, added sugar and milk, sat down on her office chair, grabbed his file slightly dusty and declared: “You are highly qualified and have no job…impossible! Something must be wrong with you. I sentence you to work in one of our Places to make you work again.”
On a small sheet of paper did she hand him out the address where to report the next morning. Years back when about to finish school she had come to the conclusion to work for the State in a Social Security Office would be far better for her than working in the private sector or even making herself self-employed. All she wanted in and from life was a regular income and never to become unemployed having to face financial hardship and shame. It was in her best interest, so she thought, to accept being bossed around by the laws and regulations of work in the public sector receiving limited payment with no chance to expose her GOD given talents in exchange for a consistent monthly pay check.
She had never given a thought to the idea that she was made for a purpose, carried a special assignment in her body and soul. Deep down in her covered up by excuses of fears of life, she had always known that for a society it is not necessary and good that one person for thirty or forty years before retirement does the same job or line of job but uses his talents to bring out what GOD has planted inside. Heike Schulz had learnt to hate everyone that tried to step outside the comfort zone accepted by the society and used as a rule for the average persons to fail on its way to greatness. For her to face herself each morning in the bath-room mirror, the same routine over and over again, boring to the extent that caged herself in a framework of ‘this is done like that always’ attitude of non-improvement but preserving the status quo to make her life work for her.
Public Officers in Berlin had different body shapes and unity faces and expressions how they came about their daily work, year in, year out with the final climax to retire with a stable but limited pension to wait for ten or twenty more years in simplicity of mind before it was time to say good bye to the light on earth and see the darkness inside a coffin.
“Yes, I read the article about the young man that made it came from nowhere and made it to became a rich man…astonishing, I would not have the courage and energy to do that,” did she confess in her morning brake standing side by side to Gerd Muenster and Werner Petzold, two of the colleagues she had celebrated many Christmas with.
“It is only right and fair that the once that are strong in society have to carry the greatest tax burden and contribute at a higher percentage to the State Budget that people with a very modest income like us,” commented Gerd Munster the article in the morning papers standing against the small kitchen table to see the calendar hanging on the wall with an impressive photograph of sunshine on a sandy beach on the Bahamas. “People that can afford such beautiful vacations truly have the obligation to share their wealth with us more than we have to share with others below our living standard.”
Werner Petzold came in and asked:” Is it not right to support those who have made it from nobody to somebody and encourage them to use their extra-profit to invest more and lift us all up instead of taking away un-proportionally what they have gained. This would encourage more people to follow them as they can see that work pays off and is not a punishment by society.”
“Werner, my good old friend,” walked Heike Schulz closer to him holding her Cup of Coffee tied in her both hands to keep herself warm,” do not blind yourself and look around this small world we live in here in the office a reflection of the world outside there. Who of us does not know that when a dreamer is working hard he can succeed and we all applause him for new products and services to make our lives easier. But if we allow these people to get away with it just like that without taken the advantage of being many, more than these lucky once, to regulate them by the law and ask for over proportionally higher tax contribution. Every Politician in a Democracy knows, it are the rich people that direct the way of political decisions but it are the majority of the people voting them into Parliament…and the majority in our society are simple, ordinary people like us that want a good life, a good job, always money at the end of the months in our bank account, accepted status by society, promotion accordingly to our age and not by our performance…that is the reality of life and so it will be always.”
She laughed twisting his pointing finger with eye brows up, pushed her right elbow into his rips and went to the door seeing her clients as she called them waiting on the light brown benches for their money to feed themselves. Unexpectedly did she stood still, turned around in the door frame, looked back into the tiny Pantry and added with a giggling voice: “This world, let me tell you, is ruled by Average…average men and women that want nothing but to survive until their time has come to leave this earth again…and not by the few Heroes that we admire so much. Take my word for it! In all countries around the world it is the same picture no matter the political system, Average is there to stay forever and ever. Heroes came and go, the Average is consistent and always.” Heike Schulz left the room to walk with hanging shoulders back to her office at the end of the corridor, her second home with no fresh air to breath, with the same faces every day, the same files, the same procedures, the same coffee machine, the same coffee bought every two weeks from the collected coffee money contributed to by all colleagues.
She opened the door to her office by saying: “It will always be the same… so who is next?”
“Tell me,” said Werner Petzold during Lunch Brake sitting before the standard meal with no taste, flavor or creativity, day in and day out the same food in the Office Canteen, the same faces, the same sad looks of dampness, the same dark clouds over their heads, the same gestures, the same conversations and continued,” why do the rich people have to pay more tax percentage wise in progressive upwards manner and not we, the lower paid work force in our society?”
Heike Schulz was shocked, her fork dropped, her eyes shouted on him in disbelieve. She raised her eye brows, felt her running heart beat in her chest and responded: “Strong shoulders can carry more than we. So, why should these rich people not have to contribute more to the expenses of our society than us small people down at the bottom of the economy?”
“But…but,” tried Werner Petzold to interrupt her.
“Nothing but…but…there is no such thing,” did she cut him short. “All Parties in our country and all political Parties around the world do the same. So, what is wrong with that? … or I better ask, what is wrong with you?”
She wanted to get up in anger, but he pulled her down wanting to ensure that the people around do not hear what he has to say and continued his questions:” When someone is rich, it is because he has started a company on his own to make big money or he inherited it from his family, may be his father…is that correct?”
“Yes, I guess so unless he is a famous Singer or other form of Artist,” answered Heike Schulz. “I think that is how it is in life.”
“Fine,” sat Werner Petzold closer to her and explained himself in a quiet tone:” Ok, that means at the start of any company or big money is a person that triggers the process, right?”
“Sure!”
“Why is it that not all people trigger this process and become rich to that in the end they also can contribute much to the State Budget to finance the country’s expenses?” Werner Petzold did not want to give up his idea but reach the bottom of the matter raised.
“Not all of us are talented in the same way and not everyone is ready or willing or both to take the risk to make him self-employed with rich money in the end of when making a mistake, sentenced to life in poverty,” was Heike Schulz’s only answer while she waved her colleague Sabine Dietrich a friendly ‘Hallo’ that passed her table and greeted her.
“Ok,…ok, I hear you…so we talk about Talent and performance…right?”
“Yes, I guess so.”
“No, everyone on earth was made for a reason, right?” asked Werner Petzold seeing the time for Lunch break was nearly coming to an end.
“Everyone was made…yes, I guess for a reason…otherwise why should I be here and talk to you?”
“Ok, …ok, I hear you. So that means everyone has a talent of a certain kind as everyone has an assignment to be here on earth.”
“Mmh….mmh…mmh, this seems to be obvious,” did she stumble to knowing exactly what he was up to and how best to respond to his strange contribution.
“Ok,…ok, so it is clear that nobody was assigned and born for to be a life-time an Officer in a Social Security Office, a Taxi Driver, a Teacher, any Public Officer and so on, but in everyone is a special, creative and talented assignment that over time any human being has the chance to uncover, nurture, develop and exploit to his or her own benefit.”
Heike Schulz turned around and asked him straight looking into his eyes: “What do you want to tell me, Werner? Or do you just want to make me angry…if so, you decently are going to succeed.”
“Oh, no, it is not like that,” did Werner Petzold try to cool her down,”…it is only that I want to understand what is going on in this world as it is and what could go on in this world if we all…I am inclusive all of us accept our special assignment given, work on it, bring it to light, bring out the power and spirit of change implanted in it to work…what a wonderful and powerful world this our planet would be instead of being inhabited by mostly people that spend their entire life being cowards, anxious, lazy and what have you not, living like aunts in the millions on the ground, like grey people, once dead, forgotten forever, no legacy left behind for the next generation to stand on and bring this world unto its next level. So many employed CEOs of big companies with big salary that have never ever developed a product or service, that have never had any copyrights and trademarks on their own achieved but with their position and implanted power are strong in society, are looked up to … while the truth of the matter is simply, these big bosses are not really talented, they only are clever to reach the top and listen to the words and ideas of the people around them making their ideas their own, communicate them with their assigned to power of their position to make them stand out knowing to well, no idea they bring out originates from them.”
Heike Schulz got up in anger and shouted:” You are mad!” She turned her back to him to leave him standing behind her with open mouth.
Werner Petzold whispered to himself for nobody to hear: “Manfred Koehnlechner…remember his life…and forget about Joseph Ackermann!”
“Yesterday, let me tell you the truth, you really made me angry with your stupid ideas,” confessed Heike Schulz pouring hot coffee into the cup of Werner Petzold smiling angrily at him. She cut the cake she had baked the night before as a treat to her colleagues.
“If you do not mind, I wonder that in the societies around the world not the best in their fields rule over their people. The most qualified business men, scientist, artists and intellectuals shy away from top political positions like Presidents and Ministers but prefer to stay a life-time with their job chosen,” he mentioned enjoying the sweet, creamy coffee and well baked apple crumble that he liked so much.
“I do not know…and I have no interest to think about such useless issues, my Dear,” turned Heike Schulz her back on him, covered the rest of the cake in foil, put it into the small fridge underneath the window opening up the view into the back yard of the building erected with yellow, light stones. “That should normally be of nobodies interest as after all, it does not change anything in this world.”
Werner Petzold took his yoghurt out from the fridge, opened it, took a plastic spoon and started to say:” I think it is because these people know that the majority of voters and citizen are average and expect average as only with average they can relate to while the top people can only relate to top people as they do not want to waste precious life time and be corrupted on their path to glory by simple minds.”
“That is very arrogant of you to say. So, how are you?” asked Heike Schulz feeling hate against his comments in her heart but she had learnt in the Office to discipline herself and allow nonsense as she called it to be spoken for the spirits to hear and follow up on. She sat down on the kitchen chair, looked out into the back yard watching the Gardeners to cut the grass, collect the cut into big bags ready for collection by the Garden Authority of the local Government of Hamburg to convert it to rich fertilizer to use in the State owned Nurseries that produced plants and flowers for green areas of the second largest German city. Her mind went out into the blue sky that had appeared this Monday Morning imagining what she will do once on pension with freedom and unlimited choice to do whatever she was not able to do while having to work to earn a living. Everything she missed, that is what she would do once free to decide about her own time and what to do with it; she would fill her last years on earth to make all her dreams come true, was she certain in her heart.
Werner Petzold disturbed her thoughts by saying:” Time that has passed, cannot be recovered in future. What someone does not do today as he wants it but delays to tomorrow, tomorrow it will not be the same as we have moved on in our perception to experience life, in other words, we will see things very differently, that can be bad or beneficial, but it will never be the same. What you can do today, do not delay until tomorrow as our saying goes.”
“Since when,” turned Heike Schulz away from the window,” have you become a Philosopher? You are paid for to do your simple routine job each and every day without thinking too much about the sense behind it as long as other people tell you what you have to do, that’s is all you need to know and to do; simple as that. Do not torcher your brain too much with things you cannot change and have no control about.”
“Sorry, to bother you, Heike,” did he sit down across her holding to his empty cup of coffee looking over to her,” I want more than that in life…I want now more coffee and more cake.” He smiled all over his face to see that she had stopped looking depressed and started to laugh loud with him.
“You are truly a sweet mouth, Werner,” was she challenged, got up, poured hot coffee into his cup, sliced a big piece of apple crumble and presented both in front of him.
He gave thanks, waited a few seconds before commenting again:” When we are all on this planet born as small children naked, innocent, not knowing anything about life and its challenges and benefits even into vast different families and in different countries, in the end it is clear to me that GOD has given each and every one of us our own very agenda, our assignment to achieve certain special goals to make this world for all of us a better place, to make it more beautiful, more colourful, more creative with inbuilt capacity to identify society and economic problems, come up with fast developed ideas and their implementation to bring the human race even faster and more to higher and higher level of its development close to perfection.”
Heike Schulz took his right arm, felt his pulse and said:” Werner, now you really have become a mad person, seriously mad.”
“I just want to know!”
“This world is not ‘to know’, this world is to function and to be inhabited…no place to think too much. Thinking is only for a few among us, but nothing for us here. We are robots in an endless chain of regulations, of ‘so it must be done’ situations. We have to function well and not to think well or discover the secrets of life and our life in particular. Too much thinking makes someone too much mad!”
Werner Petzold laughed that his apple crumble was clearly to be seen in his mouth just before it got swallowed. He needed to take coffee, pulled himself together again and continued his questions:” But Life is not about stupidity, life is very much living every moment its own identity or the life of others to whatever extend. The reason for my life here is to live my own life and not the one of others. So, even we are all born into various different backgrounds and circumstances determining our thinking, actions and possibilities, that we have the duty, the responsibility as individual humans during the course of our life to discover the true meaning of our existence and subsequently the responsibility to follow up our findings and go the way we are born to go with all involved consequences may they please us or not in order to justify that life has been given to us? Otherwise we would be very ignorant and egoistic as regards to GOD’s will and creation set in us as we would only use the easy way out and come up with excuses why certain things we feel deep inside us that make us really could not have been exposed and seen the light of the day to make a positive impact to change our and other people’s life to bring the human race it higher and higher levels… .”
“…close to perfection…I know… I hear you!” interrupted Heike Schulz him as time run out of the morning break and clients waited for her to continue working on their files as usual.
“As long as everyone get from an open society the chance sooner or later in his or her life to move forward and on to the top in economic, artistic and political life, we all should be challenged to achieve the best and fulfill our GOD given mandate, work hard and through any obstacles standing in our way to justify life given to us. The once of us that are, for reason of laziness, wanting a comfortable easy life or not willingness to learn, improve and see the beautiful colours and flowers inside us to make life a better place, should silently step aside and allow the strong, determined and inspired once to lead us to greener pastures, show them respect, trust their in betted powers and spirits, instead of torturing them with unjustified high taxes progressively to be paid, the economic decision they take that always have the potential risk to fail but with not trying no progress can ever be made and economic failures is a vital part of a learning process at which end a sustainable better for all of us will stand.”
“I am telling you again, Werner,” did she turn around in the door frame seeing at the end of the floor twenty people on the hard benches sitting and waiting for her to continue her work,” we are here not to think, we are here to give all these people their monthly pay check so that they can feed themselves and their family…that is all. Until we retire one day, we do not have to think of better times to come, we must function, obey the laws…that is, so simple and straight forward is life for all of us.”
Werner Petzold got up, looked into her eyes covered in grey clouds, looked down to the tiles of the floor, saw a small red flower as décor on them, lifted up his head, straightened his shoulders to stand mighty upright before her and declared:” I refuse to die dump…I will make a change and justify my life!”