das letzte Abendmahl

Monday, Dec 19 

Bleary eyed and panicked, we raced into the breakfast room the moment the doors opened at 6:30. Our last breakfast in this magnificent room and we had only 15 min to eat it. Terrible pressure. I hastily ordered our latte macchiatos. The omelet man wasn’t at his pan yet, so no eggs. Green apple muesli, uber salty bacon, three soft cheeses, one croissant, and a bowl of pineapple, cantaloupe, and honeydew. Coffee here is served in the tiniest cups, but at breakfast latte macchiatos come in what I’d call an iced tea glass, 6” tall. I have to hold it at the top where the foam is so it’s not too hot. There are so many things I haven’t caught on to.

We waved fond farewells to Roberts and at 6:45 the four patients with one guest each piled into the Flehmer taxi. There was a lot of chatter. Clearly some have never read Proverbs 27:14. Off to Stenum hospital where each of the four had their final x-rays, bloodwork, and met with the surgeon. The Dr discussed what the next months would look like for Rylan. Not to lift anything over five pounds for the next two months. Rylan looked horrified and said that we have a chubs five month old. The Dr grinned and said in his basic English, “Oh yes, holding baby good for you. I tell you, you must hold baby to get better. But nothing else, and no twisting or rocking the baby.” Also not to lift heavy, e.g. cutting cars open with jaws of life, for a minimum of six months. Other basic instructions, a bag full of meds, and we were back in Bremen by 10:30. 

Massage and physio came shortly after that so I hoofed it on foot over to some of my favourite haunts. Hit the Tintin store in the Schnoor again, and found another alley narrower than what we’d seen previously. At the tightest spot my shoulders were rubbing buildings on either side of the street for several feet. Back over to the main square/Galleria where Rylan arrived by taxi. We munched on our final favourites: currywurst, crepes with kinder chocolate and strawberry slices, and Eierpunsch. Actually we did not like the eggnog. Too stout. But now it’s off the bucket list and nobody knows how much went down the drain at the edge of the cobblestone street. One more trek back to Schnoor for a latte macchiato at Katzen Cafe. Another couple was wanting to eat at Katzen Cafe but couldn’t fit their baby stroller down the alley to the front door so had to change their plans. 

I've been walking around with Rylan for 15 years now. I've been tilting my head at the same angle for 15 years, knowing without knowing exactly where in my peripheral vision I would catch his eye. And now it's different. When we climb the steps from the river up to the Weser Promenade his face is not where I expect. I tip my head sideways another fraction, and then turn to see where exactly his eyes are. It's unnerving, honestly. I'm a ship adrift. Pretty soon I'll be lodged sideways in a canal, too, so off balance I am. 

Rylan took a taxi back to the hotel for a breather and I meandered slowly past a few more shops in the direction of the Park Hotel. I video called my sisters for the last 25 minutes so they could walk with me past the gun store, the two beggars, one homeless person sleeping on the bridge in front of the windmill, and on up through the Hauptbahnhof over to the hotel. My watch said I walked 7 miles today. 

We had our last supper in the atrium of the hotel, overlooking the pond and the not-fountain, beside the Christmas tree. A Herculean frenzy of packing ensued. The taxi will pick us up at 4:30 a.m. for the airport and then we will wave goodbye to Germany.