Arnon

What do you think this incident and conclusion tells you about the world as a whole?

My grandmother on father's side turned 89 today. I rarely see her (once every 5e years, maybe) but I paid her a visit today.
It was fun. At some point she said "I''ve always been very angry with your mother, you know." (which I knew, but I pretended I didn't) "It's her fault your dad killed himself." In therapy we call this "a breakthrough"

Kevino

I prefer to limit my conclusions to this particular branch of Western Union.

Judging by the URL is this blogpost #1000. If so that is quite an accomplishment.

Western Union normally works fine. It is very popular between immigrants.

Mighty Mouse

So here it is then, the banks finally admit they and we as the whole world have all these years been governed by the big mouse, who's been eating away at our fine cheese, for which we saved, and now we are left with nothing but the holes in the cheese, and the mouse has broken, it is about time to don the helmet and run for the hills.
I wish bankemployees, or any other unhelpfull caller on some anonymous phone would take the effort to put some thought into an explanantion for malfunction.

Yesterday, on the ICE train to Frankfurt, a man decided to take my travelling bag (quite heavy) from the seat next to mine and let it drop onto my stomach because I had been listening to music while looking out of the window. He told me angrily that I provoked him by shutting myself out from my environment and blinding myself with the help of my mp3-player. I answered, that I would have preferred a tap on the shoulder.

Juliane

Could you tell us a little bit more about this man?

Bernard

I know. I used Western Union in Baghdad.

Arnon

He must have been in is late forties or early fifties, wore glasses and was bald except for a well cut rim of hair around his head which matched his equally well-cut moustache. After letting the bag fall onto my stomach he let himself fall onto the vacant seat. What I didn't like was, that he looked me directly in the eye while speaking. But he didn't take any further notice of me after I refused his help with putting my travelling bag onto the baggage rack. He read the free Bahn magazine until a had to get off at Bonn and left a lot of space between me and himself despite being not exactly skinny. I think it must have cost him some effort to act like he did which made him appear like someone who planned their angriness.

I had chosen to hand my travelling bag to a man with even less hair (who I had mistaken for a friend of the angry man) standing in the aisle who smiled and laughed all the time, chatted with all people around him and seemed to be interested in everything. When I left the train he told me in his broad Hessian dialect "Ned alle Männä sin' so bös'." (Not all men are that mean)

Juliane

What are you doing in Frankfurt?
And is it possible the bald man was flirting with you?

I once used Western Union. They needed so much information I wondered if it was worth the fuzz. I received the cash, but to this day I think of it as clandestine. I kept all the receipts.

I live here with my boyfriend one half of the week.

He just seemed to be good-humored as he addressed everyone around him in an equal manner even though I'm not sure if there were any men among them. (You do mean the one with absolutely no hair and the Hessian dialect, don't you?)

Juliane

Yes that's the person I meant.
How is your boyfriend?

Arnon

He's fine. Thanks for asking.

Juliane

Do you still want to get rid of him?

Arnon

If I remember correctly I said that he wasn't healthy for me, not that I wanted to get rid of him. What I want depends on my current self-perception, I'm afraid. Or the weather. So my answer to your question is neither a yes nor a no.