Ewa Maria Slaska

Again

Again, because it is so nice to write about Silly Billy in the time when everything is not very nice… Do not forget it is November, it is cold and it is raining in Berlin, and Lars Gustavsson says us already years ago, there is entrance to the Hades somewhere in Berlin on a rainy November night…

But one knows his own tristesse and proper remedy as well… I go to IKEA an buy a black umbrella for the black protest.

And make these photo.

I did my shopping and stood in a long line in front of cash register as I saw the nice arranging of items, a glas, a Neapolitan flip coffee pot and a Bonsai. I liked it, so I asked a young Spanish looking man with a hair like Angelo Branduardi, whether I could make foto? You have something for drinking water or wine, I said, something to make coffee and on the top of it a plant. It looks like happy and marry life.
Yes, answered Branduardi, and in the box here I have book shelves, so the idea of happy life could be complete. O, I asked, which book shelves? Billy?

Sure, Billy…

So very nice and merry…

Then I go to visit Mo&Mi in their new flat.
O, Billy, I said.
O no, said Mo, it looks like but it is not, it is slimmer and higher than true Billy. We just bought it.

But as some are buying new Billy, the other one are throwing it away… I was in a district town hall last Friday. I saw men in overalls carrying a lot of Billys away.

Hi, I said, what happens to that good looking Billy?
Billy? asked one of workers…
Ah, I said. Never mind. What will you do with these bookshelves?
We will transport them to a public waste depony. Why you ask?
It’s pity… There are for sure people in Berlin who will like to have it. Refugees maybe…
So, do write an application to an administration office… We can’t do anything.
O yes, thank you…

I am just going back to the lift as that man stopped me again.
Listen, why did you think my name is Billy?
Me, no, oh, I see, yes, no, never mind, I just thought…

On my way home I look in the web if there are any Billys in Berlin. I got a huge gallery of mostly young men. Noblesse oblige, I will say. All those men are especially let say… billy. Sometimes even purposely done for looking like. If there is any woman in a gallery she is not silly at all. Well, do you know why? Me not…

Going through “billy berlin” I found IKEA Billy on the 6th page. Small one and very modest.