Postcard from... The Morning After

(On the Berlin S-Bahn, between Humboldthain and Nordbahnhof)

Man 1: Did you have a good New Year’s Eve?
Man 2: Not bad. With the family. How about you?
Man 1: I was in bed by eleven. Couldn’t sleep though. Not with all the fireworks…
Man 2: How come you went to bed early? I thought you were meeting the others?
Man 1: (shakes head) I wasn’t in the mood.

(Pause while Man 2 looks in his bag for a second or two before returning to the conversation empty handed)

Man 1: I mean. There’s not much to look forward to, is there?
Man 2: No?
Man 1: The things you read.
Man 2: You mean crime. Things like that. Yesterday, in the paper, there was this story…
Man 1: No. Not crime. The weather. Look at the weather.

(They both look out of the window, but in the meantime the train has entered a tunnel)

Man 1: Time was, winter in Europe was winter. Not this shit. And then they wonder why the ice caps are melting. Floods in England. And for what? So we can have more, more, more…? 
Man 2: You do think that. Christmas-time especially.
Man 1: Yep. Just so those fellas… Microsoft, Amazon, Google… just so they can buy a fifth house. A sixth. Makes you sick.
Man 2: No one needs that many houses… Two, maybe. For the weekend…
Man 1: And the floods. They have them in England now. But we will get them soon. Half of Meck-Pomm under water. Half of Belgium. France. We don’t learn. The water has to go somewhere. Has to.
Man 2: I suppose you are right.

(Recorded voice announces the train’s imminent arrival at Nordbahnhof station)

Man 2: You at work tomorrow? Shall we watch the football after? 
Man 1: Who’s playing?
Man 2: (shrugs) They’re still playing in England.
Man 1: Water polo.
Man 2: (laughs)
Man 1: OK. I’ll see you there.
Man 2: Till then.
Man 1: Till then.

(They both leave the train at Nordbahnhof and walk down the platform in opposite directions)