#55 Pfff
Any story has a beginning. Our prelude happened, naturally, in a car factory and museum. As part of the degree Janne and I were studying, we were taken to a trip to Berlin with a stop by Wolfsburg. If you are into German cars, you’d know that this is where the Volkswagen factory is located. They developed a museum with different buildings for each of the brands that they have acquired over the years.
We got off the train, walked to this place and went the reception desk. As we would do almost every day, we were together when doing that. However, I noticed that we had walked faster than the group so we were alone in reception. When getting our passes, I asked her if she wanted to go then or to wait for others (secretly I wanted to go only with her). She immediately said, “let’s go now”.
We first headed to the Volkswagen pavilion. Although VW is not my favorite brand, I have an emotional connection to it. My grandfather was very proud of his German 1973 Beetle. Every time I would see one of those cars, I would think of him. Every day I realize how similar I am to him too and for that I’m happy.
I told Janne so many stories about my grandfather that she felt that she knew him. She managed to meet him a few times in Guatemala. There was that immediate connection between them. My grandfather had this expression to make his hand into a fist with his thumb over his index finger, let his front teeth over his lower lip and push air out to make a sound like “pfff”. This was to indicate that something was superb, the best. Janne adopted that and used it at home. I found that so endearing.
We walked over the whole museum talking about everything and about nothing. I was used to people getting bored or overwhelmed with me. As I mentioned once, I can be very intense. Janne didn’t leave my side as she felt very comfortable with me.
We then headed with the group back to the train and onwards to Berlin. I might write one day about that trip, because it was the spark the ignited our fire of a life together.
Brands can be cold, but the VW logo means so much more for me than for most people. It meant the connection Janne and I made then. That really was a “pfff” day.
