Chapter 39

Despite persistent rumours of Italian inefficiency, I was quite impressed by the progress they had made during the afternoon.

"Hi, love. Doesn't it look lovely?"

Three sections were already installed, and I could imagine how it would all look. "It looks very fine, dear."

"I'm glad you came 'round. See, they are going to work all hours, and I have told them they can sleep here. They have brought air mattresses and sleeping bags. That way they save the money for a hotel."

"That makes sense. With this kind of job your main interest is to bring home as much money as possible."

"Just what they said. I'd like to treat them to a dinner at some cafeteria, where they will be allowed to come in their working clothes. Would you be a darling and pick us up at about seven? I can't have them in the Alfa Romeo, you know."

"Sure. Ask them if they want to eat Danish or Italian, then I'll book a table. It IS Friday, you know."

"I already asked them. They'd like to try Danish."

"OK. I'll be by the front door at seven sharp."

"You are a darling. See you at seven, then."

It was a lovely spring afternoon, so I drove slowly around in the harbour area, which was going to be my new neighbourhood, and I certainly looked forward to live there. New buildings were being put up; small squares with trees were either finished or still being worked on. And Copenhagen centre was 5 minutes away on a bicycle! On weekdays you can easily spend 10 minutes trying to find a parking space. We should not make much use of our cars, but we should have to acquire a couple of city-bikes.

When I returned to the house, dad wanted to talk to me. I lay down on the sofa, so I could rest while we were talking.

"First of all, son, thank you for this afternoon. It was divine."

"You know, you're welcome, dad. There will be other occasions, I promise."

"Thank you. I shall appreciate that. I wanted to talk to you about something completely different. Are you in the mood for some business talk?"

"Sure, at least if it is not too complicated."

"Naaah, even you will be able to follow me. I didn't have time to tell you, this afternoon. Close your eyes and relax."

He proceeded to tell me about a young man, who had just joined 'the other side'. He had started out as a computer programmer, and had later been promoted to higher posts in his company, which was an American subsidiary. He and dad had discussed the economic possibilities in the computer market, and Alex was very frustrated, that he could not make contact with his parents. He had said to dad: "Now that I can see what's going on in laboratories and boardrooms all over the world, and I'm trained to interpret what it means, it's so bloody frustrating, that I can't even tell my parents, where they could quadruple their money in a very short time."

The reason he had confided in dad, was that rumours on their side had it, how he was in close contact with his son, and Alex wanted to learn how to.

"You see, son, it was too tempting for me. I made a proposal to Alex. Now you can think about it. If in some way you can bring Alex in contact with his parents, the deal is that he will tell you everything he can predict from what he observes around the world. I don't have to tell you what a huge advantage it would be, if you would know two weeks earlier, that a company brings out a new item, or that their net result has exploded."

"I can see that, dad. His predictions would be hugely more precise than yours. But have you considered how long time it took me to be able to have direct contact with you?"

"Yes, I have, and I know it would be too long time. I have brought Alex here; he's sitting in the chair by the TV. Would you talk to him for a little while?"

"Sure, but how can I do that? You're the only one I can tune in on."

"That's exactly how it can be done. When I open my mind to Alex, I can let his thoughts flow through me, so you can receive them, almost as if they were my own. Are you willing to try?"

"You're sure it won't do any harm to our communication?"

"Not a bit."

"OK. Let's try."

There was a short stop in his thoughts. A little later I could feel, that it was another person talking to me. His words came faster, and there was a funny quiver to them.

"Hello, Mr. Hansen. This is Alex."

"Hello, Alex."

"You should make me so happy, if you can bring me in some kind of contact with my parents."

"I should think so, Alex. I know how happy it has made me and my dad."

"I know it will take a very long time to reach that kind of insight, but for a start I would love it, if I can bring them messages through you, until one day they can receive themselves."