2025-07-10, 04:12 PM
I am sitting in my favorite coffee house in Salzburg, between Neutor and Pferdeschwemme – world-famous for its milk cream strudel with homemade vanilla sauce. The café is quite busy, with only a few tables still available. The two waitresses, two nice ladies, are quite friendly and serve the customers quickly and skillfully. At the next table, two gentlemen around 65 are sitting and chatting intimately. I think of my long-time best friend Clemens. Will we ever sit here like this? This thought brings a smile to my face. One table further along, in the left corner of an alcove, sits a married couple who don't seem to have much to say to each other.
People watching is my favorite pastime! I just love it! The door opens and two young boys enter the café, walk past me holding hands and sit down at the free, right corner table opposite the couple. My goodness, how the two boys shine. Oh, love is just something beautiful! I estimate them to be around 16. The waitress takes their order in a friendly manner and scurries off grinning. I think to myself: pure harmony! And the service staff also seems to be enjoying it. I let my gaze wander. The two older gentlemen are whispering and one of them gestures covertly to the two. The order is brought. It looks like a double ice cream sundae. A large container, a heart-shaped plastic straw for two and two spoons. The waitress smiles as she wishes them bon appétit. The two look happily into each other's eyes and plant a little kiss on the lips. Then my eyes linger on the husband, who looks anything but friendly.
Oops! I see rejection, hatred, anger! I start to shift nervously on my seat and prepare myself to rush to the lovebirds' aid. The husband is obviously talking himself into a rage with his wife. He's like a pressure cooker that could explode at any moment. The two older gentlemen are obviously hearing what's coming out of the aggressive man's mouth and shaking their heads. Hm, why are they shaking their heads? Because of the boys or the husband? The situation is gradually coming to a head, but the boys are so busy with each other that they don't even notice the approaching disaster. Holding hands, kissing and happily sipping and spooning their ice cream, I catch sight of the two waitresses and see their concern for the boys on their faces. Suddenly, without warning, it breaks over the love couple.
“You abnormal bastards, aren't you ashamed of yourselves! You are so repulsive. Something so disgusting should be banned! You should be beaten to death and thrown on the garbage, you scum, perverted freaks!”
I'm about to jump up when a man of about 40 rushes past me, stands between the two and the aggressor. The boys are shocked at first, then tears run down both of their cheeks.
“My wife and I would be happy to switch tables with you, it's at the other end of the restaurant,” the man says, pointing in that direction. But the husband simply ignores the offer and continues to rant.
Then the man cuts him off and says that he has three children, all of whom are in happy relationships. That's the best thing that parents can experience.” He doesn't get a chance to finish, the husband now gets up and gets really loud! Just as I was about to get up, one of the older gentlemen at the next table stands up, goes behind one of the boys, puts his hands on his shoulder and shouts very loudly in a sonorous voice: “R U H E”. The husband falls silent and looks at the older gentleman in puzzlement. He begins to speak calmly again:
“It doesn't matter whether someone is heterosexual or homosexual. If the love is sincere, honest and deep, then that's the way it is. They have done nothing to you or anyone here! I think it's great that young people feel this love and they should be allowed to show it. And if God, as you say, finds it perverse, then I wonder why he has endowed these two with so much beauty, grace, love and insanely hot bodies. Besides, they were not struck by lightning or otherwise punished by God. For my part, I am proud of my grandson for standing by his love for this boy. I don't expect you to apologize to my grandson and his friend, but I do expect you to pay and then leave, because otherwise I can't and won't guarantee your health, because you should know that I was an instructor for close combat in a special unit of the army until I retired, and if you don't leave immediately, then God help you!” The older gentleman barks the last part rather than says it. The boy drops his head back and looks at the man from below. “Grandpa?”, he breathes in complete surprise. He can't say anything more.
The waitress is already standing by to collect, she already has the bill in her hand, the couple pays and leaves the restaurant. The boy jumps up and falls around his grandfather's neck. He, in turn, strokes his grandson's hair and says with a grin, “May I congratulate you both on your exceptionally good taste!” He winks at the second man and says, “Come here, my boy, let your grandpa-in-law give you a hug.” Grandpa, grandson and friend thank the man, who then goes back to his seat.
People watching is my favorite pastime! I just love it! The door opens and two young boys enter the café, walk past me holding hands and sit down at the free, right corner table opposite the couple. My goodness, how the two boys shine. Oh, love is just something beautiful! I estimate them to be around 16. The waitress takes their order in a friendly manner and scurries off grinning. I think to myself: pure harmony! And the service staff also seems to be enjoying it. I let my gaze wander. The two older gentlemen are whispering and one of them gestures covertly to the two. The order is brought. It looks like a double ice cream sundae. A large container, a heart-shaped plastic straw for two and two spoons. The waitress smiles as she wishes them bon appétit. The two look happily into each other's eyes and plant a little kiss on the lips. Then my eyes linger on the husband, who looks anything but friendly.
Oops! I see rejection, hatred, anger! I start to shift nervously on my seat and prepare myself to rush to the lovebirds' aid. The husband is obviously talking himself into a rage with his wife. He's like a pressure cooker that could explode at any moment. The two older gentlemen are obviously hearing what's coming out of the aggressive man's mouth and shaking their heads. Hm, why are they shaking their heads? Because of the boys or the husband? The situation is gradually coming to a head, but the boys are so busy with each other that they don't even notice the approaching disaster. Holding hands, kissing and happily sipping and spooning their ice cream, I catch sight of the two waitresses and see their concern for the boys on their faces. Suddenly, without warning, it breaks over the love couple.
“You abnormal bastards, aren't you ashamed of yourselves! You are so repulsive. Something so disgusting should be banned! You should be beaten to death and thrown on the garbage, you scum, perverted freaks!”
I'm about to jump up when a man of about 40 rushes past me, stands between the two and the aggressor. The boys are shocked at first, then tears run down both of their cheeks.
“My wife and I would be happy to switch tables with you, it's at the other end of the restaurant,” the man says, pointing in that direction. But the husband simply ignores the offer and continues to rant.
Then the man cuts him off and says that he has three children, all of whom are in happy relationships. That's the best thing that parents can experience.” He doesn't get a chance to finish, the husband now gets up and gets really loud! Just as I was about to get up, one of the older gentlemen at the next table stands up, goes behind one of the boys, puts his hands on his shoulder and shouts very loudly in a sonorous voice: “R U H E”. The husband falls silent and looks at the older gentleman in puzzlement. He begins to speak calmly again:
“It doesn't matter whether someone is heterosexual or homosexual. If the love is sincere, honest and deep, then that's the way it is. They have done nothing to you or anyone here! I think it's great that young people feel this love and they should be allowed to show it. And if God, as you say, finds it perverse, then I wonder why he has endowed these two with so much beauty, grace, love and insanely hot bodies. Besides, they were not struck by lightning or otherwise punished by God. For my part, I am proud of my grandson for standing by his love for this boy. I don't expect you to apologize to my grandson and his friend, but I do expect you to pay and then leave, because otherwise I can't and won't guarantee your health, because you should know that I was an instructor for close combat in a special unit of the army until I retired, and if you don't leave immediately, then God help you!” The older gentleman barks the last part rather than says it. The boy drops his head back and looks at the man from below. “Grandpa?”, he breathes in complete surprise. He can't say anything more.
The waitress is already standing by to collect, she already has the bill in her hand, the couple pays and leaves the restaurant. The boy jumps up and falls around his grandfather's neck. He, in turn, strokes his grandson's hair and says with a grin, “May I congratulate you both on your exceptionally good taste!” He winks at the second man and says, “Come here, my boy, let your grandpa-in-law give you a hug.” Grandpa, grandson and friend thank the man, who then goes back to his seat.