Chapter IX
Germany. Bonn
It was Tuesday, August 15th. Around 10:00 in the morning we met at the house where Stefan lived. Hi, Stefan. Hello, Nikita and Stefan and I waved our right hands and said hello. A loud sound was heard from the impact of palm to palm. We went inside the garage and began to take out everything that was in two old steel racks to the garage exit. There was a huge amount of junk accumulated here, and there were also various parts and spare parts from different German cars. We laid it all out in rows next to the garage. There was also a part of the suspension, a couple of levers from cars, several hubs, 4 batteries, perezdani and a rear bumper, etc. It was obvious that all this had accumulated over the long years of Stefan’s life.
Stefan brought black garbage bags and we put all the junk that was not needed in them and put it next to the garage. Stefan, there are seven bags here, I said. Seven bags of garbage. Why did you chronicle all this, I asked? Stefan replied: "Yes, I was fond of it from school, helped my father fix cars, postponed some details. I also postponed broken parts and elements from cars just in case, but they never came in handy. So over the years, all this useless junk has accumulated, Stefan finished saying, "There were not so many useful spare parts and parts. Everything fit into two bags, which we put on the back seats of the Volkswagen Polo. We took out 4 more new wheels of 16 radius and also loaded them into the car. All this stuff was taken to a friend of Stefan, who was engaged in the sale and trade of spare parts. They’re back. We loaded the remaining 4 wheels and a new set of tools into the Volkswagen Polo, which Stefan did not need. They took all this to the same friend Stefan, who examined it all carefully. More than half of the spare parts were put aside, as they were no good. Stefan and his friend went to the office and returned 15 minutes later. The initial capital for the repair of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado was in our hands.
We had to go to the Toyota store and to the trading floor, where used spare parts from Toyota cars were sold. Purchase according to the list. The only thing was not to buy an air suspension for the right wheel of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, Stefan already had it in stock.
The most expensive thing to buy was wheels the standard landing diameter of the wheels of Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is 16-19 inches, the tire size is from 215/80/R16 to 315/70/R17 and new wheels were needed for wheels. I told Stefan that maybe my uncle would help us, since he has a lot of friends in this field and maybe we will be able to buy new wheels with discs at a cheaper price. The list of everything else was quite impressive. We needed new candles, new oil, a new oil filter, oil for the automatic transmission, new brake discs, pads, lever, to find somewhere on the car assembly 5 and 6 additional seats for the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. As a result, it took us a whole day to find and buy all the elements that require repair of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. We bought everything except new wheels and new rims.
I agreed with my uncle on August 16 that at 11:00 p.m. we would arrive at the trading floor and as soon as he was free, he would help us with the front suspension of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado to replace the air suspension, replace the lever, replace the brake discs, change the pads. There was a lot of work to be done the next day.
We arrived at the trading floor around 11:00 on August 16 and drove the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which was already more than 10 years old, into the box and put it on the pit. After some time, my uncle came to us to see what we were doing with Stefan and asked: “Where did we get this Japanese dog pile?”. In my uncle’s understanding or thinking, the best cars in the world were German. It was the German Audi, BMW and Mercedes cars that he did not consider everything else to be cars at all.
Stefan and I first of all completely cleaned the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado from garbage and dirt, which was a huge amount in this car. They brought a bucket of several rags and a KARCHER for washing with high pressure. The spare fifth wheel was cleaned of dirt, all the space that was under the spare wheel. It was clear that the “Toyota Land Cruiser Prado” was used off the road and drove it through some fields, as the whole car was covered with a thick layer of dirt. Until 15:00 in the afternoon, we washed the car, which began to look more or less clean and tidy.
They brought the second row of seats from the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado to install it, but there were no bolts from the frame of the rear row of seats. I had to go back to Stefan to look for bolts from the back row of seats. We searched for bolts from the seats in the garage for about an hour, but we didn’t find them, and then we went to the Toyota store and bought a new set of bolts. We returned back to the trading floor and installed the rear row of seats. Not too tired and decided to finish.
The next day, August 17, Stefan and I did not go to the trading floor where my uncle worked, because he asked us not to come and did not like it when he was prevented from working, and therefore the uncle assembled the front and rear suspension of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado without our participation. The only thing is that on August 17, he called us around 16:00 in the afternoon and asked us to go to the Toyota store and buy some elements that were required for the front and rear suspension of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. We bought everything and at about 17:00 arrived at the trading floor to give my uncle the parts that he lacked on the suspension. My uncle was transformed at work, he was wearing overalls with the emblem of the Audi factory, where he once worked.
The next day, August 18, we arrived at the trading floor with Stefan at about 09:00 in the morning to install additional fifth and sixth seats in the trunk in the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which were attached to the body walls separately and which could be opened and closed, which was very convenient. They were not difficult to install, but the fastening design was flimsy and an uncle’s friend helped us, who worked with him on the trading floor and was an excellent mechanic. Weld the seat fastenings to the body.
After 12:00 with Stefan, we drained the old oil from the engine and washed the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado engine with a special tool. The candles were replaced. A new oil filter was installed. A new synthetic oil was poured into the engine. Our uncle and his friend from the trading platform periodically helped us in our work. They explained to us those or mistakes that we made in our work and explained to us certain points that we did not know or did not understand. The air filter was replaced. The cabin filter was replaced. The old oil was drained from the automatic transmission. A new filter was installed on the automatic transmission. New oil was poured into the automatic transmission. Closer to 21:00 we finished working. Very tired. The car was almost ready. It remained to replace the brake discs, install the pads and buy new tires and new wheels for tires. We went to spend the night with Stefan, since it was already August 19, and on August 20 at 15:00 in the afternoon we had to leave Frankfurt and go to France.
We went to bed early around 23:00. I fell asleep on the couch on the ground floor. We woke up around 06:00 in the morning. We discussed the action plan with Stefan. We had to go and sell Stefan’s mom’s old Volkswagen Polo car, which she no longer drove. Stefan wanted to install a new receiver in the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado- a multimedia DVD Pioneer, so that the road map was clearly visible and you could watch videos. We had to stop by a friend Stefan, who was engaged in the sale of cars and change the Volkswagen Polo to a receiver-a Pioneer multimedia DVD with an additional payment in our direction.
Go to the store to buy five bottles of expensive high-quality German port and a couple of boxes of expensive German chocolate for my aunt. The third important thing was the purchase of new tires and new wheels for the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which was the most expensive element for the car. We wanted to consult with my uncle, where you can buy cheap wheels and tires on R-17 or R-18 for Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.
We had coffee and hit the road and hit the road. On the way we stopped at a store where we bought five bottles of port and two boxes of chocolate. At about 10:00 in the morning, we met with a friend Stefan, who was given a Volkswagen Polo and documents for the car. He gave us a receiver-a Pioneer multimedia DVD and did not pay much extra money for a Volkswagen Polo. We called a taxi and went to the trading floor where my uncle worked.
When we arrived at the trading floor it was about 12:00 p.m. my uncle was in the office. Stefan took five bottles of German port out of the bag and put them on the desk in the office. He thanked his uncle cordially, shook his right hand and added: “Many thanks to all the guys on the trading floor who helped us.”
We started talking to my uncle about where you can buy wheels on the R-17 or R-18 for the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado at a cheaper price. The uncle replied: “That you don’t need to buy anything and the wheels on the R-18 are already installed. Let this be my small gift for you.” Uncle really liked our idea that we were going to France in a big company and in a sense empathized with us, our project and wanted to help us.
Everyone who worked on the trading floor knew that we were going to France to Paris and showed keen interest in our aspirations with Stefan and everyone was wondering how our story would end. Of course, the word guys does not sound appropriate, since mostly older people from 40-50 years older than Stefan and me worked on the trading floor. The three of us left the office and went with my uncle to watch Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. The car was incredibly transformed and was in full readiness. Uncle skahal: "That the brake fluid, cooling fluid, Graham belt were completely replaced, and the settings in the on-board computer “Toyota Land Cruiser Prado” were reset and the error sign on the panel stopped burning, which knocked out the computer "Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. Plus, the mileage was twisted. The mileage of the machine was 250,000, and became 100,000 kilomters
I must say thanks to my uncle that he helped Stefan and me to make a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado almost from scratch without taking a single euro. In fact, all the guys who worked on the trading floor participated in the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado repair project. Everyone contributed their share of skills and their knowledge on the repair of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. The car was almost ready. It remains to plug in a new receiver-multimedia DVD Pioneer and check how the GPS navigator works and the road maps of the European Union installed in its memory. We had to wait for 15:00 hours, when a mechanic who understood Japanese electronics well and could install a receiver-a Pioneer multimedia DVD- would arrive at the trading platform.
Stefan, got behind the wheel of a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and kicked him out of the box and drove the car closer to the office on the trading floor. The three of us stood near the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and looked at it. I said: "Stefan, look how the new wheels and new R18 rims incredibly imagined the Toyota Prado, We were still next to the car for some time and our uncle said a few parting words to us on the road: "Guys, the most important thing is not to repeat the mistakes of others. You are still young with everything and should try to be more responsible, as you have a long road to France ahead of you. Don’t race on the road. Take care of the car. You are not eating alone and think, first of all, that not only your lives, but also the lives of others depend on your driving. Do not try to drive drunk or with hangovers. Try to sleep more before going on the road. Tired. “It’s better to arrive one day later than one day earlier at the cemetery.” At this point, my uncle said goodbye to us. We shook hands and my uncle went to the customer who was waiting for him on the trading floor to buy a car.
I went into the office to get a new car air freshener and an aluminum bat for playing American baseball, which was in the closet. I found aluminum bits in the trunk of one of the cars that was sold. Stefan, was waiting for me on the street at this time. I left the office and threw a new air freshener into Stefan’s hands. He went to the trunk of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. I opened the trunk and put an aluminum bat in the compartment where the spare wheels were located for our safety on the road, I thought. Stefan, installed an air freshener in the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, the car was filled with a pleasant smell of fresh forest air.
Stefan got behind the wheel of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and we went for a ride in Frankfurt. Test the car. I had to check the brakes. Check the operation of the automatic transmission. Give the Toyota Prado engine loads and maximum overloads to make sure that the car is in perfect order. 1 hour passed and Stefan and I switched places. I got behind the wheel and we continued driving along the road of Frankfurt. Sometimes speeding up quickly and braking quickly, we took a ride in the car for another 1 hour and drove back to the trading floor. On the way, a full tank of gasoline was filled with more than 100 liters. Everything was in perfect order. The engine worked perfectly. The on-board computer no longer showed an error on the panel. We returned to the trading floor, where my uncle’s mechanic friend, who was a great specialist in the field of Japanese electronics, installed and set up a new receiver for us -a Pioneer multimedia DVD with a GPS system.
Stefan and I left the trading floor and rode the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado for some time.
Stefan told me: “Call Lena, find out what time they will arrive from Karlsruhe tomorrow, what time to pick them up from the train station tomorrow?”. I picked up the phone and called Lena: “Hello, my love.”
Lena: “Hello, darling, Lena’s voice rang out on the opposite end.”
Nikita: "What are you doing? Where’s Vanessa?
Lena: “Vanessa and I are at my house now. I’m packing my things for the trip in a suitcase.”
Nikita: “In the suitcase, I asked. So many things…?”. At this time, I heard the echo of Vanessa’s voice: “Give Nikita greetings from me and tell him that I love him.” At this time, a woman’s laughter was heard. It was heard that Lena and Vanessa were arguing loudly about something in Lena’s apartment.
Lena: “Vanessa, stop acting like that… Silence… A burst of female laughter.” It was clear that Vanessa was trying to tickle Lena.
Lena: “Vanessa, get away, get away from me already. Enough. Vanessa, that’s enough. Lena could be heard laughing. Stop it already.”
Nikita: “I’m looking at you there with Vanessa fun and complete order. The girls will not bother you to get ready, so what time will you pick up with Vanessa at the train station from Frankfurt tomorrow. What time will you arrive?”.
Lena: “Probably by 15:00 we will definitely be in Frankfurt.”
Nikita: “All right, dear, we’ll be waiting for you with Stefan. At exactly 15:00 at the Frankfurt train station.”
Lena: “Say hi to Stefan, see you tomorrow Nikita, Lena’s voice sounded sad.”
Nikita: “See you tomorrow, I love you.”
Lena: “I love you, bye.”
Nikita: “Stefan, they will arrive tomorrow at 15:00 and they will have to be picked up with luggage and suitcases.”
Stefan: “Okay at 15:00 hours, Stefan said.”
We talked with Stefan for some time so that he would pick me up early in the morning at 08:00 or at 09:00 in the morning when he wakes up, and then we will decide what we will do next. Stefan took me to the house where my uncle and aunt lived. I got out of the car. Nikita: Stefan, bye. See you tomorrow, I said.
Stefan: See you tomorrow, Stefan replied.
It was already evening at about 21:00 hours, my uncle and I were sitting in the living room and talking about the topic: “Our trip to France.” My aunt went shopping at that time and we were left alone in the house with my uncle.
Uncle: “What time do you leave Frankfurt?”.
Nikita: “At about 18:00 we will have to meet in the southwest of Frankfurt and go to France in two cars.”
Uncle: “I envy you. Young. Healthy. Strong. My whole life is ahead of me.”
The uncle told how they met his aunt and how he stole an expensive car and drove it around Frankfurt all night. In the morning, I took my aunt home, and returned the car to the same place where I stole it. No one noticed the loss of the car overnight. My uncle pulled about 500 euros out of his pocket at that moment and handed them to me. Hold. Here I tell you. Money is always needed on the road. You earned it. Nikita, you worked for me on the trading floor for half the summer. I washed cars. I was preparing cars for sale. He helped me with customers. Take 500 euros. I gave in to my uncle and took 500 euros.
My uncle began to talk about how his youth was spent in Germany, and then he told me about how he and my father at one time we were doing business, doing business, solving. At that moment, Uncle flashed his teeth and his grin was visible. An old wolf, I thought at that moment.
Uncle: “Nikita, I noticed that you liked the 530 BMW on the trading floor, which cost 22,000 euros?”.
Nikita: “Uncle, yes. It’s a great car, I’ve ridden it a couple of times. In good condition. The device is a beast. Black BMW on black leather. It looked strong and very brutal. I just don’t understand this is the BMW 530’s native mileage, the mileage was about 5,000 kilometers, I asked my uncle again?”
Uncle: “Yes, this is the native mileage of this car. I got it by accident. It was being urgently sold and money was urgently needed. I bought this car for almost nothing. Nikita, do you want me to give you a BMW 530. I’m giving it to you. This is your car. Did you notice today that the price tag was removed from it?”.
Nikita: “Yes, Uncle, I thought that the BMW 530 has already been sold and it should be taken away.”
Uncle: “No. I put the price tag in it myself, and I prepared the documents in the office and already entered you. You are the new owner of the BMW 530. Congratulations to you.”
Nikita: I was not very confused and could not understand anything. Such a gift seemed strange to me. “Uncle, are you really serious about telling me all this now, or are you just joking and trying to prank me. I don’t have 22,000 euros to pay for a BMW 530?”.
Uncle: “Your father and I were talking the other day. At one time, Nikita, your father helped me a lot and pulled me out of a difficult situation. I owe him the rest of my life. It’s just not much compensation for his help. The uncle thought about something for a minute, and then continued. You don’t owe me anything, so as not to go into the negative, you will return me 7000 euros within a year.”
Nikita: Then I realized that my uncle and my father had agreed on something, but they did not tell me about their affairs. I was very happy. I shook my uncle’s right hand several times. Uncle, from the heart. Really thank you. Thank you for everything.
Uncle: “Congratulations to you, Nikita. The new owner of the BMW 530. The car has found its owner.”
The uncle continued: “As soon as you arrive from France, we will issue a package of documents for a BMW 530 in accordance with German law. It will be necessary to prepare documents for the customs of Russia. BMW 530 purchase and sale agreement. You’re leaving my aunt and me, when?”.
Nikita: “Uncle, I haven’t thought about it yet. Probably in mid-September. I thought for a minute…”.
Uncle: "Nikita, stay until the end of September. There will be an Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich, it is held annually in the city of Munich. After September 20 and before the beginning of the first days of October. You will stay with my aunt and me just before the Oktoberfest festival. You will go with Stefan and your girls, take a break from “Your righteous labors.” Idlers and idlers, the uncle added. At your age, I already worked at 2 jobs and my aunt and I had our first child.
Nikita: “Dad, it’s fine, I’ll stay with you and my aunt for the whole of September. Yes, it will be necessary only then to call the dean’s office of Novosibirsk University and warn that I will be gone for a month, otherwise they will be kicked to hell, and my parents will be angry. I smiled. Even then I was completely indifferent to the university, I studied at the university at the request of my parents for show, portraying a good boy and an obedient son.”
Uncle: "I’m glad for you, son (instead of nephew, uncle sometimes said son), that you will stay with us again with your aunt. Everything is more fun than sitting alone with my aunt in a big house. You’re a good guy, Nikita. The uncle smiled and said, “Bring the old uncle his favorite port.” We laughed. Let’s wash your new BMW 530 car. Bring two glasses of port wine.
I went to the kitchen, opened a bottle of port and took two glasses. I went back to the living room, where my uncle was waiting impatiently for me, but rather he was waiting not for me, but for port. I poured two glasses of port wine to the brim. My uncle and I bumped glasses, there was a clink of glass glasses. Uncle raised a glass to your new car, Nikita. We bumped glasses once more and drank the port in one gulp. I was overcome by a slight intoxication. I have never drunk port wine by the glass, it was my first experience.
At this time, my aunt came. I went to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. In the bathtub, the aunt and uncle could be heard swearing again and there was verbal abuse between them. What lovely old people they are, how I love them, I thought. I went up to the bedroom on the second floor and went to bed. It was about 22:00 pm. I woke up early in the morning from the fact that the phone was ringing. The time was about 08:00 in the morning. Stefan called and said he would pick me up in an hour.
I was almost ready. I packed everything I needed for the road in an Adidas sports bag. I put my laptop down. A razor. Toothpaste. I took Dostoevsky’s book “Demons” with me on the road, which I could not read in any way. Got dressed. I went down to the first floor in the bathroom. I went to the kitchen to make black coffee. Everything was ready in order to get to France. Uncle and aunt were still sleeping. I drank my coffee and left the house. I sat on the porch and waited for Stefan to arrive for a while.
20 minutes passed and Stefan’s Toyota Land Cruiser Prado SUV appeared at the end of the street. Stefan, stopped at the house. I opened the trunk of the car and put my gym bag in there. I got into the front passenger seat next to Stefan and we drove to the Frankfurt train station.
We arrived with Stefan at the Frankfurt train station before it was 10:00. We didn’t stand much. There was some vague jitters before the trip to France. We got out of the car and went to the station itself and watched the trains coming and going into the unknown for some time. We went up to the second floor to have a cup of coffee. I told Stefan the story of how the three of us with Lena and Vanessa were waiting for the train, and then the three of us went to Karlsruhe and got caught in heavy rain, where it was raining. At that time Stefan’s mom called and asked him to come home. We finished our coffee and drove east for a while towards the rising sun. The streets of Frankfurt were filled with people and an endless stream of people flowed through the city.
We drove to Stefan’s house, where his mother was waiting for him. Stefan opened the door and entered the house. He was gone for a while. I was standing on the street and inspecting the “Toyota Land Cruiser Prado” car was unrecognizable. The engine worked silently, although the mileage of the Japanese was more than 250,000 kilometers. The right wheel stopped knocking. It was noticeable that the suspension of the car became softer and held the road better, all extraneous creaks disappeared. It became a pleasure to drive by car. Another five minutes passed and Stefan appeared. In his hands he had a package in which there were several containers of food. Stefan’s mom baked a dozen small pieces of beef with vegetables in the oven and put it all in containers so that we would have something to eat on the road with Stefan.
Ninita: "I asked Stefan, what about Jan, where is the Pole.
Stefan: “Let’s call him and find out.”
Stefan turned on the speakerphone on his phone: “Jan, hi, where is your Polish buttocks? Where can I pick you up?”.
Jan: “I won’t be able to go, the Pole said in an uncertain voice?”.
Stefan: “Where are you, where have you disappeared to?”.
Jan: “I’m in Warsaw with my parents now.”
Stefan: “I’ll deal with you later. We installed the 5th and 6th places in the trunk especially for you, and you just threw Nikita and me.”
Jan: “Guys, it just happened. Circumstances have changed… Silence.”
Stefan: “You’re in chemistry again. He got high on drugs. When will you quit this stuff?”.
Jan: “Yeah, fuck you. Fuck you both.” Jan, began to laugh because he felt his impunity.
Stefan: “Won’t you eat? Are you in Warsaw with your parents for a long time now?”.
Jan: “I will stay in Warsaw for a week somewhere, and then I will return to Frankfurt.”
Stefan: “Everything is clear with you. Let’s do it for now.”
Jan: …“Reset the signal.”
Stefan, assumed that the Pole was here in Frankfurt and somewhere stoned in the trash. At that time, Stefan and I had already seen Jan a couple of times in a strong state of drug intoxication and it was not “light drugs” and he was not drunk. Jan, then already sat tight on the needle and therefore did not go.
Not much time passed and Stefan and I returned to the Frankfurt train station. The train from Karlsruhe was supposed to arrive at exactly 15:00 on the 11th platform or platform. At exactly 15:00, a train arrived on the platform. After some time, Vanessa and Lena got out of the car, they had two chemeodans and a travel bag with them. I put my right arm around Lena and lifted her up a little. She was airy, light, and it seemed to me that she weighed nothing. It wasn’t difficult for me to lift her up and put her on my right shoulder. I took her suitcase with my left hand and we went to the exit of the station. Lena laughed: “Nikita. but let me go. Let go already. It’s hard for you.” Vanessa looked at Stefan and there was a question in her eyes: “Why isn’t he carrying her on his shoulder too?”. Stefan did the same thing, but it was just a little easier for him, since Vanessa was sitting on his neck. I basically brought Lena to the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which was standing next to the train station and only then put Lena’s miniature and elegant figure on the asphalt.
We drove to the southwest of Frankfurt. We bought four coffees on the way and stood for a while at the exit of the city and waited for Martin and Helga. They were supposed to arrive in four on the Tuareg. It took about one hour and it was almost 18:00. We were sitting in the Toyota Prado when the shrill sound of the Tuareg horn sounded behind us. We all got out of the car to say hello and discuss the plan of our further actions.
Martin and Helga were friends of Stefan, Vanessa and Lena. They studied together and it was clear that they knew each other well.
Matin: “We will go to Bonn and Helga and I will have to stop by our parents and help them with moving.”
Helga: “We have already ordered cargo transportation for tomorrow. It remains to pack some things.”
Stefan: “Can I help you with something. Do you need some help?”.
Martin: “No, it’s almost ready.”
Helga: “More than half of the things have already been moved. It remains to move things into a box and the remains of furniture.”
Helga: “If you want, you can stay overnight in our house, but only the sofas and beds have all been moved. He’ll have to sleep on the floor.”
Lena: "No, we will go to the hotel where I have already stayed here “Bonn Marriott Hotel”. At this time, Lena hugged my right hand with both of her hands and continued…
Lena: “Vanessa and I would rather go to the Visiolife - Health, Beauty & Wellness SPA procedures while you are moving.
Vanessa: “Great, and in the evening after SPA treatments you can go to one of the nightclubs in Bonn.”
Helga: “It’s wonderful. Great idea. Helga raised her right thumb up in approval.” Vanessa you haven’t changed in any way… Helga and Vanessa remembered something and started laughing.
Stefan: “Martin, you will go ahead, because you know the way better.” I’m coming for you.”
Martin: “Good. Let’s go.”
There were two other passengers with Martin and Helg. A girl from Spain. Madrid and a Romanian from Bucharest. Romania. We got into the cars and drove off. It was August 20th. It was sunny and clear weather, there was no cloud in the sky. The city of Bonn was waiting for us ahead.
To be continued…
