Somewhere between Heidegger and the role of Lothar Sp?th in the collapse of the Christian Democrats-led government in one of the Southern states of Germany she told me, that she had recently dreamt of my hair and how much she would like to lift its thick mass off my shoulders, loved to touch its magnificence. I felt good, despite the awkward placement of this compliment, but before I could reply, a 'thank you' on my lips, she began to talk about Martin and the blown light bulb in the study, which had annoyed him for a couple of days now.

'Why don't you change it?' I said with a smile and was surprised that I had spoken.