To Franck W., 5. Januar 1993, Basel

In good old Basel things are rather hectic, too. My parents have had a very hard over new year just like you and Cathrin and we still don't know, whether and how they'll get together again. For the first time I felt as if both of them © my father and my mother © really began to talk to me about there relationship, their hopes and frustrations etc.. It is nice to see, how much confidence they have in me and how open they now talk about their difficulties. I asume it's also a big  releave for them to be able to slowly but surely drop their role as always knowing, strong and wise parents and to become just ordinary human beings like you and me.  My father has been here yesterday after having left Reuti some three or four days ago. Today he wants to go back and © right now © they're probably trying to talk to each other again, after a big fight with a lot of pain and hurt at the first day of this year.  In the evening a talked to my mother; she called, because she didn't know where Hans was. Although I am tuched by the openness and trust bothe of them seem to have in me, I am worried about them and it makes me feel sad to see, how difficult relationships can be © even after 40 years! © and how easily we get into all kinds of terrible emotions!

Renzo and I had some pretty heavy days, too, but somehow we could talk about it and understand a good deal of what had happened to us. If I can evoyd it, I would rather not have fights and frustrations like my parents when I'm 64, but ...

maybe that's just unevoydable as long as we are still alive!

In a quarter of an hour Yvonne will be here. She's my reader since some 3 or 4 months. Since I have quite a bit of work this month, I stop know to prepare our todays reading©session! If she's still around (and if it's possible) give Cathrin a big hug and kiss from me. I hope to talk to her one of these days! And you, man, take care, and have a wunderful, good, rich and adventurous 1993 © inspite of the difficult start!