Natasha Illum Berg

Tea on the Blue Sofa

Rivers of Red Earth

Bark of the Sundogs

So Wanton a God

Looking at Harry

It was about three O’clock when Clarence was yet again at the rock. He took the gun from Masudi, who gave it back to him with out a word, and slipped down and away from the scene, as tracelessly as had he merely been a bad memory of himself.Once Masudi was gone, Clarence climbed up on the rock and got himself ready again. He was a bit worried that all the walking back and forth had disturbed the chances of the lion returning, but on the other hand he was aware that this was not a lion like other lions. Obviously it did not care much about human commotion.He noticed a small black cloud surrounding Harry, that had not been there before and realised that they were flies, therefore the onset of maggots.Harry had taught him that if you were in the middle of the bush and somehow got a big flesh-wound, maggots were not your enemy. Maggots only eat dead meat. But here they would just keep eating, he thought.And then he cried. Tears and snot, spit and a rasping grunt crowded to get out of his face like had somebody opened all the gates to a zoo of emotions.Tears got stuck in his stubble and he wiped them away with indignation, though he had kept them so very safe up until then.He was not Harry. He had never been Harry. He was not a man made to do this on his own. It should have been him down there, at least then the job would be done well and Clarence would have been buried with honour.

One Seagull

“You are right, yes you are so very right,” Francis suddenly exclaimed,“that is what I mean. There is something wrong with our proportions. Our reasons for keeping a secret, and whom we keep them from. I’m going to let go of mine,” he downed half a glass and pulled a face, “ right now. I’m leaving anyway.” He smoothed back his hair and then slapped the table with both hands palm downwards, in a resolute manner. “ Do you remember that Jewish girl who. …Well I fucked her. I fucked her, while you were not there, she let me in. In your bed.”I was stunned. I hadn’t expected a change of my past like that. That girl had left me, she said, because, I was not Jewish and her father would never accept me. She was studying to be a doctor. She was so broad shouldered an wide breasted, that I used to think any patient would feel better from just looking at her strong body. It was many years ago, thirty perhaps, but I still remember how she had made me insanely jealous. Every time she put on a tight t-shirt I felt she was giving all the dirty men of London something that belonged to me.Before I could say anything, a fat young waitress, from some place like Yorkshire, came up to our table and told us that they were about to close.“ Come, come Charlie, don’t look so sullen. Its half a lifetime ago and it’s just the deaf and dumb truth. What can you really do now? You can spit on me, throw your drink in my face, walk away. Or maybe you will tell me that you knew already, so I find out that I have been carrying, for all of these years, a terrible secret that does not exist, because that Jewish girl decided to confess it all to you the next day. So what? Why should I ever have had a reason not to tell you? But you see I didn’t tell you the truth, because I liked you so much. How does that make sense? I lied because I cared. Fate doesn’t care you see, my cock didn’t care either, but I did. Ha ha. I caaaaared!” He opened his arms in a mocking gesture of generosity and knocked his glass onto the floor. “ Now I don’t any more, so you can have the truth. You see truth is what we give those we don’t really caaare thatmuch about..don’t get me wrong..I think you are a splendid fellow..but I won’t love you enough to lie to you, you see.”
 

- Excerpts from two of the stories in the shortstory collection Looking at Harry

Rewiews

As translated from main danish newspapers: