The Best Book in the World

CHAPTER 36

On the Road


There are relationships between people where the bond has crystallised. Such ‘cement’ formations arise both in families and between friends. When these people get together, there is only room for predictable information and expected events. You are who you always have been. You think what you always have thought. And should perchance anything actually occur that transgresses the boundaries, then it is best for all concerned to pretend that nothing has happened, otherwise the roles and the friendship start vibrating dangerously and the foundations can crack. Cement people socialise regularly and serve each other nicely packaged, boasting and completely predictable successes and failure. When they later slowly crumble away, they do so in controlled harmony.

Then you have the relationships where people are suddenly gathered together by chance. It could, for example, be a major experience or a crisis. It can happen to anybody at all, even to cement people. When it occurs, they can suddenly become totally open and share their innermost thoughts while at the same time being really anxious to get to know their fellow human being. The sense of presence is total, and they are absolutely convinced that they have created an honest and open bond that will last forever. And that of course might happen. But at home in the cement factory of everyday life, the miraculous relationship can often stiffen into a strange and unfamiliar lump.

Astra sits behind the wheel and speeds southwards from Stockholm in her large car. Malin is sitting beside her on the passenger seat, and Lenny’s tall dad is half-lying across the rear seat. It wasn’t easy to find him, but they succeeded in the end.

The situation has got all three to open their hearts to each other. There are no cast-iron roles here. They realise that they must get to know each other in a hurry, so they are almost all speaking at the same time.

Astrid tells the story of Titus Jensen and his important book project. Of a man who was going downhill but who now is on the verge of a new, perhaps final, possibility; that there is something fishy about the relationship with Eddie X and that it looks as if Lenny too is mixed up in it some way or another. Now she must get Titus to the book fair, whatever the cost. Eddie X would also be at the fair, he always is. As a rule he performs in the middle of the fair floor, in the crowd, and is usually a mega-success every year. She says that she has been close to falling in love with Eddie but that she can’t really interpret her feelings. Is he a charming guy or just a charmer? The last time she saw him, he was obsessed with Titus. Mysterious and suspicious. Where Lenny fitted into all this, she couldn’t really say.

Malin is very worried about Lenny. She tells of her relationship with him and about his strained relationship with Eddie. The two of them have been mates all their lives, and sometimes Lenny cares more about Eddie that he cares about her. It is not fair. She can’t understand why Eddie has such a strong influence on Lenny. And actually ‘influence’ is the wrong word; ‘power’ is nearer the mark. Eddie lords it over Lenny. Lenny is Eddie’s slave, almost. Yeah, Lenny has been super weird all summer and she doesn’t know at all where she stands with him. She wants him to take some medicines but he just gets grumpy and says it’s not necessary. Perhaps he has started with hard drugs instead. She has read that lots of people with Tourette’s and similar problems medicate themselves with alcohol and drugs.

Lenny’s dad for the most part sits there listening. He asks a lot of supplementary questions and wonders how this and that ‘feels’. His face is sad. Sometimes he takes deep breaths and releases cavernous sighs. Now and then he directs Astra so that she takes the right road to the cottage. He says that he has known this day would come sooner or later. When Lenny’s mum died a few years earlier, Lenny broke off contact with him totally. But he had understood that Lenny has sometimes secretly been to the cottage. In some ways that has made him hopeful. Now he is a bit happy but mainly worried. If everything goes all right then he’ll never let go again. Now he is going to support Lenny. That, he’ll promise.

There is a very serious atmosphere in the car.