With all the fuss about “Kathi,” I completely forgot to reply to my stepfather’s unique letter (see Tuesday, March 27):

The German edition of 1984, The 18-Year-Old Who Wrote a Note and Disappeared is now available in bookshops: 📖 https://j4b.me/1984

Dear Dad! I was pleasantly surprised to receive your letter... I don’t know if my lawyer is in contact with you... You could ask him yourself: Dr. jur. h.c. Wolfgang Vogel (also licensed to practice in West Berlin)... After consulting my lawyer, I submitted a new application to leave the country. There were a few things to correct... I gave the record player to a friend for safety reasons... And as Mom so beautifully wrote, I will patiently eat the soup I’ve cooked for myself.

No matter what I write, the main thing is that the message—this one lawyer (see Tuesday, February 2), renewed exit application, and that I will see this through—gets across.

“Blaschi” interrupts my thoughts by asking if I’ve ever heard of the “crossword puzzle murder.” Yes, there was something like that.

Once Upon a Time in Germany, A Prequel to 1984, The 18-Year-Old Who Wrote a Note and Disappeared is now available in bookshops: 📖 https://j4b.me/doom

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