Voyager (Homo Faber) (Homo Faber)

Why couldn't things go on without me?

By June 5th I had to be in Paris, by June 7th in New York.

By the 10th at the latest, in Venzuela.

Why can't it be April again and everything else simply a hallucination on my part?

I just sat there.

I didn't want to be there, I didn't want to be anywhere.

What was the use of looking?

There was nothing for me to see.

Her hands that no longer existed anywhere.

Her movements as she tossed her ponytail.

Her teeth... her lips...

Her eyes that no longer existed.

Where could I look for them?

She was gone now.

Ground transportation to the city of Caracas

is available at the lower level.

You look familiar, have we met?

No. Don't think so.

Perhaps it was here in Caracas? The country reception at the Chamber of Commerce?

No, I don't go to cocktail parties.

Of course, being a salesman I see so many people these days. Here's my card.

Hencke?

Swiss? German? German.

Keep it.

I had no urge to get better acquainted with this gentleman.

I don't know why he got on my nerves.

There was something familiar about his face.

Excuse me. A very... German face.

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. The plane is ready for departure.

If you'd like you may board at this time, turn in your boarding passes please.

Just as our flight was called I realised what it was that struck me about the German.

His face reminded me of Joachim.

I heard the announcment.

I was hoping they'd fly on without me.

Paging passenger Faber. Passenger Faber.

This is the last and final call for passenger Faber.

Paging passenger Faber. Passenger Faber.

Flight 163 is ready for boarding.

Well, there you are! My goodness Mr. Faber, I have been looking all over for you.

Well, come on we got a plane to catch. I thought it took off already?

Oh, sorry. I thought it was vacant.

Well, it was. I mean, it is. Come on in.

Sorry.

Thanks.

You know, it's funny how we keep bumping into each other.

You're the one who... dragged me on this plane, right?

It's my job.

I've been having some bad luck with bathrooms lately.

Well, what is that supposed to mean?

I don't know. Something happened to me at the airport before you found me there.

I collapsed or something, I think my eyes. They look all right to me.

Maybe your just afraid of flying? No, I fly all over the place just like you.

You must have an interesting job.

I spent three months in the jungle, it feels like I never left.

See you. Wait! Wait... um.

You see this German guy here sitting next to me?

He keeps following me around.

Happens to me all the time. Wait, wait, wait...

Do you work for Umesca?

I couldn't help but see some of your papers sticking out of your briefcase.

No, not really.

Medical or technical aid?

I'm an engineer.

How interesting.

Are you working down here?

Yes, in Venezuela. In the... Oronoco project. It's a dam.

Smoke? No, no thank you.

I would prefer a cigar but I think our fellow passengers might object.

Unfortunately the German cigar is not among the world's best.

My brother is trying to remedy that lamentable situation.

I'm on my way to see him, on his plantation in Yucatan.

Something to read?

No thanks. I don't read fiction.

Sweet dreams then.

I don't dream either.

Ladies and gentlemen our (inaudible) plane has failed us.

Not to worry we can reach Mexico City, our next destination, on three engines.

So please return to your seats, extinguish all cigarettes and fasten your seatbelts.

Ladies and gentlemen, a second engine has failed us.

I would like to reassure you there is absolutely no danger.-We're losing altitude!

Ladies and gentlemen, at this time I'd like to ask you to reach underneath your seats please.

Looks like we're either going down right directly over the desert or near Tampico.

Okay, madam! Please sit down and put your lifejacket on! Put your safetybelt-

I had ptomaine poisoning once in Tampico, terrible town.

Rotten hotels. Cold showers.

They barbecue dogs in Tampico. Did you know that?

This is only a safety precaution, madam. Everything is fine. Can you just please

give me your head please. Put this on. Everything is fine.

Let me help you with that, sir.

Arms over the white, head through the hole. That goes for you too, Mr. Faber.

What are we gonna do, swim in the desert? Just put it on.

Well, look. If we're travelling at 400 miles an hour.

Well, that's what I thought we were going to go down right in the desert.

According to my calculations.

Ladies and gentlemen, please put your head between your knees

and your hands over your head we are going down!

Looks like we're going in for a belly flop, Herbert.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen! SAC is proud to offer you a breakfast service.

This morning we will be serving apricot, cheese and blueberry danish pastry.

We also have apple turnovers, crackers, croissants and fritters.

Morning.

I am sorry to say that we do not have any coffee this morning

but we do have teas, juices, sodas, and other fine beverages.

If you would please hold on to all cups and glasses as you may need to use them again.

At this time, you may remove your lifejackets.

And the captain has requested, no smoking please.

Do you think it will be long before they find us?

Oh, any day now.

Tampico can't be that far away.

Just don't eat any barbecue when we get there.

It's a miracle that only two died.

What's miracles got to do with it?

I mean if 999 planes make their destination at least one of them's got to crash.

Aren't you ever scared?

Not about this kind of stuff.

What really spooks me is getting caught in a train of coincidence.

What do you mean?

You don't happen to have a brother by the name of Joachim, do you?

How did you know that?

Hencke.

I had a friend by that name, Joachim Hencke.

We were students together in Zurich before the war.

Is this the same man?

I told you, I'm... going to see him, he runs a tobacco plantation.

No, the Joachim I knew is a doctor.

Not really. He never finished his studies.

Maybe, it was his marriage.

What happened with his marriage?

It didn't last.

Hannah was not quite German.

What do you mean?

Well, you know she was, how do you say...

Jewish?

That's it.

Hannah Landsberg?

You know her?

Yeah, I knew her.

Incredible.

It certainly is a small world.

I wrote to Ivy.

It didn't take long to tell her I was sitting in the desert,

hundreds of miles from the world of normal transport.

That it was hot, dry weather. Not the slightest injury and so on.

What else?

Oh yeah, I thought this was as good a time as any to tell her it was over.

Why did she marry him?

That was always the question.

Nobody could understand Joachim.

Why would anyone marry a Jewish girl in '39, in Munich of all places.

I thought they were safe in Switzerland? She went back to Germany with Joachim.

Just a few weeks before their child was born.

They were divorced soon after. They had a child? Yes.

It's a common enough story.

Marriage, child, divorce...

but then the war.

Especially for her.

As for Joachim, he was a prisoner of war.

Then returned home and... back to life as usual.

It was an unfortunate period in history.

Your move.

Whatever became of Hannah? I don't know.

Joachim might know.

Sorry. Sorry... Joachim has seen us.

Wait a minute. Listen... I would, I would really love to but I can't tonight. -Why?

Because it's, you know it's the day. What day?

It's, it's the most dangerous day of the month.

Hannah!

You're not gonna believe what I've just been offered.

Walter, there's something I have to tell you. Escher Wyss wants me to go to Baghdad.

They're gonna build a huge dam to irrigate the entire desert. It's revolutionary.

Walter.

I'm pregnant.

You are? Yeah!

Have you seen a doctor? I don't need a doctor I'm absolutely sure.

Listen, we have to think about this.

Escher Wyss is the absolute best in turbines, they offered me 300 francs a month.

I just can't turn 'em down.

Besides, you know what's going on in Germany.

It's not a good time to be having a child. Stop it!

All right, all right, all right.

If you want to have your child then we should just get married, right?

It looks like we have landed in dinosaur country.

Don't let your imagination run away with you, Herbert. It's just erosion.

It's true, you really don't dream.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news!

The captain has said it is safe and you are welcome to sleep on the plane.

Everything all right?

Just dandy except I wish you hadn't found me.

Oh, so do I.

Without our forced landing, I never would have heard of Hannah again.

I wouldn't know today that I was a father and Sabeth might still be alive.

I don't deny that it was more than a coincidence, it was a whole...

train of coincidences.

But still within the laws of probability.

What's providence got to do with it?

Can't wait to get to New York City. They gotta give us at least a week off after this.

Be sure and say hello to Joachim for me and tell him...

Hannah got the man she deserved. Too bad it didn't last. -Absolutely.

We must stay in touch.

I'm almost tempted to go with you, Herbert, but I'm late in New York. -All right.