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Sent: Monday, 30 October 2000 12:14 AM
Dear Harald,

Thanks for your letter. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if the beast that tried to push Hedwig and me 6 feet under, now is doing its evil in Germany. Nearly daily one or another of the athletes became sick with it during the olympics. Didn’t hear much about the audience but I guarantee that a large percentage of them also suffered, and more, took the virus home with them.

The coughing sounds like an old windmill, a real clattering, and with it a loud rasping. Have never heard anything like it. Eventually I was able to reduce the couging with Eucalyptus oil dissolved in hot water, inhaled as a steam bath. I only hope that you have something different. Because it simply wouldn’t go away. Also affects the lungs. Please go and visit your doctor.

I am happy that you like the cover for Jonah. Please take plenty of time reading it, I am not waiting on you. And I really don’t mind if you find someone else who wants to read it. In fact, the opposite. Preferably a woman. I always had a feeling that Jonah would appeal more to the feminine psyche. But please read it first yourself, because I may be wrong here. And I think it is more something for intellectuals.

Hedwig departs in a few hours. Worked well with the freezer. I always made something with it, mainly steaks or fried potatoes. Today it was mashed potatoes, authentic Neuss sauerkraut and weisswurst. You see, not bad. What a pity I am off the beer.

So now I learnt that Sardinia is actually nice. An entire life I carried the wrong picture around with me. For me it appeared like the last place on earth. One calls this  having preconceived ideas. But I must have had that from somewhere! My brother Willi was in Sicily during the war and caught Malaria there.

I hope that you both recover quickly. Please pass on my regards to Anne.

All the best.

Peter.