Mrs. Niemöller: (speaking fast) The confirmation of the rules of procedure and the minutes of the previous meeting will be as usual allocated only a minimum space. Nobody points out the mistakes that might thus occur.
Mr. Klemm: (impetuously) The secretary has committed only a few minor mistakes, which could be easily corrected.
Mrs. Niemöller: All mistakes have been corrected…
Mr. Klemm: (impetuously) But nobody is…
Mrs. Niemöller: (interrupts him) … so could you please sign it here.
Mr. Breithaupt: (signing the minutes) Today is a special day, which will be remembered in the history of our company as the day after the elections, a day, which might bring us things we have no idea about, it might be the day when everything starts to go backwards, as some parties now suppose –
(Mrs. Niemöller clears her throat.)
Mr. Breithaupt: (he is about to start again) Well – let’s start our meeting with a speculation that he might not do it after all, that he might not cause any harm. In no case it could be in his own interest, he surely must also be thinking of his children.
Mrs. Niemöller: (taking minutes) We start with a speculation that it is not only his children, but all his surrounding.
Mr. Klemm: He will be thinking of his children.
Mrs. Niemöller: (taking minutes) What exactly is meant by the word surrounding, Mrs. Stelleis asks –
Mrs. Stelleis: (confused) I ask?
Mrs. Niemöller: … Mrs. Stelleis asks, because it is certainly going to spread. Mr. Breithaupt also came to the conclusion that he will not do it after all, because he is thinking of his children.
Mrs. Stelleis: He is thinking of everything else but his children, or he might be implicitly thinking of his children, but he is not thinking of them actively. Not directly.
Mr. Klemm: Perhaps this indirect thought might help us?
Mr. Melle: And besides: Once he’s finished with us, it will take his breath away. His main objective is only to get us into trouble.