THE UNFAIRNESS OF LIFE Sometimes life can be really hard and unfair. Manuela and her husband had to make this experience in two respects at the same time. The young couple hunted for a flat. In the meantime Spring came and they had not found a flat yet; either was it not the right one for them or other people were faster. One Friday afternoon they had another viewing. The flat was perfect: bright, commodious, with a beautiful view over the park, it was in their budget, the renters were cordial and it seemed to be a child-friendly house. This was very important for them, for they tried to get a child, but their desire for a child had not come true by this time. In short, they were enthusiastic and told the renters they were truly interested. But there were other viewings planned on that day, so they had to wait for the renter's decision.   Time went by excruciating slowly this weekend. On Sunday Manuela took a walk as she often did. But she could not hold her horses; instead of taking the way to the forest, she went to the park, where the flat of her dreams was. She imagined how she would be sitting there at the table on a Sunday morning with her husband, enjoying breakfast, and looking out of the window over here, where she was standing right now. Or how she would be watching the kids on the playground while watering her plants in the winter garden. She wanted this falt – absolutely.   In the evening the phone rang, the renter: “Unfortunately I have to bad news for you. Though you were our favourites, we decided in favour of an older couple, who’s children are grown up. For a long time there lived a family with children directly below us, you know, and now we only want to have some peace and quiet. You are young and just at the beginning. When there is another free flat in our house, we will inform you, if you like.” After Manuela hang in the phone she started to cry. In this moment her feelings ranged between sadness, angriness, disappointment, frustration and even desperation. Her dream burst like a soap bubble and suddenly there was only a grey mist and drizzle left. Virtually she felt the clamminess on her skin, her hair and even on her clothes. The cold flew through her body, beginning at her feet, until she shivered all over. Eventually she went to bad totally worn out, believing that tomorrow the world would go round again.   But the world did not. The hurting question, how life could be so unfair, was still on her mind. Again and again she asked herself, was that what they deserved? Was it not bad enough, that they did not become pregnant? Why did people put obstacles in their way, because they longed for a child? After the ringing of the alarm clock she forced herself to get out of bed, because she had to go to work, they needed the money and so she needed the job. Her growling stomach told her, she was hungry, but she did not have any appetite. It cost her some effort to stop crying and she did not know, how to face her colleagues. Rouged and with a fake smile she tried to get through this day, for she did not want to talk about it. Also the bright sunlight fooled her, because it had gotten colder outside. She was not able to feel happiness on this grey day, on which she saw through the sanctimony of the sun. The dull thoughts stayed in her heart and in her soul and could not be shaken off. Again and again she let her mind wander to the beautiful colourful shimmering soap bubble, that burst the moment she reached out for it.   But at last she could no longer hold back and told her friend everything, who of course recognized something was wrong. Afterwards Manuela felt much better and was ready to look forward again. She stood at the end, but now understood, this was a new beginning at the same time, just like someone pressed the repeat-button. Thus they started their hunt for a flat, the search for a better life anew. They carried on, again dreams and hopes arose, and so it went until they finally came true.