Nervously, Anton does one last check through his now really clean house. The bathroom is perfect, no more dirt to discover. Even the soap he has replenished, the towels are fresh and ironed. His bedroom tends to hotel perfection; the bed is tightly made and all visible textiles ironed and sleek. He has already set the table in the living room: four plates, four wine glasses, four sets of cutlery. Candle straight, it looks organized. Immaculate.

Another panicked thought. They're gonna think I've done everything I can to get it that way. That I did my best before they came! Quickly, dénk! There must be imperfection! He thinks for a while and then puts his laptop and some newspapers on the table, where no one will sit anyway. It looks so a little messy, a little less ordered. That they don't think I'm a perfectionist. The door to his office is a crest.. Close enough to not stand out, open enough to cowle in when interested. There it is a mess; only around his two huge computer screens it's spotless clean. On the ground lies tools, lies wood. That's fine there, that cleaning is no use either.. It's his job; it just says that it's there.

Soon his dream wife will come back to his house. This is usually extremely nerve-wracking, but now she's also taking her daughter and her new boyfriend.. Not only is that a tripling of the number of guests he's had here in the past year. It is also her dóchter that he will meet for the first time. That makes him restless.

They'll be there any minute.. Again that doubt, although he has often passed all the scenarios in his head over the last few days. Because: what to do now, so just before their arrival? It might look crazy if I'm really there for them. That I'm waiting for them. No, it's better as if it seems their visit doesn't do me so much. That I'm doing something on their arrival.
housejungle

CNN

He turns on the television. The sound is a bit loud and fills the huge hitherto mouse-quiet living room, but he leaves it so. Can I do anything in the house and still understand what they say on CNN?. The inauguration of Joe Biden is imminent. Preparations are in full swing, there is plenty of talk about on the television channel. Anton is above average interested in American politics, so the last few months went into it as a cake. The intrigue, the aggression, the unreliability: he wandered the Internet for hours and hours daily. Sometimes he genuinely smoulded it, sometimes it gave rise to horror. This time he only gets it half. After all, it's CNN but. But most of all, he's nervous.

He met Monica a few months ago in the village near. Because although he was almost completely self-sufficient, there were still some stuff he had to buy. There was eye contact, a smile, a chat. It was love at first sight. Soon he invited her to his house and they talked late into the night. But she started doubting and kept some distance. Yes, she stayed asleep sometimes, but that meant literally sleeping in this case. More than a kiss just wasn't in it, but the nightly conversations were always insane. The click might have been in the extreme difference. Monica is a free and social woman. Divorced, retired and still in life. She has two children, who live far away but sometimes come to see her. She stands in the middle of society and refuses to go along with Anton's way of life, who wants to distance itself from that society.. A relationship can give your life a little extra, but also slow down. For the latter, she's rather scared, had she explained to him.

There are also similarities. She has tremendous love for the jungle. For Animals. For the beach. For people. At most he shares love for animals and jungle and, strangely enough, they never talked about it.. The beach and people could be stolen. For example, she wanted to eat out regularly, he felt that a waste of money. At home, they could prepare a much better meal, at home the ingredients were fresh and good. He had everything here that needed a perfect evening and more. She didn't understand that reasoning; these kinds of topics caused collisions. Interesting collisions, though, but he made sure he didn't pound too much into it.. Without wanting to admit a straw, he kept hoping for more with Monica.

Nerves

Hence, her arrival does not directly give him the nerves. All he can do is stay and see where the ship is stranded and enjoy the moments together. But taking her daughter with me does give you some pressure. As one of the few in this world, she knows that there is something going on between them, but: Monica urged Anton to play friends. This time really no touches. nothingness. He had all the understanding.

Anton, originating in Poland, has been living in Latin America for ten years, of which the last three years in Mexico. Here in the south of that country, near the village of Tulum, he bought a piece of land. In the middle of the jungle. Here he built his dream house and wanted to become completely self-sufficient. No longer dependent on others, at most on nature, the sun, the rain. Here he has his own piece of world. His own free state. Surrounded by trees and every night at most the sound of all the thousands of animals that this forest is rich. He generates Electra via solar panels. His garden is huge and is in full growth. From fruits, vegetables and herbs to feed for the chickens. He was genuinely proud of what he had achieved. Here he wanted to spend the rest of his life. His dogs are his company.

Monica's daughter Selena and her boyfriend intend to start a farm someday, just like he. A farm in the middle of the jungle. With fruit, vegetables and some chickens. That was the excuse Monica gave him: the two wanted to know more about how to handle something like that. A lot more Monica didn't tell you about it. It was just one sentence. It will be. She undoubtedly wanted to prevent him from thinking that she wanted to hear her daughter's opinion about him at all costs.. Transparent, but man: they're welcome, he'll just show them around and tell what. I mean, this is about his great pride: that can only go well.

silence

He enjoys the silence in advance. A silence he has learned to appreciate, a silence he drives away at night by strolling the Internet. His four dogs start barking like possessed. Shortly thereafter, the bell. He's waiting a minute. One, two, three. His heart is ravage. Then he opens the door and walks with lead legs towards the gate, about 30 meters away.. The dogs keep raging at the gate, where Monica's car waits; they are the guardians of his house and his property. He opens the gate surrounded by the dogs. First, scare some before he can act the dominant man, right?? Monica, Selena and Marcus can also see how dangerous his animals can be.. And how he controls them.

The car goes in, all the way to the house. The dogs bark for a moment in front of the doors. If the three want to step out, he calls them to order. Immediately they respond, immediately they follow his orders and walk to their loft. Only Typhus continues to have trouble with this state of affairs. This dog is only a few months old and playful. Yet he also conquers his behaviour. His guests can enter without problems or fears. Monica gives Typhus confidently a pet on his ball; Typhus wags. Anton looks at it lovingly. What is she beautiful, what is she perfect, what is she untouchable.

His two new guests marvel at the space, which moves Anton. The house is also huge. From above it is in a Mickey Mouse shape: a large round living room, with two slightly smaller rounds to his bedroom and a workspace. In the living room hardly any furniture: a table with eight chairs, a sofa, a TV, a TV stand. A fridge and a modest kitchen. And plenty of art he made himself.

pest

The floor is made of stone and completely even. He designed all the spaces in such a way that the cleaning is done in no time and that insects don't stand a chance of getting in. In the three years it's finished here, it's happened once that he had an ant infestation. Logical: he wanted some honey and left the spoon unwashed. An hour later it was hit. Beginner's error, ants will enter anytime and anywhere. Especially in the jungle. Since then he has been very kien on everything. Since then, he hasn't seen an insect. Even the mosquitoes stay outside. Perfection.

,, It's going to rain. Now let me show you around the garden?”, he asks. It's raining a little bit, but it's only going to be more. Anton knows the jungle. Know the area. Usually know exactly when what happens. He is already able to read nature. He does not like surprises and excludes them as much as possible. At most, he can't control his own thoughts.

The garden is now a mess. At most twice a year, he cleans it here. Then he weeds weeds and makes sure that all the crops, all the trees, all the plants, all the bushes get the space they need. Despite this, everything is beautiful. The papayas, the bananas, the herbs. Soon he will be able to harvest. , But I just never get it on. So I'm selling some. Not that I need that money, but throwing it away is kind of like.”

Population

And then, more serious:,, That annoys me to the people here. So much poverty, so many beggars. And just look pathetic as you pass them. They're gonna clean your windshield in the hope they get some pennies. Man, you live in the jungle! The government wanted to keep the people pieces of jungle, so they didn't have to maintain it themselves. Free. They could grow all their food. No, they'd rather go begging and drink beer from that money. They look worse and worse and it doesn't give them anything. They're lazy. And it's so easy, anyone can grow fruit and vegetables here.”

His three visitors nod, he regrets right. He is eager to express his sharp opinion, but had previously planned to remain on the plain. He's been struggling to keep his big waffle all his life and notices that it worsens. And in this case, it is first better to see what kind of people he is dealing with. But they seem to understand this opinion. He relaxes. Logically too, especially the European will constantly suffer from those beggars. A güero, that's the target group.
The chickens of Anton live on the edge of the jungle

But still, he takes gas back. Tells about his garden, shows what grows and blooms. Tells about his experiences, his knowledge gained. After this garden he goes to the chickens, which he keeps for the eggs and of course for the meat. It shows the whole surface, while more and more drops fall. At the chickens you can see more jungle. And the fencing, which is ugly but luckily does not stand out. The jungle is growing, the fencing keeps people out. Once the tour is complete, he takes them back inside. There where it's dry.

Yanks

,, Do you actually speak a little Spanish?”, he gauges the German Marcus. He himself spoke it now flawlessly. Accentless. He was proud of that, as Pole. He also thought it was logical. You speak the language of the country in which you live, period. ,

, I'm learning, I'm trying it. I actually find it awkward to speak English here, then I feel like such an American who refuses. That makes me worse, so I really want to learn it,” he answers. An American-hater? He's starting to like the boy. Just continue to gauge, but as airy as possible:, Americans yes. Who then call their sport football. That's with the hands! And it's not a ball! And then that's what they call it, and football they call soccer. And then they think we're weird.” The boy grinns. ,, I can not go well against Americans. With their exaggerated, theatrical behavior. Especially in this environment there are many. It annoys me,” he smiles. Yes. This is a typical European. Well a good European.

Well, one of the romantic kind. Selena and Marcus's intention to start a farm must be motivated by romance. Not the hands out of the sleeves, but from a dreaminess. Anton couldn't imagine these two could do something with their hands. That these two could do, as he could. But yes, growing a garden with fruit and vegetables in the jungle can anyone. So also these two. As long as you want it, as long as you pay attention to it. Sometimes some water, sometimes some cleaning up, but that's all far from daily. The jungle does almost all the work.

Selena and Marcus have only been in Tulum for three days and live together in Mexico City. Cheerfully they tell about their first findings: here is no corona, here is all freedom. It surprises them, but in this sunny environment they are of course fine. , Corona, yes. Of course, this is purely and only to keep the people under control”, Anton sighs. He tells his findings he obtains via the Internet and if he does not get a response, he rattles through. Exactly what he was afraid of before, happens: uninhibited he reflects what he thinks and finds. He wanted so much to stay on the plain, but that's not in his nature. He just can't talk about little cows and calves. But they listen to it with interest. Like they don't know this. But he realizes it in time and takes a bit of gas back.

, you know... I'm 63 years old. Have more than half my life had to deal with communism in Poland. Everything was taken from me by the government. They always told me exactly how to live. How to relate to society. I'm so tired of it, they screwed up my life. Now I'm sitting here and I don't want anything to do with the government.. nothingness. They're not gonna tell me how to live.”

State of mind

There's an awkward silence. Although? Selena gets it. , Corona is a state of mind. The government feeds the fear, making the mind open to something like that. I don't believe any of it.” So, mja. Also a way to look at it. Selena works as an alternative therapist, with energy waves. Does not believe in corona, distrust government and media, because they are in a different cosmos, or something like that. Theories that give Anton the creeps. Floating hassle, after all, reality is much darker and more worrying. He leaves the subject. As he had previously planned. He doesn't believe in it.. Can't do anything with it. Refuses to be open to it. And he would rather remain friends with Monica, in the hope that it will still be a bit more. And so he wants to stay friends with Selena. He grinns and swallows all the words that come to mind.

Monica looks a little embarrassed at him. She's very proud of her daughter, but she knows that Anton is extremely cynical. ,, What kind of work do you actually do?”, Anton tries to save the situation. He looks at Marcus hopefully; Monica sighs of relief. ,, I'm a writer. And sometimes I also write as a journalist in a newspaper in Germany,” he responds.

God-for-Mighty. The mainstream media and a hover girl who want to start a farm together. Anton bites his lip. These types of figures also have the right to vote. Again he keeps quiet. He gets up and walks to the kitchen, where he can prepare tonight's dinner in no time. Monica accompanies him, but the two don't talk. He sees in his corner of the eye Marcus and Selena walking through the living room. See how they indeed discover his office. He lets them commit. But if only they were. I'm not in the mood for this anymore. I want to be alone. He notices that he has hardly any energy left from walking on tiptoe. And Monica is remarkably quiet, says nothing. Tonight, all I can do is lose, so it's a matter of limiting the damage..

He drops the subject. Think of two hours ago, when he was still enjoying the freedom of being alone. CNN with the inauguration of Joe Biden. How that annoys him. How it annoys him that the world is celebrating with Donald Trump gone. How just now a man comes to power who is a lot more dangerous. He thinks of the pedonnetwork around Jeffrey Epstein. To power that is now firmly pulling the strings around the world, but more and more exposed. , “Will I pour the wine in advance”, asks Monica. Anton is right back in class and grinns. sure.

Intriguing story

The food tastes all exquisite, the wine idem ditto. The atmosphere at the table is stiff; the looks of understanding between Marcus and Selena do not escape him. The fact that Monica eats especially quietly and hardly says anything, does not escape him. Marcus will ask if he can write about this visit for his blog; about Anton, his home, his life. Rather not, he answers. ,, Journalists suck half out of their thumbs”, he answers. And soon followed by,,, Not that you do, but I'd rather not. sorry.” Marcus shrugs and sips his wine. ,, Not very. Your story is intriguing, but you're right: I'd have to come over and interview you..” Anton grinns. He has no need.

After a few hours, his guests say goodbye. He gives Monica a hug and Selena and Marcus a hand. It's not all going very warmly; the click with daughter love was anything but. And Marcus certainly doesn't interest him at all. Monica gets in and looks at him shortly on departure. An unfathomable look. Once the car has left the premises, it will be quiet again. When he closes the gate, he closes the gate to society. At most the crickets and birds make noise. He realizes how much freedom he has in his own earthly paradise. There's a tear on his cheek. He looks around, at all the budding food that his environment is rich. His legs feel heavy, the silence is deafening. He walks in, picks up another glass of wine and moves to his office. When he turns on his computer, YouTube recommends him an interesting video. 'The strange family business of Joe Biden' drives away the icy silence and brings excitement. The world is rotten through and through, he sighs. He feels a knot in his belly. On his own, he battles a wretched world from his office chair. It gives him no satisfaction. The only bright spot in his life he should probably put out of his head now, this evening certainly did not do any good. Fortunately, he has all freedom in his earthly paradise. From one hundred square meters. He picks up his phone and selects Monica on Whatsapp. ,, It was cozy! I'll see you soon? XX!”

This story is largely true. The names are fictitious.

Longread: the ultimate freedom on its own piece of land