Someone tapped me on the shoulder. I looked up but the sun was in my eyes.
'You look pale…'
I saw Jansen only as a silhouette. He took a seat across from me.
'It’s because of the heat,' I stammered. 'I think I was feeling faint …'
He ordered a glass of milk for me and a whiskey for himself.
'Drink that,' he said. 'You’ll feel better afterward.'
I sipped the ice-cold milk. Yes, little by little, the world around me regained its shapes and colors, as if I were adjusting a pair of binoculars to bring them into focus. Jansen, in front of me, looked at me kindly.
'Don’t let if faze you, kid. I’ve fallen into my share of black holes too …'