Nerve Tea

By Britt Banz

With a sharp eye and fine humor, Britt Banz tells of small and large catastrophes, acts of desperation and dear relatives.

In the petit-bourgeois idyll of a Bavarian village, Franzi struggles with the everyday madness between children, husband, part-time job and her exhausting parents. The calming tea from Aunt Hilde is just right. Grown by yourself, it flowers in the greenhouse that it is a real splendour. Even if Franzi is aware that Aunt Hilde is cultivating cannabis without knowing it, the nerve tea is far too good not to relax with it occasionally. When suddenly the police are at the door, Franzi has to intervene urgently, but the chaos has long since taken its course.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matthew Reynolds
• Release date: Mar 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215283608

Book preview

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Table of Contents

Parents' day

A few months before

The quite normal madness

Football F-Youth Game Association Katzbrück-Hintergmein

First grade mommies

Communion outing

Organization communion

Yoga

Kistl beer meeting

Family parents children sons-in-law

Haiderweg

Women group

Canna... what?

Favorite people

Secrets

Recipe tips

Site visit

Can he do that?

The Study

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

Day 5:

First Day Project »nerve tea«

Second Day

Third day

Fourth Day

Fifth Day

Sixth Day

But you have to!

On a thief spree

Police presence

Splash of color

A personal word at the end

Nerve Tea

Author: Britt Banz

© Copyright 2023 - All Rights Reserved.

The content contained within this book may not be reproduced, duplicated, or transmitted without direct written permission from the author or the publisher.

Under no circumstances will any blame or legal responsibility be held against the publisher, or author, for any damages, reparation, or monetary loss due to the information contained within this book. Either directly or indirectly.

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Parents' day

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Full of anticipation open I the door for the classroom. Ms. Schober, the Class teacher, sits quite in front at her teacher's desk and writes. The Air is unexpectedly fresh, probably has she just aired. At the blackboard recognize I the journal entry from today German lesson. Sentence parts determine reads the heading, the with two thick straight lines is underlined. I go between Window- and center row after in front.

parents' day.

Third grade.

And my Xavier only brings home ones and twos.

Two minutes later stare I Woman rick horrified at.

My Father has WHAT?, hear I me one track to ask out loud. I suddenly get hot. Dear God, please do that everything not true is! Dear God, please do, that I only dreams! But God interested itself apparently straight not for me. The Chair, on to the I sit, is small, quite hard and pretty real. The teacher in front of me has the same straw-like curls as at the last parents' conference. Her serious look signals to me that this awkward conversation has only just begun.

'On Tuesday each child should bring a cup, tea bags and biscuits. We had our class Christmas party, didn't we? explained Woman rick in the patient elementary school teacher tone. And Xavier had nothing included. So I let him call home."

From the Christmas party knew I nothing, cases I her ins Word, "otherwise had I him the Things Yes given.«

Of course I didn't know anything. i never know anything Xaver tells next to nothing about school. Even in kindergarten I had to pull everything out of him.

How was your day?

Nice.

Was anything special?

No.

What were you playing today?

The same as always.

At some point I gave up.

'And I don't know about the call either. I have to work on Tuesdays, nobody is at home there.«

Mrs. Schober nods and raises an eyebrow at the same time. I feel like one of her students.

'Which is probably why he didn't reach you. That's why he came up with the idea of calling his grandmother.«

My mother is at the spa with her friend in the Bavarian Forest this week, I interrupt her again. She does that once a year.

Be that as it may... Ms. Schober doesn't seem to be very interested in the Bavarian Forest or my mum. Xaver spoke to his grandfather, he was probably at home.

He's retired, I murmur. And too stingy for wellness.

But Ms. Schober doesn't go into that either. I can not blame her .

'Your father came to school during recess and gave me Xaver's things. Grandpa Sepp, as Xaver calls him, is but Her Father, or?" She looks me questioning at.

Well... yes, I mumble, my face flushed. And he actually gave you . . . he really wanted . . . well, um. That's all I can do.

Woman rick nods. Her View weighs How steel on to me.

»He came into my classroom during the break and gave me one Bag given. In this were Cookie, one Cup and a Tea egg with ... Tea. At to the Word Tea paint she with her fingers two quotation marks in the Air. He meant the tea would to me secure also do well, I could him quiet try out. Then he has Tea egg opened and me the ... tea ... shown. I was immediately skeptical, after all, well ... Frau Schober's eyes scurry above her Teacher's desk. She moves the block straight. You know that from pictures and such," she finally finishes the sentence a little helplessly. Then she stares at me again. Silence.

I guess I have to comment now, so I take a breath and ask in a voice that's unfamiliar and way too high, And you're sure it was cannabis?

Frau Schober gives me a piercing look. And keep silent.

Crap.

'Couldn't it have been tea? Peppermint tea, for example?" I try desperately to find an explanation.

"I am on this Area naturally no expert. But we become it test permit, and some Colleagues think, it is most likely a drug. So about cannabis.«

get checked?

You don't have to have that checked, Frau Schober!

For God's sake, don't!

Ms Schober seems surprised and annoyed at the same time. Of course must we the test permit!, moves look at me vigorously.

Must She not, contradict I her at least just as energetically, "because in the tea infuser was probably actually grass. So cannabis. Medicinal cannabis. This belongs to my father.'

Please? Woman rick blinks me confused at.

"My Father needs the ... out of health Reasons, I mean.«

Lie.

He has it with the Annoy.

Lie.

"Out of therapy. That's his only medicine, nothing else helps.«

Lie.

He drinks it as Tea, every Day one Cup.

Probably not a lie.

Probably has he there What mixed up. Its medical Tea, the mint tea out of to the Garden, everything stands side by side in the Shelf, understand She? Resigned shake I the Head. Man can him really not more leave my father alone.

While I knead my fingers nervously with my eyes down, I sincerely hope that Frau Schober will buy this story from me.

When I look up again, Mrs. Schober sympathetically grabs my hand. 'I'm so sorry. I did not know anything about that. Think Mother is demented I know the. It is a pity! And like that much Responsibility, the there on us children heavy.«

Yes, it is a sorry My Father. If I him catch, then bring I him around. This time really. I swear it

A few months before

Let just the door to!, shout I mine small Daughter after rosalie, the How always at the first Ring jumps up and rumbling the Running down the stairs to be the first to the front door.

But it must be Grandpa. Rosalie pouts, but at the same time she's on her way back to her room.

Exactly! I growl and, to be on the safe side, disappear into the bathroom. The bathroom, like the two children's rooms and our bedroom, is on the upper floor. And it is the only room in the house where you don't hear the doorbell, at least, if the bathroom door closed is. And if I If you don't hear them , then I can't open the door either. As simple as that.

But when I discover the mountain of clothes piling up over the edge of the bathtub, I immediately lose my joy. There's a little bit of everything: jeans, underpants and pajamas from Sebastian, several football jerseys and sweaty socks from our big boy, Xaver, and of course various little dresses, trousers and T-shirts from Rosalie. A child's trousers are lying next to the toilet, they seem to be clean. Automatically I pick them up and smell them. It's too late for me to notice the strong smell of ammonia that emanates from clothes that have been soaked with water, so I have a complete Nose full of that inhale. Pooh Devil! Reflexive hurl I the trousers in the Dirty laundry basket and let plop down on the wooden stool by the shower. Then my eyes fall on the dark bra that I was looking for so desperately yesterday. He flashes together with two towels and other children's clothing from under the washbasin cabinet . I lift everything on and lay it to the others things on the edge of the bathtub. I better start cleaning up now even not first at. Already alone the Thought at the to making decisions (in the laundry, in the closet, on the stool) makes me sweat. I'd rather clean the sink. In addition, you can see later on closest, that I What did have. What primarily because _ that I normally not so often with to the cleaning rags in bath to meet am. I hate the! bath clean! Uah! I know there are no housewife bonuses now. The low point mine housewife career was clearly, as rosalie, back then about four Years old, quite upset out of to the bath came storming up, hugged me and said to me, beaming with joy: »The sink is clean and shines Yes full, Mummy! Finally do you have a new bought, you are you the Best!"

So I generously spray the dried toothpaste stains from the last week and a half with the »Citrus Scent« bathroom cleaner. Is my father still at the door ? I am Yes someone, the even at the witnesses Jehovah's a bad one Conscience receives, if he so does, as may be he not at home. Of course, that's not the case with my dad. Is he outside? waiting? Probably walks he already about House around or chatting with my neighbors. I can't get along with him anyway, I'm afraid.

Unfortunately, dad is usually exhausting. Really exhausting. And pensioners. We all suffer from it, especially mom and I. Sometimes also still my Man, Sebastian, but the rather rarely. Quite simply for this reason, because Sebastian the whole Day in the Work squats and therewith automatically out of the line of fire is.

Whereby my father finds that the uh no right one work is the the Sebastian there might. The entire Day before to the sit pc, so a nonsense Not just a Nap can he stop there, when he is so healthy! celebrates at all he much to few sick, the Sebastian. minimum four until five weeks have to be in there every year. Otherwise you won't be able to finish the work on the house and garden at home. However, the worst thing for my dad is when Sebastian works from home from time to time. Because then he's at home, but still just sitting in the office and all that Time on the computer stares. Included could he in this time so nice for the building yard drive, shrubs cut or whitewash the house.

Sebastian tried in the meantime, before his Hiding my father-in-law when he works from home again. Why? Therefore.

monday evening, father to Sebastian: You must refuel, have I saw. The Advertisement is already on Reserve.

Sebastian: »Do I at the Wednesday, on to the Away to work.«

Father: Have you morning free?

Sebastian: No, but I work from to home off.« Dad: Yes, flawless, then can we finally the patch before the Workshop embarrassed."

Sebastian: "I white not, if it itself around five still profitable to start paving.«

Father: How come around five? You are you but home. Around eight come I to you, then can we even getting started.

Sebastian: I must but work, I have no Time for paving. How put you to you the before?

Dad: Yes, what is your home office for? Sebastian: I save to me the driving and the Petrol.

Dad: »And you have time to pave. It would be pretty stupid if you sat there in front of the computer. do you think the others make the? There is working none. Have you actually still have the shaker with you or is it again at to me? The was but in the garage confessed wait, me look even just, give to me just the garage key. Oh no, I don't need it, the other day I left the door open a crack then must I not always the Key fetch if I just in your garage want. There look by the way out of in there, that you can still get in there with the car, everything full of Cycles. There must you just clean up, Sebastian! Needs her the Wheels at all, When are her the last Have you driven it? You probably can't ride a bike anymore, as seldom as you..."

The remaining text understands then no Person more, because of father already on to the Away to the garage is, around the Count bikes, inspect the jogger, or do other important retirement things.

I work part-time and only three days a week. The appears him already more reasonable – to me by the way too. Still, my dad doesn't understand why I still do one simple Employee am and me not in the upper third of top management the company romp After all, I'm absolutely overqualified for the job. They can be happy there, that she me have. Yes, the finger would have to she licking off someone like me...

I've given up explaining to him that as a mother even between the two huge K decide had to: children or a career? You can't do both together, even today. Of course I would have Xaver and Rosalie shortly after the birth in the poor one Nanny pass on able to devote all my energy to my career again. But I want think Children grow up see. And if I the diapers himself exchange  and the first loose tooth up close Vicinity noticed would like, well, then must I waving at my colleagues as they climb the career ladder.

When I give such lectures, Papa immediately switches to draft. He just nods in understanding every now and then, and as soon as I with mine argumentative waterproof When I'm done explaining, he usually just replies something like: You just have to talk to your boss, Franziska. At least a salary increase every six months must be possible. Or at least the department head. Just explain it to him. you can you but – talk! Around then each Just with one followed by a slightly provocative facial expression: »But in the Work do probably the mouth not on, when it matters.«

Have you to me Degree not listened?, snap I him then at.

I work only sixteen Hours the Week. How should I since personnel responsibility take over? The goes not! And I don't want that either!

But he has an answer for that too. 'Do it next week sick. There should the Weather nice become."

Today shine the Sun by the way also picture perfect from heaven, while I me at my free Day senseless in the bath hide. My mobile flashes. Aha. One new WhatsApp message from my little sister Betti, who emigrated to Austria fifteen years ago to join the canyon shits .

Betti: Oh man! Franzi, I need vacation, wellness and my rest. Three bad-tempered kids all day. I tell you!

This is now first just nothing New. The lies to it, because Betti's second child Twins become are. Now squats she so with total three toddlers, still in addition everything Guys, in hello in Tyrol. Thankfully, both of my kids are past their worst age. A dream when you can say to your child: Go now please have a shower, or: OK, but you are you at six again home. Of that is betty still worlds removed. Her Greater is straight just during the day diaper free. More need I guess not to mention.

betty is three Years younger as I and so quite everything, What i am not Betti is small (at most one meter sixty-eight), man may the but not so formulate. Before everything not if she included is. She is namely rock solid of that convinced that he was at least five feet six. Allegedly In the morning, even after to the Stand up.

And I'm six feet. I was already the biggest in kindergarten, even when I was still in the sparrow group and the preschoolers two Years older as I. Think Mom is about half an inch taller than Betti, mine father is still just five centimeter greater as the Mummy. underm dash could I so at latest with fifteen no longer look my parents in the eye without lowering my gaze.

I'm slim, but not petite like Betti. The lies quite simply to it, that size Women from Nature are never dainty. The best compliments you can get with one eighty to hear receives, are Sporty, sporty!,

Person, you are you Yes large or You are you nice slim. But words like »feminine«, »delicate« or »elegant« are never used.

And then the Comments, as at betty the Twins coming were: Of all things the Betty, with her narrow basin. Twins! O my, the aaaarms betty Where the but so small and daintily is. Yes, What should I then on it answer? At the End was it Yes then uh a Caesarean section. And under told us: I am quite happy with my lanky nine year old Xavier and mine sweet six year old rosalie, the most of