ingo

When Ingo was ten years old he wondered how in the world someone could possibly fix the broken chair in the kitchen. His mother told him that in just a few years time he too would be able to fix chairs. Ingo is a planning engineer; he’s responsible for figuring out how to connect district heating to people’s homes and businesses. When I come across him he’s staring at a hole in the ground, at a job site that isn’t his, en route to a private function. I restated this notion in my head and chuckle: Ingo’s curiosity wouldn’t let him walk past a construction site, that he has nothing to do with, on the way to a dinner party after work.

When he was younger Ingo travelled to the Sahara in a camper van. He loves meeting new people, interacting with different cultures, and experiencing things outside of the familiar. He owns an old Toyota Land Cruiser that he is currently fixing up. His dream is to drive it to Vladivostok, a Russian port city on the Sea of Japan. I like asking people for life advice. Ingo thinks about it for a moment: “Believe in yourself. Good luck with your project. I believe in you.”

[26] Monday, June 7, 2021