Casual Friday, part 2 (of 3)
<Short story, part 2 of 3, here is part 1>
He switches on the lights and glances around to find it clean and tidy. He quickly turns on the coffee machine, as it needs time to warm up. Then he climbs down in the cellar and brings up four bottles of wine. Another trip down delivers a bag of cookies, little cakes, crisps and pecans. With everything prepared in the kitchen for his colleagues, he moves on to the main space.
His first destination is the technical space with the mixer, amplifiers and light-console. He quickly removes and stores the covers. Then he turns on the machines and the lights, so it can warm up. It’s actually a bit too early for this, but with those artists you never know. Some bring professional engineers that treat the equipment with respect, but sometimes they have no clue what they are doing and before you know it stuff gets broken and covers misplaced. But all Peter knows is that he won’t be here to help them, as his main-task as volunteer is outside.
To doublecheck if the system is fully up and running, he connects his phone to the mixer. He opens his music library and out of his shortcuts his thumb automatically picks the hymne of Hirsch Glick. He plays a newly received translation, sung in Dutch and Yiddish by Dutch/Ukrainian actress Ksenia Marasanova. The lyrics resonate and with everything set he continues to the first floor.
A narrow stairway brings him in a small storeroom packed with books and boxes. Routinely he picks the kevlar jacket from the coat rack in the corner. He has the last one, meaning his two colleagues are already outside.
Weighing about 2 kilograms, the vest is considerably lighter than the older models, which came in between 8 and 10 kilograms. The new Kevlar jackets, donated by a sponsor, are designed to protect vital organs from knife attacks and low-velocity projectiles. They are comfortable, even stylish, yet Peter prefers the hard plates of the old flak jackets as they give him a more secure feeling. He knows it’s a mental thing, but he can’t help it. He’s old-skool. But for his older colleagues these lighter vests are definitely the better solution.
While walking downstairs, he slips into the kevlar jacket. Before leaving the building, he puts his summer coat over the flak jacket as not to rub it in the faces of visitors that they are visiting a risky location.
As the first guests enter the old building, Peter moves to take up his post at the old gate. He glances quickly across the street to see the two armed police officers that are supposed to be there during events. Behind the van of a parcel-courier, he also sees a police-van parked near the entrance of the one-way street. Peter greets his colleague and then focusses on the visitors that need support to get into the courtyard.
<Short story, part 2 of 3, here is part 1>