Konrad and Alexandra (pdf) - Rolf Gross

elieve me."
After a moment’s hesitation Konrad continued. "Vladimir has become a trusted friend.
He has the ease and grace I am lacking. I like this man, and at the moment I am so happy to
be here that I can be generous. Knowing and watching these two has not always been easy."
Deda shook her head. "I do admire your courage and your dedication to Alexandra. You
have taken away the raison d’être for my invitation. I really wanted to encourage you to learn
the Sufi turn. You are an excellent dancer, it would be easy for you. You see, turning is a
meditative exercise which does not require the head, only purely physical balance. You are a
Kopfmensch, it would be very good for you to lose your head on occasion."
Konrad began to laugh. "Alexandra and I just discussed Dahl and used the same term to
describe him. I am not nearly as involved with my head as he is. I have learned much about
‘occasionally losing my head’ from your daughter and from Henri."
He turned serious. "Maybe you are right. Perhaps I should explore the Sufi way further,
which has served Henri so well."
Deda, suddenly lively, interrupted him. "And which has helped me to balance my
creative side with Irakli’s expectations as his wife. You sure have guessed by now that I was
once as rebellious and willfully obstinate as Alexandra. Ilia and the theater were my first great
infatuations."
She blushed deeply. "But you are right, Robert Dahl is intellectually more introverted
than anybody I have ever met. And no female charm seems to be able to save him. Alexandra
has access to him. I suppose Dahl admires her sharp mind."
Konrad had a sudden inspiration. "Have you discussed your invitation to the sema with
Persephone and Henri?"
She shook her head.
"Then please ask whether I could bring Vladimir and Dahl along. Let me see what I can
do to provoke their interest. But who will teach me the turn?"
"Oh," she said coyly, blushing profusely, "the sema-bashi does that!"
Konrad had a good laugh and gave Deda a kiss.
Alexandra was puzzled when Konrad told her of Deda’s invitation. She said a few
unfriendly words about Persephone adding predictably, "No, thank you, I am not interested in
joining you."
When Konrad told her of his conversation with Deda and her suggestion that he should
learn the turn, she did modify her criticism of her mother. But she remained adamant, she did
not want to see Persephone again. Konrad pulled his surprise. "I shall try to persuade Dahl and
Vladimir to come along."
Alexandra blinked. "Dahl, after the baptism experience? I don’t know. A sema is a lot
more emotional than a baptism."
"Exactly for that reason."
She shook her head. "Are you going to learn the turn, as Deda suggested? Who is going
to teach you?"
He made a deliberate pause before he told her with a straight face that her mother
would do that.
Alexandra laughed harder than ever. "My dear Deda, in love with her son-in-law! Good
for her!"
"Shh, don’t laugh so loud, and not a word to anyone, please! Isn’t it charming?"
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