A BRIDGE AMONG TWO NATIONS (59/?)
Title: A Bridge Among Two Nations
Pairing: Schnidal (Bernd Schneider/Arturo Vidal)
Rating: NC-17
Character crew: Bernd Schneider, Arturo Vidal, Bruno Labbadia, Gonzalo Castro, Tranquillo Barnetta,Joachim Löw feat.
Deutsche Nationalmannschaft.
Disclaimer: Tout faux, F.I.C.T.I.O.N, Fake... every synonym related to 'false'
Warning: Some slang and swearing.Unbetaed.
Summary: Sometimes love is a bridge for communication among two totally different nations. In this part - Joachim Löw talks to Arturo about many things and also there will be surprises for the Chilean.
Previously on "Bridge"
Joachim asked to Bernd to 'give him' Arturo for a while.
He said yes.
They get downstairs through the elevator. No words spoken.
"We cannot even take a sip of Coca Cola! The machine is broken!"
"Why?"
"'Cause there's no electrical energy over here.There's light only in ICU, ER, Maternity, Pediatrics and where Bernd is...oh noes."
"No problem, Arturo. I can cope with it. Come here, little boy.Well, you are not anymore..."
He was outside of the hospital talking with Vidal.
"Vidal. You're such a good player. A very good defense and multiple winger, the problem is that you're asking
for the impossible, Arturo... you were born in Chile and you'll play for Chile---"
"Nein, Herr Löw! Für der Weltmeisterschaft nicht! I'm talking about the EURO!"
"You're asking too much, Arturo... but anyways we'll make the impossible so you can make your dream come true.
You are the best player ever. Even I can say that you are the man in the mirror. You're like Bernd's reflex.
In case of anything, if he wants to get retired, his name would not be lost... 'cause you will be there."
"Actually... I went to the DFB headquarters and I wrote a letter to Dr. Theo Zwanziger so he can think about that possibility..."
"That's very positive from you, dear Arturo" Löw said "Also you'll be the first Chilean openly gay player if you reveal the relationship so
as Bernd the second openly gay player, but he'll be the pioneer..."
"Why?"
"I correct...you'll be the pioneer! In the sense of being a openly gay couple, who loves and wants so much, so as active players and playing
for the same team. Homosexuality in soccer is not easy, Arturo."
"Nein. Bruno Labbadia screwed my life. And this, even more."
"But this just a single hair of the tail compared to the terrible suffering you had the last time after Bruno left Bayer. And even more,
before he left Bayer."
Arturo stands in silence.
"All that I wanna do is bring this earthquake to Leverkusen and that man being swallowed by the earth!" Arturo exclaims mumbling with anger.
"I still remember his face laughing up while putting fire to the Chilean flag! The day when I broke the window in BayArena and Bernd made me
all those questions... "
"What kind of questions made to you...?"
"I still remember when he said 'Schau in meine Augen'. I was like 'glaube mich, Bernd, bitte!' while asking me..."
"Don't worry, Arturo, don't be so textual..."
"O.K. Sorry if my German is so messed up."
"Kein problem..."
"He said to me: 'Schau in meine Augen.Sei ehrlich.'
and then he asked me: 'Mochtest du es?' and I said 'Nein!' "
"So?"
"So after that... he asked something like...'Du hast es genossen?' and I answered that I didn't felt anything"
"You! Answered that question despite of your lack of knowledge?"
"I was self-learner since then with Bernd. I didn't know whow my lips gets used to pronounce those words, herr Löw, I swear!
Then he said something about lust."
"If you say 'lust' [English] with capital L, then it's 'Lust'... in Spanish is 'placer'."
"Aw... yeah. He said something of: 'Wenn du keine Lust gespürt hast, was hast du gefühlt?' and answered 'Schmerz'. In English is pain and
Spanish 'dolor'And then he asked me if I said 'yes', you know, moans and all. And I said that he obligated me... that's how the medical
staff determinated it was a sex attack. It's a hell. A personal hell...you know... is the first time that I talk about it after more than 10
months..."
Vidal cried more than half an hour. Indeed, it was the first time ever talked about the questions Bernie made to him after the emergency
attention from Bayer's medical staff.
"When Bruno rubs on my face my sexual condition it feels like I'm less than a man...I feel like an animal, you know."
"Arturo... not because you're homosexual you're exposed to raping. Me, Hansi, Torsten...anyone can be exposed, independent of sexual
behavior. Straight and gay people always are exposed to these kind of brutality. I understand you, Arturo. You need to talk to a sportive
psychologist. I know it still hurts you... you suffered so much, even now you're suffering... with Bernd cut by your own father, the
earthquake... you have everything to have this story screwed up. But you're still there, Bernd is still there. Love is more important than
anything. Maybe you need therapy for cope with your rape, but there's no excelse cure than love. Your heart beats for him... your eyes glow
when you talk about him. You were brave and put your arm to save his life. Even he could feel that the blood was put in, was yours.
Also one more thing, Arturo... when you spoke German you made it really well... you speak like a Thuringian!"
"Oh no, not again, please! Always the people says that I talk like a Jenaer or like a Thuringian...when will be the time when they say: 'You
are a Chilean speaking German'"
"You took Bernd's way for pronouncing. My open vowels you know it really well. If you learned with me, you probably picked up my way.
So, with him, you picked up his way..."
Arturo rise up an eyebrow.
Jogi releases his thumb up in approval signal and winks an eye.
"But how do you feel now?"
"Sometimes I feel guilty, because when it happened, my father caught us in the act. But I feel glad at the time, 'cause I revealed the way I
am to my family. Soon Bernd will do the same. He couldn't take the love he feels for me to the grave."
Joachim is silent, the Bundestrainer thinks about the earthquake aftermath, about what Bernd told him that day at the Chilean Red Cross
tent-hospital.About the media, about tabloids, so as BILD or BLÖD like other says.
"Well... other thing, Arturo: don't put attention to tabloid junkie...huh? Whatever you do, whatever you say, they'll fix something and put
it out of context. Bernd worries me, 'cause he'll reveal it to the media"
"Does Bild really matter about how many stitches does Bernd have? Does Bild really matter how many liters of blood and antibiotics put to
him? I don't think so. The only thing really matters for them is the way we...ähm...you know" Arturo said doing the vulgar gesture.
"Indeed, they wake up morbo" Löw said pouting.
"Anyways...Arturo Vidal. Even you'll play for your own country for the World Cup, I'll bless you... and I'll leave you the doors wide open to
the Deutsche Nationalmannschaft."
"With my last name or Bernd's last name?"
"Doesn't matter the last name, if you are...what's your middle name...?"
"Erasmo"
"If you are Arturo Erasmo Vidal... soon you'll become Arturo Erasmo Schneider"
"From now and on I'll sign like that."
"But first you need a civil union..."
"Don't spoil my thoughts!!! Anyways, danke für alles, Herr Löw." Arturo grins and hugs Joachim.
Then, a doctor went out and said:
"Are you Arturo Vidal?"
"Yes, sir..."
"Come here"
Arturo's blood is cooling.A gasp was released. Joachim follows him.
"Did you told me about your sexual condition?"
"Well, nope..."
"You know that homosexuals cannot donate blood, because it's considered a risk group...huh?"**
"Yes...why?"
"Bernd Schneider revealed his sexual condition."
"Yes. Is true. But also let me tell you that I'm his couple. And I'm not ashamed anymore. I love him and that's all what really matters.
Sorry, but a life saved is a life saved, so, shut up and don't talk to me, anymore. I know this is a Catholic hospital, whatever you want to
face about the Gospels or whatever...sorry, but---"
"Easy, Arturo. Easy. The blood made effect, the blood is healthy, it hasn't any STD diseases, no hepatitis, no nothing. We examined every
blood sample.
You did a very good gesture for him. I'm against that policy that still circles around" the doctor says "and even more, I'll quit this
hospital in a couple days more." he whispered.
"But tell me and answer me one question... from who is the blood? Donors can be anonymous. More than 20 people donated blood for Bernd..."
"But only one passed the coagulation test. The antigen test revealed that the only blood could be recieved... was yours."
"I can't believe it... why?"
"Are you Rh positive?"
"Why?"
"He could recieve it well 'cause one of the 20 samples were Rh positives. The others were negative."
"Yes. I'm Rh positive. I'm an Universal Donor***"
"You were a hero... and also, other things... he's replying very well to the quirurgical washing, the antibiotics. He had in total 14
stitches. But he'll not go out abroad until the next week. In March probably the stitches would be removed, but in his country they'll do
that job."
"In Germany? Don't you think is too risky, doc?" Arturo said.
"If you want to do it here, then we'll do it here..."
"No, no problem. Let Bernd decide..."
It was going to be March, but not so soon to get removed the stitches. Also he must have the anti-tetanic vaccine, one week later.
The doctor left Bernd decide about where he wants to get the stitches removed.
tbc. 08/09/2010
* = according to actual trading currency data.
** = This health policy is still in Chilean law.
*** = He says that 'cause Arturo's blood group is O. The O group is called Universal Donor. Actually, Vidal is O Rh+
[just fiction, I don't know the real blood group, I'm not so wise XD]