Er hob sein Glas, die Gäste erhoben die ihren, während sie einander verwirrt anschauten und mit den Achseln zuckten. „Jetzt spinnt er total“, murmelte eine Frau mit aufgetürmten roten Haaren und einem aufdringlichen Parfüm, welches zum Glück den Wettkampf gegen die gerade aufgetragene Bouillabaisse verlor. „Psst.“ Zischte ihr Mann, der etwas verhutzelt, doch jetzt wie elektrisiert neben ihr saß und dem dieser scharfe Zischlaut bislang kaum zuzutrauen war. Just as he was about to address the assembled guests, he lost his voice and he had to take a deep breath. He knew this feeling well, this fear that crept up on him from somewhere deep inside and threatened to overwhelm him. For a moment, he thought of the English king who stuttered through his speeches, gripped by the fear of failure. Don't digress now, he pulled himself together, took in the aroma of the food wafting from the restaurant kitchen for a moment, enveloping him like a gentle embrace. He felt his breathing calm down and began to speak. "Dear friends," he cleared his throat and looked around, gazing at the familiar faces. Over there sat his best friend Paul, smiling attentively at him. He knows how I feel right now, he thought, and took another breath. Some people are already getting impatient if you don't finally start. "Dear friends, I know this will surprise you. But it's high time you found out the reason for this invitation. In a moment, we'll eat, drink, laugh, talk, and eventually dance together, and at some point, when the mood is at its peak, just before the first guests start thinking about leaving, you'll notice that I've disappeared. Where to, you ask? Well, that question remains unanswered, of course. Maybe we'll see each other again, maybe not. I'm setting off into the unknown, a new path that even I don't know yet." He paused for a moment. "So, before it gets too mysterious, let's celebrate and see what the evening has in store." He looked around, saw only confused faces, and quickly continued. "And let's drink to that. To surprise, novelty, and curiosity!" He raised his glass, the guests raised theirs, while they looked at each other in confusion and shrugged their shoulders. "Now he's completely lost it," muttered a woman with towering red hair and an overpowering perfume, which fortunately lost the battle against the freshly served bouillabaisse. "Psst," hissed her husband, who was a little disheveled but now sat next to her as if electrified, and who had hardly been capable of such a sharp hissing sound until now.
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