A cloudy rainy day in the north end of Frankfurt.
Hilde and Edgar Schmidt, who are 72 years old and actually have a different name, are sitting disappointed in their condominium, which fortunately they have not yet sold, and are thinking about a housing project that has crashed.
They had imagined everything so rosy when they decided on a senior citizens' flat share with three married couples in beautiful Wiesbaden. No longer being alone as a retired couple, but rather interesting, lively discussion groups together. A mutual exchange of thoughts, conversations in the evening over a glass of wine, a sociable Sunday morning breakfast for six, cooking together and much more could take place in the future, they thought. But her dreams burst like colorful balloons in the hands of children.
Hans N. and Hans M. from Schwalbach had handled the Schmidts' move.
The two “fit” pensioners H and H, as they call themselves, have been offering their services and support in everyday life to those seeking help who turn to them for several years.
However, they were skeptical of the Schmidts' plan from the start.
Both of her customers seemed to act too hastily and uncritically.
"There was only this one topic," says Hans N. "They raved about the new phase of life, saw only advantages in the future form of living and did not accept a single counter-argument."
A good idea with lots of wine
Three years ago, the Schmidts met a lively round table in a tavern in the Rheingau.
Two couples of the same age immediately offered them a place, there was a big "Hello", loud laughter was soon to be heard, and Uschi and Uli, Hilde and Edgar and Heidi and Walter were toasting each other.
The three ladies giggled to reveal little secrets, and the heads of the three gentlemen turned a little redder with each glass of “Johannisberger Harvest Brothers”, while their wives slowly switched to grape juice because they later had to chauffeur their husbands home.
When everyone wanted to leave, the exasperated Walter shouted: "Girls, listen, what do you think of the idea of founding a senior citizens' flat where we all get along so well?" He added: "Heidi would of course be special be happy."
The entrepreneur, who owned a prestigious villa in Wiesbaden's Nerobergviertel, actually said what sounded like a wine-blissful mood, and from then on everyone involved enthusiastically concretized the vision.
He would make his spacious house available as a domicile, each couple would have their own living, sleeping and sanitary areas, together they would use a lounge and the large kitchen.
Which, in retrospect, turned out to be a crucial mistake.
Democratic voting against conflicts
At some point the four of them moved in with Heidi and Wolfgang.
Everything went well at first.
The first months of living together were characterized by mutual consideration, tolerance and compliance with rules.
Shopping together, excursions, city trips, going to the cinema and the theater also strengthened the team spirit.
But of all things, a small white stick kindled the spark of excitement, protest and contradiction pretty quickly when it came to the smokers and non-smokers among them.
Uli and Wolfgang were chain smokers, and the tobacco smell "stank" the others a lot for a long time.
After a democratic vote, the clear announcement: out into the fresh air, regardless of the weather, and no more blue haze in the communal kitchen and the group's lounge.