Herr Lehmann hat immer recht. (Mr. Lehmann is always right)

Die Baeume sind gross geworden, dachte Frank, und die Haeuser klein. Sie hatten immer hier gewohnt, hier war er aufgewachsen, und jetzt viel ihm das ploetzlich auf. Frueher waren die Baeume kleiner gewesen und die Haeuser groesser, dachte er, und dieser Gedanke machte ihn traurig. Es ist vorbei, dachte er, ich bin wie einer dieser Baeume, ich bin irgendwie aus der Proportion geraten, ich sollte hier nicht mehr sein, dachte er, ich haette es wie Manni machen sollen.
-aus "Neue Vahr Sued" von Sven Regener.

And here's a translation:
The trees have gotten big, thought Frank, and the houses small. They had always lived here, he grew up here and just now he noticed it. Before the trees had been smaller and the houses bigger, he thought, and this idea made him sad. It's over, he thought, I'm like one of these trees, I'm somehow out of proportion, I shouldn't be here any more, he thought, I should've done it like Manni. (note: Manni left Bremen to be an artist in West Berlin, and later moved to New York in the books)
-from "Neue Vahr Sued" by Sven Regener.

I just read this (again) last night. Isn't it funny how things jump out at you in different ways when you read something again? This book is the prequel to "Herr Lehmann", also by Sven Regener. Herr Lehmann was made into a movie about 4 years ago, and it's my absolute favorite movie ever. It's a sort of coming of age story about Herr Lehmann. It's just the perfect movie, funny, a little bit sad, but hopeful. And this passage is now my absolute favorite passage from "Neue Vahr Sued".