Meeting Jay in Herne Hill 1996

Jay and Olivia in Berlin in 2012

18 years ago I met Jay the first time in a pub in Herne Hill. I had just moved to London from Berlin to study. There he was, on a lazy afternoon with a small book in his hand while waiting for someone. So was I. I asked him about reading in a pub, Jay answered in his charming way with a smile on his face. That was the beginning for our friendship – one of the few that stayed lively even when I moved back to Berlin. Talking to Jay on the phone was always like a time travel – we’ve stayed connected all those years.

Mina Hagedorn