Blumfeld, an Elderly Bachelor

Blumfeld, an Elderly Bachelor (Blumfeld, ein älterer Junggeselle) is an incomplete story by Franz Kafka. Probably written in the beginning of 1915, it first appeared in Beschreibung eines Kampfes (Description of a Struggle). It relates part of the life of Blumfeld, an elderly bachelor, who upon arriving home finds two balls bouncing off the ground of their own accord. The balls follow him wherever he goes, and it clearly annoys him. The action continues into the next day, following his attempt to be rid of the balls. After finding an apparent solution, he goes off to work, where we see him interact with those around him.

An entry from Kafka's Diaries dated February 9, 1915 could refer to "Blumfeld":

Just now read the beginning. It is ugly and gives me a headache. In spite of all its truth it is wicked, pedantic, mechanical, a fish barely breathing on a sandbank.

A re-imagining of the story by Carter Scholz is featured in Kafka Americana.

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