Читать книгу When I was - Nataniël - Страница 6

When I was 9 years old I often had to stay after school for my music lessons. One day, on my way out, I heard two of the older boys talking in the bathroom. One was saying that he had heard touching your genitals was not a bad thing at all. He said it released stress and stimulated the mind, and it was especially good for people with their own businesses. Then the other one said he hoped he hadn’t started too late, he did not want to end up being a schoolteacher one day.

I had always thought a genital was a person who looked after a large complex or building like a church or a hotel. I was devastated. As far as I knew there was not a single genital or large building in my family. That night I wrote my parents a letter and told them that although they were very nice people I had to go and live somewhere else so I wouldn’t have to be a schoolteacher one day. Then I threw some clothes into a bag and climbed through the window.

I walked three blocks until I reached the tallest building in our town. It was the house Miss Engelise lived in. I rang the bell and waited. Miss Engelise opened the door and looked at me and my bag.

Please don’t be angry, I said, I have nowhere else to go. You are the only rich person I know of. I just need to know if I can stay here until I have touched enough genitals to start my own business.

Miss Engelise said nothing. She showed me into the dining room and made me sit at the table. Then she took my hand and closed her eyes.

God, she said, I am here with a strange boy. Bless our food and give me strength.

We ate onion soup with thin slices of bread and white cheese. Miss Engelise pointed to a large painting of two very old people.

My parents were both blind, she said.

Then we ate fish with small potatoes and cucumber salad.

Once I ran away, said Miss Engelise, And my parents became really upset. They thought I did it because they were blind.

Then we ate tapioca pudding with red figs. After that Miss Engelise showed me to my room. I was awake the whole night, listening for footsteps, thinking about what the older boys had said and wondering where on this earth I would find somebody to touch.

The next morning Miss Engelise was waiting for me in the dining room. The table was laid with fruit and flowers, pancakes and toast, scrambled eggs and tiny sausages, fruit juice and coffee, and on a glass pedestal, a huge vanilla cake.

I hear you play the piano very well, said Miss Engelise, I hear you won your first competition when you were only six. With a gift like that you can touch thousands.

Who looks after your house? I asked.

Miss Engelise grabbed my hand and closed her eyes.

God, she said, I’m still here with the boy. He wants to thank you for his talent. And for giving him the right parents. Bless our food and make us wise.

And then we ate.