"I don't have time!" "I must go on!" "On!" "What's that?" "The Wester Tower has snapped!" "Come and help!" "Bakels, bring it back." "Lots of people didn't know Kees Bakels." "And one wonders why?" "Isn't he the most important boy who ever lived?" "Unfortunate events meant he never became famous." "But he couldn't help that." "I'm glad I knew him." "I'm sure that, if things had been different they'd all be proud to know Kees." "I MUSTN'T DREAM" "Some will say: "Oh that boy!"" ""Now I remember."" ""I most certainly do!"" "Look, there he goes." "His teacher just told him he can go to high school and now he's in the swimming pool step!" "He often did." "It made it easier to think." "For instance about what to do if you're rich." "No more dry rusks or awful clothes." "No more errands." "No more cheap stuff at school such as the chalk that gave you a dry throat." "But good stuff, like Rembrandt had." "His parents must have been rich!" "What's wrong with you?" "You look like a cripple." "It's the swimming pool step." " Going to the pool?" "No." " Then walk normally." "Or can't you behave?" "When Kees was rich, he'd buy a pair of plimsolls." "If you wore those, you flew over the canal." "And the swimming pool step looked much better with plimsolls." "If you had gym kit with the name of a real sports club then you were almost champion." "It's a pity father didn't sell plimsolls." "It'd be good business." "I can go to high school, Dad." " That's wonderful, boy." "And I started French evening classes." "Yes, high school was important to Dad because father spent so much time on his knees." "That wouldn't happen to Kees." "Dad wanted Kees to get on." "Sister Truus and brother Tom too." "French at evening classes was easy." "A corpse could learn." "And the teacher even learnt it in Paris!" "He'd be allright with French." "He could start a club of boys who spoke French and helped tourists so they could honour Amsterdam." "What will you do at Krasnapolsky?" " Play billiards." "Play billiards!" "Of course!" "Very good." "Shall I accompany you?" "I'm amazed that these Dutch boys speak such amazing French!" "Let's go." "You saw what I did." "Now you try." "Thank you." "There you are." "Well done, petit Kees!" "Incredible!" " It's nothing." "When he returned to Paris, he said of Holland the boys there!" "Incroyable!" "So polite!" "And they could play billiards as if they learnt it at school." "Maybe it was the French and billiards but Kees felt he was better than the other boys in his class." "That joining in and talking to them lowered him somehow." "Swap a double Cape, de Veer?" " No Bakels, my father won't let me." "Dozy..." "And then a new girl arrived at school:" "Rosa Overbeek." "She went to a rich school and learnt personal pronouns and worse things..." "She was so superior..." "Kees saw her watching him." "She didn't mix." "Kees shouldn't either." "Bakels?" "Going to the docks later?" " No." "Maybe the painter'll give us two cents?" " I don't take cents." "Dozy..." "Very good, Kees." "We're not like the others." "We don't feel at home with these children." "No." "We are higher spirits looking down on them." "You say that so beautifully, Kees." "What are you staring at, dozy?" "Hey." "He has to watch out." "De Veer had fine clothes, Cape stamps and thought he was a higher spirit too." "And De Veer's father was in the wine trade." "Rosa sat in front of him in class." "High!" "Up!" "Very good!" "And stretch up!" "And the next!" "Come on!" "Smoked too many cigarettes, Donker?" "Mr de Vries wants the hoops and skittles." "Eh, in the equipment store." "Come on, boys!" "Next!" "De Veer with his gym kit and plimsolls got on well with Overbeek." "Bakels?" "But here comes Kees Bakels!" "Great, Kees, very good!" "Bakels!" "Fortunately she didn't laugh with the others." "She was serious... a real higher spirit." "He couldn't think of another word." "She probably took piano lessons." "Girls like that did." "She played wonderfully." "But she didn't boast." "She wasn't like that." "D'you feel like, this afternoon..." "You said something?" " No." "Bakels?" "Where's the kitchen?" "Do you know?" " Yes." "You know the riding school in Vondelstraat?" "Eh, yes." "I'm going this afternoon." " You are." "Nice." "Shall I go with you, Rosa?" "Bakels?" "You have time for an errand?" "Eh..." "Of course, sir." "Oh, still no date with Rosa." "Pity, but this was a nice errand, an important one." "And the teacher may say:" "Put on this fencing mask, Bakels." "Before you knew, you'd be fencing." "Why did the teacher send a brat like you?" "People will think I'm going to fencing lessons with my own swords." "And don't get into mischief!" " Yes, you'll see." "He must be going to a fencing lesson." " And with his own familiar swords." "Well Bakels, thanks." "I'll see you later in the week." "Or did you want to fence?" "Yes, I read a lot about it, sir." "Bakels, put on your mask and grab your sword." "Bakels!" "You've done that before!" "It's my first time, sir." "Really!" "Go ahead." "But what about Rosa?" "Overbeek?" "Rosa?" "What d'you want, Bakels?" "I think she's with De Veer." "I'm going to the riding school at 4.15." "There you go, De Veer." "Don't get bigheaded, Bakels." "You don't even have an atlas." "Bakels?" "Bakels!" "He was dreaming again." "Bakels, someone to fetch you." " Why, sir?" "Your neighbour's downstairs." "What's wrong?" " Go on." "Just go." "Kees, come home!" "Something happened to your father." "Father!" "An accident." "He couldn't wait for his brother and sister..." "He wasn't crazy." "He could get home twice as fast!" "Maybe the accident happened just when he thought of Rosa and the riding school." "And give him some ice quickly." "Hello boy." " Hello doctor." "What's wrong?" " Fetch 25 cents of ice..." "What's up with Dad?" " Go on!" "An accident?" " Quick, Kees!" "What's wrong with Dad?" " Here, go to the chemist." "What happened?" " Come on, hurry!" "He had to keep it up." "Maybe Father could be saved." "There it was." "The stitch in his side." "He felt that before." "Ah, that pain, your spleen finished you." "Some runners had it removed." "But he didn't have time for an operation." "He had to run." "Maybe he'd drop dead later." "People would say:" "What a boy, that Kees Bakelsl" "Ran himself to death to save his fatherl" "Pick it up in an hour." "What?" "In an hour?" "Father could be dead." "And be picked up." "Boy?" "Sir, a mistake?" "Wasn't it urgent?" "In an hour and no earlier!" "Understood?" "So you warned him it was urgent?" "Yes, but the elixer came too late your honour." "I tried to get it earlier." "I sentence this chemist to life." "Your honour, forgive me." "I'm sorry." "Grandpa and Grandma Bakels lived closeby, unfortunately." "Hello Grandpa, Grandma..." "Don't make such a noise while father's ill." "Drop by later in the week." "We have something for you." "As long as you help your mother." "Come on, Bakels." "Kees wished they went to the dogs." "Or something even worse if possible." "Mum said father had coughed." "And he felt very ill." "A handkerchief full of blood, the coughing of course." "Come on, Kees." "Hello, father." "Already home from school?" "There you are." "Father was all right." "Maybe a little weak from coughing." "You could hurt your throat." "Was the ice good?" " Yes, very good." "This morning we did continents." "This afternoon:" "Countries." "But I know most from my stamps." "Guatemala and all." "I really need an atlas, though." "But there's no hurry." "Van Dam has an atlas," "An old one." "I don't want that." "Are you going back to sleep?" "Kees!" "Coming, mother!" "Kees!" "The Passage." "Be careful on your way." "And mind your own business." "What do I have to do there?" " Take some money." "What do I have to buy?" " Kees!" "Don't I have to buy anything?" " No." "Put it in another pocket." "Don't talk to anyone about it." "Not even Grandma if she asks." "Hold the money when you walk." "Will it take long?" "How do I know?" "Don't ask silly questions." "I have something else to do." " What?" "Mum?" " Yes." "Will Dad be all right?" "Yes." "Why not?" "He has to go to The Passage." "And then to the riding school." "But where was it?" "He'd forgotten." "Are they on speaking terms with Aunt Jeanne?" "Or not?" "Or a little?" "Kees?" "That's nice." "You want a drink?" "Ah, good!" "They were speaking." "It's so difficult with family." "It could change by the day." "Thank you, Aunt." "Where is the riding school?" " The riding school?" "Why?" "That's for rich kids, Kees." "Hey, Kees." "What d'you want?" "No reason, I'm off." "Bye." "Where are you going?" " To the riding school!" "The riding school?" "No, to The Passage." " The Passage?" "Eh, no..." "Secret." " Secret?" "No, nothing." "Bye." "He still couldn't find the riding school." "But first The Passage." "It would be safest not to walk straight to The Passage." "And make sure he's not followed." "Limp!" "That was it!" "Why didn't he think of that before?" "He looked simple." "No one would recognise him with a limp!" "Hey!" "This isn't an orphanage!" "But I came to bring money, sir." "Why didn't your father come?" "He's ill." "That's your story." "Number 45, Bakels!" "34." "BISCHOFFSHEIM FOR LOANS PAY BACK WEEKLY/MONTHLY" ""For loans..." He slowly realised the terrible secret." "Father borrowed money here because no one came to the shop." "Fortunately there were no familiar faces." "No one from his class." "O, Kees!" "My father is so ill." "We have to borrow money." "Never mind, Rosa." "No one, not even my own father and mother, will know I saw you here." "I came for a customer, he asked me to do an errand." "But I won't say, you can trust me." " That's a relief." "45..." "Bakels?" "Bakels!" "Bakels 12.50." "Next counter." "Well, boy." "You came to bring the loot today." "Eh?" "Let's have a look." "The book." "The readies..." "Hey little rascal." "Isn't there one missing?" "It has to be right." "My mother put it in there." "I bet she did, boy." "But who took it out?" "You have five half crowns, don't you?" "You said five?" "Well, all right." "See you next week..." "Where is the riding school?" " In Vondelstraat, by the church." "But if you're in debt, what's the point?" "Members free, visitors 15 cents." "15 cents!" "You could buy a box of paints for that 5 quills and 7 erasers, maybe not the best and you could get 3 haircuts." "Maybe you wouldn't get a quiff... 15 cents was a lot of money. 15 cents!" "No one saw me." "Well done, boy." " So where were you?" "Secret." "You're too small for that." " We aren't small." "I took money to Bisschoffsheim." "They sent their regards." "Well done, boy." "And did you do Guatemala today?" "It wasn't this afternoon..." "Teacher talks about America too much?" " Yes." "He didn't get on." "He's a slow coach, isn'the Kees?" "How's your father, Kees?" " Better." "He has to rest." "I did a lot of errands." "To the chemist and took money..." "Sit down, boy." "I know your father's problem." " What?" "Spitting blood." "Van Dam, corridor." " But Bakels..." "Van Dam, corridor now!" "And we'll pick up our slates." "Overbeek?" "This afternoon?" "2.15... 2.15." "Now money for the riding school." "Right!" "Come here." "You remember that house where you took the lady's boots?" "You have to take this note." "Now?" " And wait for an answer." "Can't I do it later?" " No." "We waited long enough." " A few hours won't hurt!" "Kees!" "I do errands all time!" "So I want 15 cents this time." "Very well." "Are you crazy?" " 15 cents!" "Look what you did!" "Water!" "Don't lose it." "And come straight back." "He didn't want to." "That's no errand for a child, thought Kees." "And he had a date with Rosa." "Excuse me, you speak French?" " Oui." "Very good." " I go to evening classes." "Very good." "With Mr Beusekom." "Would you like to play billiards?" "No, I am going to Paris." "Where's the station?" "Never mind, boy." "Goodbye." "It was the worst errand ever." "Worse than one for Grandpa and Grandma." "This was really awful." "It couldn't have been worse." "It would be best if madam was not at home." "That would be the end of it." "But it wouldn't be that easy." "I say, boy." "You delivered a cheeky note." "Cheeky paupers!" "Does Bogaerts live here?" " Yes." "I have a note." " Put it in the basket." "No, I have to wait for an answer." " So put it in the basket." "Very good." "I'll pull it up." "Can I wait for an answer?" "Come upstairs." "Are you the errand boy?" "I am the son, madam." "Well, so you're reliable..." "Tell your father I forgot it." "The bill was very late." "Be careful with the money." "I could send someone." "No." "I'll take good care of it." " Fine." "Well, come closer." "This is the receipt." "I'll keep it." "76.80." "Look, I'll put it in this envelope." "You see?" "These 20 cents are for you." "Thank you very much, madam." " Don't lose it." "What's your first name?" " Cornelis, madam." "Kees." "Goodbye Kees." "Move aside!" "Well, Bakels." "I had to fetch some money." "I have to get home or mother will worry." "She'll think I've been robbed." "Very well Kees, bye." "Then I'll take 15 cents to the riding school!" "Au revoir, Bakels." "Au revoir..." "He felt the painful contradiction." "She was a rich girl and he was an errand boy." "But she needed him after alll" "Did you see that?" "What a brave boy." "A hero!" "Kees Bakels, a brave boy, a hero!" "Au revoir, Overbeek." "I got everything." "And 20 cents for me too." "Make it 25." " Are you crazy?" "That boy gets 25 cents." "He earned it." " Earned?" "We earned it too." "I don't need it." " Take it!" "I don't want it." " Very well." "Come on, Kees." "Where to?" "There's the same in both." "More than Kees ever has to know." "The hardback is 50 cents dearer." "Very well." "Let's take this one." "The hardback is much sturdier." "You can also get it in cardboard." "That's 30 cents cheaper." "But I have to order it." "Look, Guatemala..." "Well, we'll take this one..." "Lovely Kees..." "Didn't they have a softcover?" "Didn't they have a cheaper one?" "No, he had to order it." "The shop was doing badly." "Hardly any customers came." "And now Grandpa and Grandma played saviour to the needy." "There was always such a stuffy smell." "The smell of old people made you feel sick." "But he had an answer." "Hello Kees." "Hello Grandma." "Come on in, boy." "Look Kees," "This is it." "This will make you a lovely suit." "Lovely, isn't it?" "You don't understand but this material won't wear." "It's good as new." "A new suit?" "From Grandma's old coat?" "He wouldn't wear that old trash." "At least you'll get something respectable to wear." "Why don't you say anything?" "Don't you like it?" "Oh yes, Grandpa." "Oh yes, Grandpa!" "Is that all?" " Yes, that's all!" "You stinkers!" "Thank you, Grandpa, Grandma." "And straight home." "Don't hang around the carts!" "Hello doggy, what's your name?" "Bruno?" "Bruno!" "Bruno?" "That new suit was a disaster." "He'd look stupid." "And he already had horrible stiff clothes." "No nice clothes like rich kids wore..." "Rich kids had soft clothes." "They were supple when you bent." "Kees should have a suit like that." "Yes!" "Here you are!" "I had it on my head all the way from the canal." "No hands." "Honest." "No hands!" "Why?" "Well, I just did." "I bet myself I could." "Did you say thank you?" "Thank you?" "You know what's in there?" "I won't wear it." "Never in my life." "Bedtime." "Big people always won." "They persevered and made you groggy." "You'll wear your suit tomorrow." " I won't." "You'll wear it." " I won't." "You'll wear it!" "That evening he fled the house." "He went to Guatemala or to Haarlem." "That'll make them sorry." "What'll you do in Haarlem?" "Carry bags at the station if necessary." "Go on, Kees." "They can't make you wear anything." "Can they?" "Boy, you're sweating." "Mum, do I have to wear it?" "Oh, we'll see." "Mum, do we have to shut up shop?" "Mum?" "You do your best at school." "Then I'll go to high school." "If possible." "It's easy." "I'm practically there." "Next day, Rosa wasn't there." "Was she ill?" "Had she moved?" "He didn't dare ask." "Donker, get out!" "Now." "Be gone." "He went to Rosa's area." "He might bump into her." "He felt a vague feeling of sadness." "And suddenly he understood." "Rosa Overbeek wasn't well." "No." "She was ailing." "Maybe they'd hear she was dead." "He had to think about the funeral." "He would place a wreath." "Do you like it?" "D'you play music too, boy?" "Oh, not much, sir." "Come on in." "HERE RESTS ROSA OVERBEEK IN LOVE." "This boy's been coming for 20 years, every week." "Bravo!" "Beautifully played, young man." "You know that piece is about a dead girl?" "Yes, sir." "Her name was Rosa Overbeek." "You know more about Schubert than I do." "What a pity if he were lost to music." "Father was better again." "Mother was well too." "Mother, may I keep the dog?" "Put him in the shed." " Bruno, come on, come on." "And at school ...he was themost important, after the headmaster." "It's responsible work." "Very strange." "The most suitable boy hasn't applied." "Ah, very good!" "Bakels has the bell." "Biology." "And Rosa was still alive." "She stayed home a few days because her father was back." "He was a captain at sea." "Bakels." " Overbeek." "I have the bell." " That's nice for you." "Shall we maybe..." " Bakels." "Forget it." "Rosa was back at school and the girls fussed over her and so did the boys." "Come on, Bakels, give me the hat!" "One more time!" "Run Bakels!" "Bakels, Bakels!" "Sewing box." "Marieke?" " A sewing box too, sir." "The council gave every senior a prize." "Sewing box." "Klaartje?" "Sewing box, sir." " Lots of money was spent on it." "A sewing box." "Elizabeth?" "A sewing box, I suppose?" "A sewing box, sir." "A sewing box." "Bakels?" "I don't know yet, sir." " And you said you already knew." "A magic lantern?" "Or a sewing box." "What will you choose?" " A steam engine." "A good one costs more than 20 guilders." "You won't get it." "Last year they gave steam engines without steam whistles." "A pen knife?" "You won't get a Swedish dagger, they're banned." "You won't get one, nor a revolver." "A watch?" "De Veer, you won't get a real silver one." "The city isn't crazy." "And a nickel one's no good." "No, De Veer..." "He was all on his own." "No one to give him any advice." "Others thought too lightly and said:" "Take one or the other." "He'd regret it if he made the wrong choice." "Kees there's a visitor." "This is Kees, Miss Dubois." "Say hello to the lady, Kees." "And these are Truus and Tom." "And who are you?" " Truus!" "Aren't they darlings." "How fortunate I love children." "I always wanted to have children." "But never mind." "Things don't always go as you want." "But I'll soon see you again, children." "Goodbye Miss Dubois." "You pronounce that so beautifully!" "Have you done French?" "Oui, mademoiselle." " Wonderful!" "Well, see you soon, Mrs Bakels!" "My compliments for your handsome and intelligent children." "I think she's strange." " Johan." "She's a cry baby." " Johan..." "I think she's a nervous wreck." "And we're renting her our best room!" "Kees?" "Go to Grandpa and Grandma." "Give them a note and wait for an answer." "I don't feel like it." " Don't be so irritating." "Go on!" "Oh, Kees, Miss Dubois is allergic to dogs." "25 guilders, I say." "She sends a child with that." "Yes, she's sly enough." "He should never have married that woman." "Oh, drop dead!" "We'll manage without you." "Thank you, Grandpa, Grandma..." "It was strange having another woman in the house." "He was now visiting in his own frontroom." "That dog has to go or we'll send him to the butcher tonight!" "He can sit on command." "Show me." " You shouldn't command too much." "That makes them bite." "For one Cape triangle?" "Don't give him too much bread." "Dogs eat meat." "Lovely?" "The best in the world, I think." "You think so, Bakels?" "What you think of this?" "The Grand Persian." "Greatest stamp in the world." "Where did you get it?" " From my father." "Come on Bruno." "Come on." "If he were a hero, it'd be easy." "Well, that's worth a few stamps." "The Grand Persian?" " No problem, young man." "Dad!" "Dad?" "I came for a lie down." "There aren't many customers." "Take a look, Dad." "Look, a triangular Cape." "I asked for a chess set at school." "Board and set." "When did you fight?" "When did you quarrel?" "I haven't quarrelled or fought." "That's the problem, Kees." "You have to lash out." "Promise?" "You have to be a quarrelsome bastard." "Only think of yourself." "Will you do that?" "Yes." "There were two royal children who loved each other." "They couldn't meet, the water was too deep." "What did they do?" "They lit three candles when the sun set:" ""Oh dearest come, swim across"." "That's when the royal son met."" "That was beautiful." "I would love..." "We want to hand out prizes..." "Indeed." "Master, who's the best in the class?" "Yes, come to the front, Bakels." "Cornelis Bakels, gentlemen." "Ah." "Cornelis Bakels." "Look, boy." "Congratulations." "And it's really two presents." "Look, it's a chess game and draughts." "Enjoy." "You can draw the pieces, Bakels!" "Wait a minute, boy." "Come here." "You can't play chess like that." "You need these." "You really earned it." "It happened to Dad again." "It must be really bad." "The neighbour warned Grandpa and Dirk." "Father must be in a bad way." "Anyone there?" " Quiet, Dad." "Hello, Dad..." "Kees." " Yes." "Our Kees." "Yes..." "I have the chess game, Dad." "Good, my boy." "It's such a pity." "You're such a fine boy." "Damn it." "Terrible, such a big man crying." "It must be awful, falling ill again when you just got better." "He wanted to say:" "Get better soon, Dad." "But his father's eyes confused him." "My Kees..." "It's such awful weather." " Yes." "You have to stay indoors." "For a long time." "Yes, I shall." "You'll see, you'll get better." "My boy don't you worry." "Goodbye, son." "Farewell..." "Where will you leave the children?" "Is he asleep?" " No." "Move aside, Kees." "That's a setback, isn't it boy?" "They all thought you were dying." " Dying?" "No..." "They were all crying." " Boy oh boy." "But I stayed calm." "My Kees." "Mate!" " What?" "Checkmate!" "Grandpa was suddenly in charge." "He ran the shop..." "Truus and Tom slept with Uncle Dirk and Aunt Jeanne." "And Father..." "lay in bed all day." "Sometimes Kees looked at his bed..." "Father looked at him but didn't see him." "And sometimes Kees didn't recognise his own father." "He looked like a stranger, lying there." "Are you coming?" "You're sleeping with Aunt Jeanne too!" "Hey!" "Dozy!" "Are you going up, Kees?" "How are things?" "It's all over." " Oh God." "The poor lambs." "Oh Christ!" "Jeanne, it's so awful." "You're a liar." "You're a liar." "It isn't true!" "You won't leave the wedding ring, will you?" "No, that would be a shame." "Haven't you been to the tailor?" "Master Bakels, come on." "Measurements." "Take the master's measurements." "Where's the tape measure?" "Sorry about your father." "But you'll have a nice suit for the funeral." "Now a pencil." "I must have one." "Ink." "I thought I only had to try it." "You had the measurements." "Yes." "I do." "Butl lost the paper." "Everyone wants to try it." "But you don't need to if I measure you." "Now a piece of paper." "Well." "That must be it." "It's not for a classy kid, is it!" "?" "Tell your mother I'll deliver it in a day or two." "I'll do what I can." "In the churchyard, Kees watched closely." "It wasn't easy..." "When to take off the cap and put it on again..." "How to stand still." "And whether to walk fast or slow." "In the coach, Dirk and Grandpa quarrelled about opening the curtains." "It was very difficult, all of it." "Dorus, why make so much noise?" "Dorus, Dorus, you're one of the boys." "Tomorrow you'll hear the doctor moan." "Tomorrow your body will make you groan." "Those people almost made the room look cheerful." "And the table with plates and cups and bread." "It looked as if there were visitors." "It looked like a birthday, he thought." "Laughing and smoking." "Is it too noisy, Dad?" "Can you be quieter?" "You know what it is?" "It's nothing really." "But my thoughts get jumbled." "What should I say..." " Don't say anything." "I understand, I do." "Close your eyes." "Sleep will do you good." "There's nothing wrong with me..." "Truus!" "Are you crazy?" "We are still mourning." "I saw you in the coach." "But you didn't look." "I'd look outside in a funeral coach." "And your leaving the shop, aren't you?" "Who said so?" " My mother said so." "Come on, Truus." "Okay, don't." "Long live Bakels." "Bakels for your shoes." "Bakels, come here." "It's unpleasant for you, Bakels." "I heard this week and was shocked." " Yes..." "Was your father ailing for a long time?" "Quite a while." "It must be difficult for your mother." "How many children at home?" " Three." "Yes, it's terrible." "I never knew my father." "I must have been five or six." "Oh really." "What did your father do for a living?" "We have a shoeshop." " Oh, that's right." "A shoeshop." "Well boy..." "Bakels..." "Go and sit down." "Oh, and Bakels..." "You want to keep the bell?" "The headmaster complained about the other." "Sit down." "You want one?" "Are you that boy?" "Kees, who was at my school?" "Yes, Rosa Overbeek, I'm that Kees." "Do remember the first day I was back to school?" "You gave me something." "You remember what?" "No..." "This." "Never been used." "Hey, what's all this?" "Get lost, snotty." "But they're our shoes!" "Are you crazy?" "!" "Hey, leave off!" "They're stealing our shoes!" " Calm down, Kees." "It's all right." "Nothing will be left!" " That's the whole idea." "But if we advertise." "With leaflets or something." "I'll hand them out." "Dad's tried all kinds of things." "He did." "Mum, what can we do then?" "It'll be all right." "So why can't I know?" " Don't complain, Kees." "You're already like an old man." "They moved to the outskirts of town." "Miss Dubois stayed with them." "They needed her rent." "It's not as nice as our last house." "No." "But you'll get used to it, Kees." "You shall." "Everything was smaller than Kees had imagined." "But things would get better." "Mother started selling tea." "Tea from Stark  Co." "They had a huge office and branches worldwide." "Mother was now an agent." "Maybe she could start exporting." "Kees Bakels would run the South American desk." "He could find his way with the atlas." "Well, Kees, you're in trade now." "I say, Bakels, swap stamps?" " No time, De Veer, I am trading." "What trade?" " We're in tea." "Well, what d'you earn?" " Fifteen percent." "I have an order from agent Bakels." " You have the book?" "Can I have some cards, to advertise." " Of course." "Are those for advertising too?" "Ask in the office." "I'm Kees, from agent Bakels." "Can we have some of the new cards?" "A packet of cards." "Is that for your girl?" "Look, there he is." "Hello, tea boy." "Do I get a card?" " No." "But we want cards, tea boy." "The tea from Bakels, madam." " Thank you, boy." "Hey, give us cards?" " Cards, cards!" "Get lost!" "Get lost yourself!" "Come on, grab him." "No!" "Don't!" "No!" "No!" "Drink!" "I say?" " Yes?" "May I have your sponge." " Yes?" "Hello Rosa." " Hello." "Look at this." "You can open it, see?" "What d'you think?" " Lovely." "Well, you can keep it." "I have enough." "Well, thanks." "But we have to be careful." " Of course." "Say it was a gift, from a girl at school." "I won't even say I have it." "She wasn't a donkey." "She knew what was best." "What did I want to say?" "Oh yes." "We have to be careful at school." "If only you knew what the boys said..." "What?" "Oh, it's too much." "I'll tell you later." "Oh, but I understand." "If only you knew what they said to me." "Who, the boys?" "No, the girls." " So what do they say?" "I think I understand." "I don't give a damn!" "They don't know." "They can't know." "I have to go home, or I'll get in trouble." "Yes, me too." "Our new house is miles away." "Bye." " Bye." "Briefly he felt deliriously happy." "He had that feeling of security." "That everything was sorted out by Dad, who came back." "How could he be so superstitious." "Kees would never tell anyone he was so stupid." "Mum, we don't have any more water." " I think the pipes are frozen." "There's 25 cents." "Get 20 cents of coal and five cents peat." "He was annoyed." "That grimace and that dirty dress." "She looked like a beggar woman." "Well." "Hurry up." "Well, boy." "Used to it?" " Yes, sir." "And how is the tea business?" "Very good." " Glad to hear it." "Here is 25 cents for your birthday, we can't come tomorrow..." "Thank you, Grandpa, Grandma." "How shameless." "It's incredible." "Well, you'll get your 25 guilders!" "Old creeps!" "Your son won't cost you a penny!" "I'll say this:" "You should be ashamed." "Now get out!" "It's incredible." "What happened?" "Can you imagine?" "What's wrong, Mum?" "They wanted money." "Mother?" "Now I'll get involved." "I'll put an end to this poverty here." "I'll save the day." "If necessary, I'll get nasty." "But I'll fight for it." "My brave Kees." "Hey, tea...!" "Where are those cards?" " Well, come on then!" "Get lost." "Off you go." "Go!" "JUNIOR CLERK WANTED" "How old d'you have to be?" "How old is the junior clerk, sir?" "Mr Stark?" "I wanted to ask about the position of junior clerk." "How old are you, son?" "I'll be 12 tomorrow." "You're the son of widow Bakels?" " Yes, sir." "And you're good at school?" " I could go to high school." "Come with me." "Sit down." "Add up these figures." "And write your name and address." "Cursive or block letters?" " As nice as you can." "That junior clerk at Stark, you knew him?" "I never noticed." "Well, he's gone." "They need a new one." "I suppose he stole?" " No." "Just too stupid." "Couldn't add up." "And terrible writing." "I'm taking over." "I already spoke to the boss." "What?" "He said you should come tomorrow." "Before noon." "What's all this?" " They need a new one." "Who sent you there?" " No one!" "Not Uncle Dirk?" " He doesn't even know Stark." "Who put you up to it" " No one!" "I brought it up myself!" "About leaving school?" " It's fine work." "You're going to high school." "I'm going to Stark  Co." "Better than that dumb school." "Dad would have wanted it." "I'll get promoted." "Dad wanted that too." "And earn a few cents this winter." "My God." "Johan and I had other plans..." "We had other plans for you." "Are you going tomorrow?" "No." " Well?" "No." "It won't happen." " It will." "I want it!" "Father said so. "You have to fight." "Fight and quarrel."" "You can't quarrel." " Can't I?" "What are we doing now?" "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you happy birthday dear Kees, happy birthday to you" "Hip, hip, hurrah!" "Shouldn't you go to school?" " Well?" "!" "Start on Monday." "Two guilders a week." " Yes!" "Kees!" "So you're leaving school." "Yes, business is just too good." "Mum can't miss me." "What had he done?" "They went on without him." "Kees Bakels is going to work for Stark  Co." "How stupid." "Now you can have the bell, Van Dam." "Oh, he can't complain." "He was lucky really." "He was..." "Kees Bakels, the smart one." "He was too clever by half." "He got the best job in the world and Rosa Overbeek." "Bakels, wait a minute." "You're going to work on Monday?" "Mum needs the money." "I could get the job now..." "Through acquaintances... in a big office." " In a big office..." "Stark  Co, the coffee trade." "Well Bakels, then..." "I wish you all the best." " Thank you, sir." "Oh, and Bakels?" "Kees..." "Don't stop dreaming, will you?" "Never!" "All right?" "You were quiet." "Yes." "I'm leaving school." " In March?" "No, I have a job on Monday." " Monday?" "Yes." "At the tea office I have to visit." "You know." "Stark  Co." "Yes." "Big office." "Very busy." "That's why you were quiet." "I could see." "You were so sad." "And that on your birthday." "You were crying." "Watch out, don't fall." "Darling." "My darling." "Rosa fled without looking back." "Kees watched her." "Laughing and crying at the same time." "Then Kees walked home." "At first slow and sleepy." "But soon he heard music." "It was happy, ringing music." "And he marched in time to the joyful music." "Proud!" "Sure!" "Happy!" "The music resounded in his head." "And passers-by thought he was an ordinary boy, without a history." "No, they didn't know he could do everything." "He could do anything, now he had started."