"THE FOSTER BOY" "Between 1860 and 1960 thousands of poor or orphaned children in Switzerland were taken into foster care by farming families, where they were sometimes abused and exploited as cheap labor." "These children were called "Verdingkinder"." "The story of Max is based on 100,000 true stories." "Go and get washed and pack your things." "Hello, Reverend." "Hello, Mrs. Bösiger." "Here he is." "Hello, Mrs. Bösiger." " Call me Mom." " Mom." "That's for the first month." "From now on you'll get the allowance on the last day of the month." "Keep an eye on the boy." "The kids from the home can work alright, but they can be stubborn at times, too." "With God's help we'll manage alright." "As long as he's not another bed wetter." "But you make sure that he lasts longer." "Thanks, but you shouldn't have." "If you bring us the girl, we'll have sausages for sure." "Goodbye." "Reverend." "Come along." "Give me those." "They'll just get ruined." "A whole room to myself?" "Now you see how the good Lord cares for you." "What have you got in that case anyway?" "My accordion." "Where did you get it?" "From my mother." "Can you play it?" "That's enough now." "Put it away and go down to the barn." "Be careful, clumsy." "Thanks." " Goodbye." " Goodbye." "Do you know your way around here?" "Sure." "I'm from around here." "How do I get to Mattenboden School?" "What do you want to go there for?" "I'm the new teacher." "Miss Sigrist." "Pleased to meet you." "Jakob Bösiger." "Go straight ahead and then turn left over the bridge." "It's about an hour from here." "An hour?" "You're a teacher?" " Yes." "Why?" "Just a thought." "I had a feeling" "I wouldn't need these high heels." "Thanks." "And you're a farmer?" "Yes indeed." "Crops or livestock?" "A little bit of everything." "What about your suitcase?" "The town clerk is coming to get it." "Thanks." "Alright then " "I have to go." "It was nice to meet you." "You look good." "How good you look." "Good." "Where's Dad?" "I don't know." "Mom." "I had to make a special effort in order to get another boy from the reverend." "Without the money for the children we just can't get by." "The children?" "A girl is coming to help me." "Ah, Köbi." "Go and get the horse from the Trunigers." "We're going to the pasture." "He can't change the way he is." "And then the lieutenant said:" ""Well done, Bösiger." "Congratulations!"" "No coffee?" " Not enough left." " In the end" "I was the last one who could still do it." "Do I have to drink the schnapps straight?" "We need every franc we can get." "And the lieutenant " "That's enough boasting!" "I was the third best shooter." "But you learned nothing?" "They wanted to make me an officer." "An officer?" "So why are you still here?" "Two of us are working while the bastard plays machinist." "How many more like you" " did your mother produce?" " Köbi!" "Know what your ma is called in the army?" "That's enough of your crap!" "Stop." "That's good!" "Go and bring the cows in!" "We'll finish up here." "Get going, bring in the cows." "Brake!" "Put the brake on!" "Goddamn it!" "Get going and bring the goddamn cows in." "Or can't you do that any more either?" "Good God in heaven!" "You, come here and help me." "Hell and damnation!" "Come on, turn it around." "What was the name of the boy before me?" "He was useless." "The army was useless, too." "You're just not a real farmer." "You won't let me be one." "Everything goes haywire." "I'm going wrestling." "I've got to get going" " to the wrestling gym." " Don't bother." "Surely you don't think you can win?" "Father!" "Now you listen to me." "The army offered me the rank of officer." "I turned it down because you need help." "I've got the boy." "He can do the work." "Be quiet now!" "It's almost eleven." "Come inside!" "Come on!" "I don't want to go to the graveyard." "Hurry up and put your dress on." "Do you want your dad to be sad and alone?" "The police!" "Quick!" "Go and hide!" "Don't make a sound!" "They're not here." "We have authorization." "Let me in!" "They're at my sister's in Büttenwil." "Open the door!" "Don't make it harder, Mrs. Dürrer." "I'm telling you, they're not here." "Slowly, slowly." "Come with me." "Now let's go and look for the third one." "Alright." "Come on now!" " The girls are all I have left." " Get in." "You can't take them away from me!" "The appeal is pending!" " Already decided." "I could work at the newsagent, then I'd" " earn enough." " Stop talking rubbish." "Pull yourself together." "There is no job at the newsagent." "You would know better than anyone." "The girls need a family." "And a roof over their head." "If you marry, the case will be reviewed." "Goodbye, Mrs. Dürrer." "Come on now." "Come on." "Wait here." "I'll be right back." "Will you stay put!" "Come here, you little brat!" "That's enough now." "No, no, no, no." "Come on!" "Stop it now." "It's no use." "Let's not forget to thank the Lord." "All that we receive, all that we have comes from you, dear Lord." "For which we thank you." "Amen." "Now dig in." "So that you turn out alright." "You'll be well looked after here with us." "Eating chocolate and blubbering." "Quit it!" "Leave Berteli in peace." "If you don't behave you can go straight back to the home." "Max!" "Wait for me!" "Go and get her!" " Max!" " Get her!" "No, stop it!" "Get her!" "Go on!" "Come on!" "Why are you so mean?" "Today we'll talk about Switzerland." "Does any one of you " "Oh come on!" "So!" "Do you know what Switzerland relies on?" "The mountains!" " What do you mean?" " The mountains gather water, the water flows down and" " we make electricity from it." " Very good." "Any other ideas?" "Water, certainly!" "Just a minute!" "Are you Berteli?" "You're late." "I couldn't find the way." "Didn't Max take you with him?" "Yes." "But she couldn't keep up with me." "No one will be ridiculed in this class." "We have to respect each other." "Look, you can sit beside Annie." "Now then." "Let's go on." "Our topic was Switzerland and what it relies on." "Any other ideas?" "Berteli, yes." "Switzerland relies mainly on agriculture." "Very good." "That's what I was waiting for!" "Farmers feed the people in the cities." "But they earn more money than we do." "That's not fair!" "You have no idea." "There are people out of work in the city." "They're poor!" "Are you from the city?" "From Langenstein." "My dad was a butcher." "That's fine." "We've got a lot of things." "Bösiger is looking for you." "Aw, a rabbit." "Can I give it a leaf" " Get lost!" "Why are you so mean to me?" "Go away!" "It's so cute!" "Where did you get it?" "Does it have a name?" "Can I pet it too?" "This is my rabbit." "You're like a little kid." "And you're a baby who cries all the time." "And you're just a dope." "I'm going to see the doctor in town." "Find your father." "Grandmother's in bad shape." "What does the gypsy woman say to her husband at bedtime?" "Give me your hand." "I want to read a bit." "Have you ever smoked?" "Me?" "Are you out of your mind?" "You're still just a little girl, eh?" "How old are you anyway?" "Take a guess!" "Twelve?" " I'm fifteen." " And your boyfriend?" "Who?" "He's certainly not my boyfriend." "He plays with rabbits." " With soft toy ones?" " No." "With a real rabbit." "Where does he keep it?" "In his room." "You " "Goodbye, Mrs. Leuenberger." "Mr. Leuenberger, goodbye." "Mrs. Wüthrich, goodbye." "Goodbye, Reverend." "Now you're a real family." "See, the girl's wearing my blouse." "And the boy?" "My husband is satisfied with him." "I'm pleased to hear that it's working out better this time." "What about Jakob?" "He'll come to the sermon next week." "Reverend." "Then I wish you a blessed Sunday." " Goodbye." " May God be with you." "All that we receive, all that we have, comes from you, dear Lord." "For which we thank you." "Give the boy some meat too." "He worked well this week." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Where did the meat come from?" "Jakob brought it." "You need to thank Berteli for it." "It wasn't all that hard to catch, the rabbit." "That was my rabbit." "I looked after it." "What do you mean, your rabbit?" "So you could eat it all yourself, eh?" "The ligaments are okay." "But I'll have to stitch the wound." "Needle." "How much does that cost?" "About as much as the stitches." "There are better ways to save money." "Sit up, boy." "Come on." "Here." "Drink!" "Drink!" "Have another one." "And another." "Get that down your throat." "That'll work too." "But make sure there's no infection." "Get out of here!" " I've got chocolate." " I don't care." "I'm sorry about the rabbit." "So am I." " What?" "One day I'll be an accordionist but you will stay here forever!" "No way!" "My mama will come to get me at Christmas." "You don't really believe that." "You'll see." "Keep on playing." "I wanted to meet your family." "They're not my family." "OK then:" "Mr. and Mrs. Bösiger." "Are they home?" "What a pity." "Is that your accordion?" "Bring it to school with you sometime." "It's a nice farm." "Come here." "That's good." "That's good." "Would you give me the glass?" "Bösiger is a swine." "He's less than human." "He's a swine." "You say it too, Berteli." "He's a swine." "Come on." "Say it!" "Say:" "Bösiger is a swine." "Say it." "Say it." "Bösiger is a swine." "Say it now." "Bösiger is a swine." "Right." "A swine can drink in the morning too." "Thirty liters." "That's not much." "More than the last one." "A real pig gives more fat than 50 liters." "We could also pay you in apples." "Or preserves." "The whole amount in cash?" "Woman!" "Have you got the money?" "Do you sleep in the barn?" "No." "In the hay shed." "Thank you, Max." "We've forgotten all about the time, because the music was so lovely." "Pack up." "Off you go home." "You play beautifully." "See you tomorrow." "Did you stop to picnic on the way?" "Berteli, go to grandmother right away." "Boy!" "You go to the potato field." "What about lunch?" "You might find a spud that's still good." "I'm hungry." "And now they're rotten too." "Tomorrow you'll stay home." "I can't manage alone." " But I must go to school." " Come with me." "Come on." "School can wait." "Granny can't." "You can see that she's in bad shape." "But my mama said" " And I say you stay home." "Here you'll learn something useful." "I'm your mother now." "I don't want that." "Max." "Stay here!" "I've told you a few times already to sleep at home and not in school." "What's the matter?" "When do you get up in the morning?" "At half past three." "Half past three?" "!" "Every morning?" "No." "On Sunday not until half past four." "You should go home now and sleep." "You're no use here at all like this." "What's the matter?" "I would rather stay here." "In my flat there are a few boxes." "Take them up to the attic." "And then you can have a rest on the sofa." " On the sofa?" " Yes, in the living room." "I'll come and get you later." "Why isn't Berteli coming to school?" "She has to look after the grandmother." "And when will she be back in class?" "Don't know." "Boy!" "Boy!" "Where is that scoundrel?" "He has to take the horse back." "Still at school." "Where's the money?" "Is that all?" "You sold half a pig." "Where's the rest?" "Boozed it away, did you?" "This year it was beetles and rot." "Last year a wet spring." "Boy!" "Hell and damnation!" "Boy!" "Sorry." "I fell asleep." "I said you could have a rest." "Feel free to lie on the sofa." "Would you like a glass of syrup?" "Sit down." "The news will be on now." "What do you have to do before school?" " That's an accordion." " Sounds like one." "What kind of music is that?" "That was a tango by the young Argentine bandoneon player Benno Jaguero." "Until the news comes on we'll play his "el campasino abruta"." "What's a bandoneon?" "I don't know either, it might be the Argentinian name for accordion." "And what is Argentinian?" "Argen... well Argentinian the word comes from "Argentina" and" "Argentina is a country in South America." "They have Swiss accordions there?" "Something similar." "They play tango music." "Don't you want to have a drink?" "In a few moments you'll hear the time signal from Freiburg." "The final beep indicates 12:30," " followed by the news." " What time is it?" "Half past 12" " I have to go." "Max, wait a second!" " I can't be late." " Will you accompany the class when we sing at wrestling day?" " At the wrestling tournament?" " Yes." " You mean on the accordion?" " Yes." "Max!" "Please!" "Play again." "Okay." "One more time." "One, two, one." "If you have fancy trousers on and slippery stockings too, you can dance any way you like until the moon turns blue." "Not bad." "If you've got fancy trousers on and slippery stockings too, you can dance any way you like until the moon turns blue." "Hello there." "That's one franc." "Thanks." "Very good." "Excellent." "Now you can go and see your parents." " Thank you." " That was lovely." "Kobel Fritz." "Good." "Come on up and join us!" "Good." "Max can really play." "What would you like?" "Two glasses of tap water please." " What's wrong?" " I'm a bit dizzy." "Let's go and get some fresh air." "Alright." "Got a cigarette?" "Got a light?" "It's in my pocket." "That's right." "A bit deeper." "Now I know" " what you will be." " What?" "An accordionist." "Right you are." "Let me go!" "Are you crazy?" "!" "First she turns him on and now she makes such a fuss." " Let her go!" " Fuck off, you!" "Come on." "No Max, don't." " You son of a bitch." " Are you mad?" "Stop that!" "Are you out of your mind?" "Stop it." "Fuck off!" "Never in all my life have I had to endure anything like this." "What do you think you're doing?" "Just wait until we get home." "Don't move!" "Come with me, Berteli." "Come on!" "Let's go and get Bösiger!" "Let's go." "Move it!" "We're going home now." "I'm just going to get my accordion." " You needn't bother looking for it." " Why?" "As far as I'm concerned you can stay." "Afterward, I mean." "As a farmhand, you numbskull." "Say something!" "What's with you?" "I'm going to be a musician." "Good God in heaven!" "For God's sake!" "God damn it to hell!" "Someone like you should be grateful to end up anywhere at all." "Hell and damnation." "I'm not eating this filth any more!" "So, my friend." "Get lost!" " What do you expect?" " A son of a whore like him should be kept in the pigsty." "I won't ever have him back in the house." "Yeah, just leave." "Go booze away the last of the money." "Go and clean up the mess in the kitchen." "There's not a single potato left." "And now" " the barley's gone bad too." " Shut up." "Why should I?" "It's the truth." "Will you have to sleep here from now on?" "They want to feed you like the pigs." "That accordion was the only thing I had." "Now I am nothing." "Did you feed the pigs?" "Should I show you an animal, too?" "It's got a trunk." "I don't want to see it, this trunk." "Mama!" "Mama!" " Mama!" " What's the matter?" "Where's my mother?" "Who are you?" " And what do you want?" " Hugo, what is it?" " Mama?" " Who's there?" "She's here." "Come on in." "I want to stay with you." "May I?" "You won't get the kids without a husband." "You see, Berteli," "Mister Wagner" " can't marry me." " Why not?" "There's just not enough for kids, too." "But I could work." "And Ruthli and Theresli." "Hugo, there must be a way." "How many times do I have to tell you?" "I can't let her go again." "Well, I'm leaving now." "You know for a fact that tomorrow they'll come and take Berteli away again." "You'd be out on the street without a man." "I'm just saying." "It's your decision." "I'll go again, Mama." "It's really not so bad." "I was just very homesick." "I love you." "Don't cry." "Come along." "We were so wonted about you." "You've caused such trouble." "Your home is here now, with us." "I should be going." " Thanks, Mr. Wagner." " You're welcome." " How about some schnapps?" " No thanks." "Goodbye." "Alright then." "Safe trip home." "And thanks again." "When you come to Dunkelmatte farm, this is where you'll stay." "You can believe me when I say that." "Now bring the boy his food." "Why did you run away?" "You're much better off than I am." "What's the matter?" "I want to sleep in here, beside you." "Here in the barn?" "Why?" "I'm afraid all alone in my bed." "Why then?" "Did you know that in Argentina" " all they eat is meat?" " In Argentina?" "Do you know where that is?" "It's a country in South America." "Where the farms are huge and everyone has their own horse." "You're kidding me." " Ask Miss Sigrist." "And it's called, it's called Argentina because everything is made of silver." "And there are no foster children because everyone's rich." "And so who feeds the pigs?" "There are no pigs." "Where are you?" "!" "Come on." "Oh no." "Stay there!" "Careful!" "Don't scare it!" "Hey, come on now." "Are you crazy?" "Leaving the cover off!" "Come here!" "You should be got rid of." "Come on." "Boy!" "Come down here!" "Where did those welts come from?" "I was looking for mushrooms, and got caught in the under bush." "It doesn't look like it to me." "But that what's happened." "Did the Bösigers beat you?" "Everything is fine at our place." "Only your stupid questions are annoying." "We're going to see Mr. Hasslinger" " to clear up this matter." " No." "Yes." "It's your duty as guardian of the poor to take action." "Max has bruises and welts on his body." "You can see that yourself." "You would tell me if they were beating you, wouldn't you?" "Would you like me to talk to Bösigers?" "What happened to the boy who was there before Max?" "He died after six months." "Bösigers did everything humanly possible to help that boy." "Be careful what you say." "And this has nothing to do with Jakob giving you the brush-off?" "We're not living in the Middle Ages." "The authorities will be keeping a close eye on you, Mr. Hasslinger." "Why are you so ungrateful?" "How dare you go to an outsider to complain about us." "Would you rather have stayed in the home?" "Or do you want to go straight to a reform school?" "Max, have you any idea how you would be treated there?" "Max, you should be thankful, that I took you out of that home." "I'm so disappointed, Max." "Day in, day out we do everything we can to get by and have enough to eat." "I haven't said a word." "You know that with diligence and decency you can lead a respectable life." "Do you want to spoil it for yourself?" "I'll give it another try with him." "Reverend." "Fine." "I suggest you apologise to Mrs. Bösiger." "What should I apologise for?" "I beg your pardon?" "I'm sorry." "I think the boy has learned his lesson." "A wee tipple of schnapps?" "Boy!" "Where is he then, the bastard!" "Have you got a belt?" "I can't find mine." "The situation at Dunkelmatte farm" " needs looking into." " You may be right." "The care of these children must be" " watched closer." " There are far more foster children than you can imagine." "And most of them are treated well." "Most of them." "But in this case you must do something." "Alright." "I'll look into it." " Thank you." " Goodbye, Miss Sigrist." "See you all tomorrow." "Max, wait a minute." "How are you?" "I'm fine, thanks." "Wait right there." "Max!" "Max, wait a minute." "There'll be an investigation at the farm." "What for?" "Because Bösigers have to treat you well." "You have no idea what's going on there." "Max, don't be afraid." "I'll see that Bösigers are called to account." "You have no idea at all." "...And therefore Margarete" "Theresia Bösiger will be sorely missed." "She was a radiant crystal among unpolished diamonds." "A warm-hearted, generous woman." "She bravely kept her head held high and lived, in reverence of almighty God, a good, long life." "May she rest in peace." "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." "Can't you attend your mother's funeral without getting drunk?" "You can have it, the farm." "I don't want it any more." "Let Köbi show what he can do." "I want to get away from here." "We can't leave." "Why not?" "Argentina's at the other end of the world." "They'll find us and put us in a home." "But I want to leave!" "Together we could do it!" "I didn't know that you were such a coward." "Max" " I have to talk to you!" "Won't you come in?" "Are you leaving?" " Are you going away?" " Max." "I have been let go." "What does that mean?" "I'm not allowed to teach you any more." "I have to leave tomorrow." "My mother always said that everything would get better" "and all of a sudden she lay there dead." "Nothing but empty promises." "Then why are you here?" "It's about Berteli." "Köbi is in her room." "You don't want to help Berteli?" "Am I right?" " You're just like all the others!" " Max!" "I don't know how I can help Berteli." "I don't know any more how I can help you." "I have tried." "I really tried." "Max, no one would listen to me!" "We can't accuse Köbi of something that he might not have done." "I want to get away from here, too." "We have to somehow make it to the sea." "I don't exactly know how just yet." "But we'll figure it out." "We'll find a ship that'll take us along." "Together we can do it, don't you think?" "Stop it with this fairytale." "It's nothing but empty talk." " You don't believe me?" " If you mean it then do something." "If it's not for real, leave me alone once and for all." "What did Jakob do to you?" "What are you doing here?" "Do you sleep here in the pigsty?" "No, I just had something to do up here." "Tell me in more detail about Berteli." "What did Jakob do?" "Did Berteli say anything to you?" "I'm writing a report to give to the authorities in Bern." "The two of you will have to be patient." "I brought you something." " For me?" " Yes." "Miss Sigrist?" "I'll never forget you for this!" "All the best, Max." "Hello, Mrs. Bösiger." "I thought you'd be on the train by now, on your way home to the city." "I want to say goodbye to Berteli." "You've blackened our name and humiliated us in front of everyone." "And now you want to come inside my house?" "I want to speak to Berteli." "Berteli is no longer your business." "Jakob goes into her room at night." "It looks like he's" " Get out of here!" "I never want to see you here again!" "Who do you think you are," " meddling in our affairs?" " You're right!" "No one is allowed to interfere here." "Not the reverend, not the mayor." "They all conveniently turn a blind eye." "But the fact is, you're responsible." "Those youngsters are your responsibility." "Please!" "Don't ignore that girl's troubles." "Don't make Berteli suffer for your unhappy life." "Look after Berteli." "Go and do the barn." "Keep on playing!" "Are you back to normal again?" "Play." "I want to be your wife on the farm." "How many horses do you want?" " One." " We would have ten." "Alright." "Then I'll take two." "I'll play my accordion all day long and then they'll hear me on the radio." "We would be a farming couple and we'd have children of our own." "It's all the same thing if I laugh - ...or I sing" "I've a heart like a wee birdie, love is easy for me." "My heart is locked up and it can't be set free." "Except by one clever laddie who possesses the key." " Come with me to Argentina." " Of course." "No, I'm serious." "You mean we'll really go to Argentina?" "You don't even know how to get there." "I do now." "From Basel, by ship." "And what will we live off?" "I'll play the accordion." "What about Mama?" "She " "She can help us on the farm." "On our own farm!" "And when are we leaving?" "Tomorrow." "Can't you be careful?" "What a mess." "What's the matter with you, Berteli?" "It's because of Jakob." "What did you say?" "Because of what happens at night." "It hurts more and more." "Stay like that!" "You're just talking yourself into trouble!" "Do you still want to tell the same lies?" " What do you say now?" " I lied." "More?" "I made it all up." "Go outside." "Berteli says " "What does Berteli say?" "If it's true, Jakob " "You know she's been acting strange ever since she ran away." "Have you?" "I'm the farmer here now and no one can tell me what to do." "Not even you." "She says that " "I don't want to hear any more." "Not another word!" "You're all I have." " Drink this." " What is it?" "Drink." "Why?" "Then everything will be alright again." " It's awful." " You have to drink it all." "Everything's fine." "Sit down." "Come on." "I told you to sit down!" "Move over!" "You're a rascal." "Play something." "Why don't you play now boy." "My name is Max." "OK, then I'll call you Max." "Please, play a tune!" "Come on!" "What a mess!" "I really hoped you would come." "I wanted to come and get you." "I can't go to Argentina like this." "I'll wait until you're healthy again." "I just need to sleep for a while." "Once I've had a proper sleep." "I'll be back on my feet again." "I'm glad that you're here beside me." "Now I'm not afraid any more." "What's the matter with you?" "I don't really know for sure." "But it won't last." "Do you know why I'm no longer afraid?" "Why?" "Because you're here for me." "Without you I'd never have stood it here." "Nor could I if it hadn't been for you." "Please stay here with me till I'm asleep." "Such an ungodly death." "Mrs. Bösiger can you explain why the girl would take her own life?" "The girl " "Are you alright?" "I know of several cases of sleepwalking, especially among children taken from their home." "I should've locked the door to her room." "How often have I told you to keep the cesspit covered over." "I'm heaping the blame on myself." "Let us pray." "Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done." "It's all lies!" "Please be quiet." "We're praying!" "Berteli wanted to go to Argentina!" "What a load of crap!" "Get lost!" "You're talking nonsense!" "You know how much trouble that boy is." "Then you should be stricter with him." "You killed Berteli." "I saw the blood-soaked bedsheets." "What bedsheets?" "The boy doesn't know what he's saying." "That's female business." "She threw up, and why did she always scratch herself?" "Like this!" "Piss off, you!" "I'll bash your face in if I catch you." "Boy!" "Piss off!" " Piss off!" " So," " Bösiger!" "That's enough." " I'll kill you!" "Bösiger come back here!" "Stay right there!" "Castor oil!" "And now who's a swine?" "It seems to me that things haven't been done properly here." "May I ask you to" " investigate thoroughly?" " Mr. Hasslinger it appears that you have failed to meet your supervisory responsibility." "I've reminded Bösigers more than once to take better care of their children." "I have expressed to the mayor my concerns about the conditions at Dunkelmatte farm." "But he was always happy to eat our sausages." " What's up?" " Are you trying to get away?" "Come with me!" "It doesn't matter where you go, they'll always trip you up somehow." "And what happens if I go back?" "They'll send you somewhere else." "Maybe things will be better there." "I've been at six farms." "You have to take as it comes and fit in somehow." "I have to leave." "I promised Berteli." " Where do want to go?" " To Argentina." "Utter nonsense." "How will you get there?" "From Basel, aboard a ship." "And how will you earn a living?" " Good morning, Karl." " Hi, Willi." "Will you take the lad here with you?" "Yes, sure." "No problem." "That's fine." " All the best." " Thanks, same to you." "Bye." "Berteli, you should see the ocean!" "It's huge." "And I have to work here, too, almost like at Dunkelmatte." "But they don't beat me." "We all eat together." "We even eat the same food as the captain." "The itinerant butcher is my friend." "He gave me four five-franc coins." "That was enough to make it to the Rhine port at Basel." "A ship took me to Rotterdam because" "I work so hard and play the accordion." "If Miss Sigrist could see me now!" "She'd say: from the source to the sea." "Are you together with your father now?" "And with my rabbit?" "I'll tell you everything about my life in Argentina." "And from up in heaven you can listen as I play for you."