While We Were Dreaming by Clemens Meyer

Author:Clemens Meyer [Meyer, Clemens]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

IN THE SILVER SLOPE

‘So, Daniel,’ Mrs Seidel says, peering at me over the top of her glasses, ‘how are things at home?’

‘Alright, pretty good.’

‘And are you helping your mum with the housework?’

‘Yes,’ I say.

‘That’s good,’ she says. ‘A Pioneer is always helpful. Especially to his parents…’ she adjusts her glasses, ‘… his mother. Give me your homework book.’ I open my satchel and hand it to her. She writes something in it with her fountain pen, not the one with the red ink. ‘Show that to your mum, she’ll be pleased with you.’

‘I will,’ I say. ‘Thank you.’ I put my homework book away again.

‘I hear you’ve been helping Rico to reintegrate into the collective.’

‘Yes, Miss,’ I say.

‘A Pioneer is always helpful,’ she says, raising her finger, but I know all that already and I’ve heard it often enough. ‘But he also has to have self-discipline. A Pioneer has to pursue his own achievements and goals with good discipline. Do you understand me, Daniel?’

‘Yes, Miss,’ I say.

‘And we had good reasons to put Rico back to year seven. He has to show us he has the willpower. It’s all up to him, only he can do it. He has to achieve his new goals with discipline. And we’re giving him an opportunity to do that.’

She looks at me and I see her glasses sliding down her nose, and I say: ‘Yes.’

‘Don’t let yourself get distracted by him.’ Suddenly, she speaks very quietly and slants her head so it almost touches her shoulder. ‘Think of your goals, Daniel. Make sure you do that.’

‘Yes, Miss.’

‘Good, Daniel, you can go now.’

I pick up my satchel. Mrs Seidel puts the class register in her bag and then locks the desk drawer.

‘Bye, Miss.’

‘Yes, Daniel, see you tomorrow.’

I leave the classroom, Mrs Seidel jangling her keys behind me. I go down the stairs. I go down to the playground, past the rear building to the sports ground. Sometimes Rico runs his laps here or up and down the hundred-metre track; it’s good for his endurance. Rico boxes in the borough sports group now. The sports ground is empty. I don’t know Rico’s timetable. We don’t see each other as much these days, but that’s partly because of the trouble at home.

Two girls are sitting on the grass by the wall, sunbathing. I crawl through the gap in the wire fence and walk home. On the corner after the bridge is the Silver Slope, my dad’s local. I stop outside the door. I hear lots of voices and glasses clinking. I hear Dad’s voice: ‘Hey, Danny, come in for a lemonade. And then tell your mum I’ll be right home.’ I inch up the three steps to the door, then I open it and step into the semi-darkness of the Silver Slope.

Queen of Hearts, Ace of Clubs, King of Spades and the Old Man. Big stained-glass playing cards are lit up on the wall to the right of the door. I walk past them, looking for my dad.

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