At the Edge of the Night by Friedo Lampe;

Author:Friedo Lampe; [Friedo Lampe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781843916543
Publisher: Lightning Source Inc.
Published: 2019-04-05T16:00:00+00:00

The announcer had lifted the boy onto his knee. He reminded him of his own son. He was all alone at home now, without his mother. If only there were a night train, then he could travel late at night and would be back by tomorrow evening.

‘The man said I should give him a good beating, and then he’ll obey. But I’m not going to do that. There are other ways of teaching him.’ The little brown dachshund sat in front of them, looking at his master with his wily little eyes, his head cocked.

‘Why are you teaching him all this stuff, Addi? You don’t need to. Just play with him.’

‘I do play with him, but I want to teach him things, too. Dogs can do such wonderful tricks. I want him to walk on his front feet and jump through a hoop and sit at a table and eat like a real person. I’m having a costume made for him.’

‘But why, Addi? There’s no need to torment him like that. You wouldn’t fret so much yourself, then, either.’

‘No, I’m going to teach him things. Quickly, too. There isn’t much time.’ Troubled, the announcer studied the unhappy face of his little friend. He looked really preoccupied.

‘What’s the matter? What’s all this about?’

Addi put his arm round the announcer’s neck and whispered in his ear: ‘Promise you won’t tell Papa?’

‘No, of course not. What is it?’

‘When I’ve trained him properly, I’m going to leave Papa, I’m going to run away in secret, and I’m going to do performances on my own with Fips, and we’ll earn our own money, lots of it, and…’

His father stood before them. ‘Come on, Addi. Time to get ready.’

Addi quickly slid off the announcer’s knees.

‘Brush your hair,’ said the solid, red-cheeked man as he gave Addi the once-over. ‘Shirt clean? No, course not. You shouldn’t be digging in the sand in your sailor suit just before you go on.’

‘I was playing with Fips.’

‘Oh, always that filthy mutt. We’re getting rid of him. That’s the last time you get dirty.’ He turned to the announcer: ‘That’s the thing when they haven’t got a mother. I have to be both parents in one. Hands,’ he commanded. ‘Dirty, always dirty. Wash them, quick. Why can’t you do these things for yourself?’ Addi ran into the shack. ‘Come straight back,’ his father called after him.

‘Doing an act with a child is the hardest thing, I can tell you. You can rely on adults. Children are unpredictable. You probably think I’m too strict. But I’m just licking him into shape. Strict discipline: that’s the answer.’

‘Maybe it’s not right for children as young as that to be on the stage,’ said the announcer quietly.

‘Nonsense,’ said Addi’s father. ‘They work best. It’s the women, you see, the emotion…’

‘But what you’re doing to the boy, it could harm him.’

‘Rubbish. I’ve spoken to the experts, and they said that as long as I’m careful and don’t do it too often…’

‘But you’re on here every night, for two weeks.

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