Tomoko Kawachi's Oranda Nikki

My Dutch teacher sent me a small story by Simon Carmiggelt. She (the teacher) made an adaptation of the text for me, which means for Dutch beginners.

That was about small future. I wrote here in English to share the story.

Future

My grandson, six-years-old, came to sleep with us. After watching allowable TV and had fun in the bath, he lied down on the bed with his wet hair and he called us: "Grandpa and Grandma, do you come here?"

We came and sat on the edge of the bed. He asked:

"Are you going to shave tomorrow?"

"Yes"

"If you shave you'd be a little smaller," he said. "How come that old men are so small?"

"They shrink, I guess."

He looked doubtful.

"When I'm eighty, how old are you then?" He asked.

"One hundred thirty-four, but so old we can not be."

He understood it and made a lower bid, "Then if I'm twenty-six?"

"Then we're eighty."

When I said it, I realized that I scared of it.

But he comforted us:

"I will become a machinist, because I know how to collide two trains," he said.

"And you can always ride with me. For a dime. At the station you can say that you are my grandfather. Then it will be allowed. But then you have to bring something nice for me. "

"Chewing gum?" My wife asked.

Because that he loves.

"No, what I like when I'm twenty-six. What do I like then? "

When we couldn't find a good answer soon, he said: "Marrowfat beans would I do like it. That you should put in a hot pan. For on the go ".

We promised it and kissed him for goodnight.

While we stood beside of his bed, he said, with courageous tone:

"If you become very small, huh? I'll take care of you. I am already married. And I buy one child. Because children are so expensive, though. For you I make a shoebox. To live in. That can be if you become so small. I make it a door in, though. And make a hole also for the air. During the holidays you can come in the car. Then I put the shoebox on the shelf in the back seat, next to the cat. Nice, huh? "

"Yes nice."

We turned off the light.

And went back to the living room, two people with a future.