Franz F. jun. and his mother lived quietly and contentedly. One day, the son had already gone to work, the mother, Anna F., heard a rumble in the passage. Carefully, she grabbed the dustbin, so no one could think she was curious. The door of the neighboring apartment, which was inhabited by a young mother with two children, was wide open. Anna F. could see that she was almost empty. The children sat on the steps and waited.
“Are you moving?” Anna asked smiling.
“We must go to the street,” said the boy, Leon.
“But no. You’re going to go somewhere, “Anna said.
“Nobody wants us,” said Lena, his little sister.
“But I do not believe that. Probably you go to Grandma, “Anna F. tried to spread hope.
“No, she does not want us. Only Mama can come, but we do not, “said Leon.
“Because our dad was a bad person,” Lena added.
“Do you want to get back? Are you hungry? “Anna asked, who was obviously uncomfortable to lead such a conversation on the corridor. Besides, she could do something she was sure of, making something to eat. She presented a large plate of sandwiches to the children. With great joy she saw the children swallow the loaves, as if they had not been eating for days.
“You’re eating as if you were just starving,” she said, laughing, thinking she made a joke.
“As we do, too,” Lena said succinctly, as she reached for the last bread and Anna F. nervously prepared some more.
“But this is exaggerated now,” she said uncertainly, “your mom will surely give you something to eat.”
“That will not happen. She always buys shoes. And now we have no money for eating, “Leon explained objectively.
“And not for the rent either,” Lena added.
“Time and time again, she promised, but she did not. She says she buys something to eat and she comes home with shoes. She then places them in the cellar, “Leon said quietly.
“And we’re always hungry,” Lena said involuntarily.
“Sometimes I can eat by a friend, but that is not often,” said Leon.
Anna F. was moved by the thunder. But it had to be right what the children told, because the cellar compartment of the neighbor was right next to hers, and this was filled from top to bottom with shoe boxes. Anna F. would never have thought about it. “Children who get nothing to eat, no, that cannot be tolerated,” it went through her head as she called to the Youth Office. Supposedly Leon and Lena came together to a very nice family of care.
“I just hope they get something decent there,” Anna said, as she sat with her son at dinner that evening.
“I’m going to move out,” said Franz F. jun. short. Anna again washed her hands, dried them by her apron, and packed the suitcases for her son. Franz F. jun. married and founded a family. Soon everything was as it has to be. A safe workplace, a beautiful apartment, a married couple and two children. And now Anna F. cooked for her grandchildren.
