Brummel is Mean

This winter morning the sun is shining brightly, but it is still cold. Like every morning uncle goes to work and Brummel waves him goodbye. Soon he sees uncle disappear behind the trees. Brummel is shivering with cold and quickly he closes the door behind him. He doesn’t like the cold and fast he returns to his favorites spot on the window frame. There he enjoys the warmth of the sun and he peers over the lake. Not many boats passing by in winter, but in spring that will change. Uncle has told him that the people will then take their boats out of the winter storage. Brummel is already looking forward to this and hopes that the winter will soon be over.

Suddenly there is a knock on the window and Elsie is waving to him.

“Yippie there is my girlfriend,” Brummel exclaims happily and runs to the front door to let her in.

“I, I,” Elsie stammers, I was allowed to go to you. Daddy brought me and he will come to pick me up again. Don’t you like that, Brummel?”

“Whether I like that. Let’s play tag or hide and seek.”

“Well, no Brummel, I’m not going to hide here anymore, but I like playing tag. Tap you are him,” and together they run through the houseboat.

When they were tired, they sit out on the deck and see a large boat passing by.

“Look Brummel, that’s a workboat. These men check and repair the dikes if they are broken.”

“What is that big thing on it,” asks Brummel?

“That’s a crane in case they must lift heavy things. Then that crane lifts it for the men.”

Brummel looks at the workboat with admiration. One of the men looks their way. Elsie had already noticed him and picked up Brummel. She quickly carries him inside and tells him to be very quiet. Together they sit on the window frame and Elsie waves exuberantly to the men on the boat. The boat slowly sails by and Brummel starts moving again.

“Let’s go out again Elsie, I know something cool to do together.”

Elsie follows Brummel and sees him heading for a rowboat.

“We’re going to row, Elsie, don’t you like that?”

Well, Elsie doesn’t like it and says she doesn’t dare, what if she falls into the water!”

“Come on, you row, and I show the way,” insists Brummel.

Elsie has doubts. On the one hand, she finds it quite exciting, but on the other hand also quite scary.

“No Brummel, if things go wrong, I may never be allowed to play with you again. I find it scary. Besides, I can’t swim very well.”

Oh, but Brummel has a solution for that. He runs inside and a moment later he returns with a life jacket. “Put this on, if you fall into the water it will keep you afloat.”

Elsie still doesn’t like the idea. ‘Brummel, I thought you were smarter. I’m not going to row with you. If something happens, then … ‘she thinks back to the day she was stuck in the quicksand.

Brummel looks at her. He doesn’t agree with her at all. And falls along the railing and remains stationary.

“If it is not going get your way, then you act funny right away. I’m not going to get on that rowboat and that’s it. You’re a naughty bear and maybe I don’t even want to be your girlfriend anymore,” Elsie says angrily. She picks up Brummel and carries him into the houseboat. Angrily, she throws him into the cushions on the couch.

‘You should throw me like this. You’ve hurt me. Just go to your mama, ‘says Brummel.

Elsie has had enough, puts on her coat and walks away from the houseboat.

Brummel is startled by Elsie’s reaction and runs after her. Sorry, I will never do it again. You’re right, I’m a spoiled bear. Please stay until your daddy comes to pick you up.”

Elsie looks dubiously at Brummel, but then she decides to walk back. And together they sit back on their favorites spot in the window frame.

“You have to promise me that you will never let me do anything that I don’t want. Do you promise?’

Brummel nods and solemnly says that he promises that. Then he settles on Elsie’s lap and together they look out over the lake.