The gentlemen

In Aunt Jans’ shop, the lights go on one by one and not long after that the door is unlocked, Aunt Jans takes a step over the threshold and looks around. She breathes the fresh morning fragrance deeply and feels a satisfying feeling.

Like every day Piet slips the rat in between her legs. His backpack always tends to slide down and he intends to put on the straps tighter in the future. Piet de rat also has his place in the shop, just like everyone else. He lives under the sink in the kitchen that Aunt Jans once found and refurbished for him.

Groaning, Aunt Jans bends down to get the newspaper out of the letterbox and walks back inside. There she glances past the dolls and cuddly’ s. Thoughtfully she takes out one of the knitting needles from her knot of hair and then puts it back again. She looks at a little spot that has been empty for a long time. Once there was a doll that mysteriously disappeared from out of the store. Aunt Jans had called her Annabel and like all the others she had been given her a label with her name. Annabel was very special for Aunt Jans because she was the first doll she made.

Every morning at the same time, a stately distinguished gentleman walks through the alley and as always, he peeks through the window and whispers, “That this shop still exists?”
Bear with no name looks at him and the gentleman disappears, like every morning around the corner of the alley. If you look closely you will see a slight smile around the mouth of the Beer, who secretly intends to fool the gentleman in the future.

Meanwhile, Aunt Jans has made a large pot of strong tea. She takes a few biscuits from the drum and occasionally she dips one in the tea. Satisfied and enjoying, her rocking chair goes back and forth.
Then her eyes return to space where Annabel should be standing. And again, she thoughtfully removes the knitting needle from her knot and then reinserts it.

Suddenly there is a knock on the window and Aunt Jans sees the girl with her golden curls. Aunt Jans knows that the little girl is saving for one of the dolls, that is standing in the shop window. Every morning when the little girl goes to school she comes over and waves at her. And Aunt Jans waves back to her and then the little girl goes further on her way to school.

Aunt Jans picks up her crochet and goes to work diligently, but then she falls asleep and the dolls and cuddles hear a soft snoring sound.

“Hey Gretel, the Goat, why didn’t you go to the playground? Goatleg was also there,” shouts one of the cuddly’ s.
“I’ve told you so many times that I don’t like him. He is ugly and very arrogant. Not to mention those crazy stupid glasses he wears on his nose. No, I don’t want to be seen with that, “Gretel the Goat replies.
What no one knows is that she secretly likes him very much, but she is not going to tell them that.

Toto de Vos sees his chance to light up the fire. “Well you say it: He is quite arrogant and ugly for sure. You’re right about that Kid. If I were a goat, I wouldn’t want him either,” he grins.

Then suddenly it is quiet again because Aunt Jans opens her eyes and goes back to work. She pretends she hasn’t heard anything.

The End