September 2000
Schoolyard The Orchid Woods
Due to budget cuts at the former snack bar Kees, only one bus could be deployed at the moment. As a result, all the children from both the upper and lower grades were sitting together. The bus stopped and the children got off. Cindy got off last. She had hidden at the back of the bus. When she got off, she fell prey to intense bullying. Her appearance caused a commotion. As the first transgender person ever, it took some getting used to for her.
Child: Hey Transformer!!
Cindy: What did you say?
Child: Do you have shit in your ears or something? I said helloooo Transformer!!
Cindy: But why? I didn’t do anything wrong to you, did I?
Child: So what, you’re just weird, you don’t belong with us!
Cindy became white-hot with rage and grabbed a revolver out her pocket and…
3 weeks ago…
Eden City – Station
Amanda: Hurry up, you loser!! The trainβs about to leave.
Mario: Wait a secβtheyβre still wrapping up the sandwiches.
Amanda: Hurry!!
The conductor blew his whistle, and the train doors were about to close. Mario had just barely managed to grab the sandwiches from the kiosk.He joined Amanda, Sheeba, Francina, and Damian…
Sheeba: Come on, letβs sit upstairs.
Francina: Yuck! Thatβs where the smokers sit…
Sheeba: So what? Screw them! Weβll just sit right in the middle of them.
Mario: Who has the tickets?
Amanda: What tickets?
Mario: The train tickets.
Amanda and Sheeba (at the same time): Whuahahaha, weβre riding for free, dummy!
Mario: Nooo!! What if we get a fine?
Amanda: Are you scared or something? Wimpβif the conductor comes, weβll run to another area.
Damian: Do you think thatβll work, Mario?
Mario: Uhh, what do you mean by that, Satanist!
Damian: Hail Satan!
Mario: Ohhh , Heβs just saying it
Sheeba: Shut upβheβs allowed to say that. Itβs not illegal, you know
Francina: Shit⦠the conductor!!
The kids got up from their seats and ran through the train looking for a safer spot.
Amanda: Fuck! Thereβs another one over there. Run!
Sheeba: Fucking hell! Other way!
Mario: Oooww, because of you guys Iβm going to get a fine, you idiots!
Francina: Just shut your pathetic mouth, loser! Come on, letβs get upβweβll figure something outβ¦
At that moment, Francina stood up and walked straight toward the conductorβ¦
Francina: Sir, can you help me?
Conductor: But of course, sweet child, what is going on?
Francina: My little dog got lost and I think he got left behind somewhere..
Conductor: You mean in the back section of the train? And what kind of dog is it?
Francina: A Maltese, a sweet little mini dog.
Conductor: Don’t worry, my child, I’ll go look for your dog. Just stay here for a moment because Delft Zuid station is a stop to announce.
Francina: That’s ok, sir, I’ll just wait here for a bit…
The conductor had walked to the back and meanwhile called the other conductors to search as well. The train had stopped to continue traveling to Schiedam…
Mario: Wow, I didn’t know you had a dog, shall I join you in looking…
Francina: No, stupid, there isn’t a dog at all. But that way we can stall for time..
Amanda: where is that shop we have to get out of
Francina: Rotterdam..
Amanda: we might just make it
Meanwhile, Sheeba and Damian were keeping an eye on the other compartment..
Sheeba: those nails of yours look really cool
Damian: black nail polish, I have black lipstick too, come i give it to you..
Sheeba: thnx!
Judging by the train, they had stopped at Schiedam by now… one more stop to go.
Mario: hopefully there will come a time when you don’t have to buy a separate ticket for everything anymore.
Francina: Yeah that multi-trip ticket fills up very quickly that way. Although with a bit of glue you can wipe away some stamps, right?
Mario: But even so, then a separate ticket for the train and the ferry and buses too.
Francina: depends on regional transport and if you are 65+ then you get a pink strip ticket
Mario: that’s just gay
Francina: no, it’s a discount fare
Mario: arghhh if only there was a Transport Card that you could use everywhere
Francina: keep dreaming, Mario. Or no, don’t, we’re here…
The train had stopped at Rotterdam station..
Sheeba: Yo, do we still need to speak to that conductor?
Amanda: Fuck him
Damian: Yeah, fuck him, he always gets to travel for free, it’s just discrimination and gross inequality..
Mario:What the fuck he works there
Damian: Shut up, I work at McDonald’s too, so why aren’t we allowed to travel for free then?
Mario: I’m not saying anything more..
A field full of people stood running back and forth in a chaotic state from platform to platform, and the children went along with the crowd and eventually found the exit to the city center.
Amanda: Rotterdam!!!
Sheeba: Lee Towers!!
Mario: Who?
Francina: Fuck you Mario! Lee Towers is the bomb. That you don’t even know him.
Damian: He only knows the food offers in the kiosks at the station…
Mario: Everyone just shut your mouths please!
The destination was the shoe store. Only 5 children had won the lottery at summer camp, and the lucky ones were among them present now.While Madison Avenue’s song was playing ”Dont call me baby” through the speakers of the store the children could pick up their favorite brands
Amanda: Nike please
Sheeba: Me too!
Damian: Kappa please..
Francina: I’m going for Adidas
Mario: I want Converse
Shoe salesperson: You earned them and can keep them! Feel free to tell others about our amazing coll…
Amanda: Yes! And whatever!!, thank you very much, sir, bye for now
The children ran out of the store, showing off their sneakers endlessly… Amanda and Sheeba had almost the same pair…
Francina: Why do the prices have two stickers showing the rate?
Damian: Europe’s new currency.
Sheeba: It’s like they want to copy America with the dollar.
Amanda: Hopefully, it brings us a profit.
Mario: Well, the euro is more expensive than the guilder.
Amanda: Who cares? Fuck it! We’ve got our shoes, anyway.
Sheeba: looks like there’s a golden rim around them..
Amanda: That is because we are the Queens In Sneakers..
August 2000
Cafe- Utrecht
Lee Roy: What are you telling me now, Bradley?
Bradley: I can’t continue with you anymore; everyone looks at us like we’re aliens.
Lee Roy: But that didn’t matter to you, did it?
Bradley: You know, Lee Roy, I’ve been working here for a few years and I just got promoted. I have to maintain a professional demeanor.
Lee Roy: Don’t be so nauseous. What does your work have to do with our private lives?
Bradley: I have another…
Lee Roy: What? So is it a white boy? Are you switching to cheese?
Bradley: no it is…
Lee Roy : Ahaa you are with Sue Zan
Bradley: No, not her either ; she has a girlfriend, by the way.
I’ve been with Roberto for a while now.
Bradley: Roberto?? But he isn’t gay, is he?
Bradley: Yes, he is; he had been covering all that time, until that one time near closing time when I melted him in the freezer.
Lee Roy: What!! fucking Bradley!
I never want to see you again! Get out of my sight..
September 2012
The Underground Earth
She blew out 30 candles. A whole lifetime. Sometimes she thinks about the past. And then her mind starts to speak:
“What would it be like up there? Will they still recognize me? And how am I going to explain this? And do they know about the forest ranger? Should I tell them what he did to Boris? And will they believe me then, since I was drawn into their world by the underground inhabitants back then?”
Safira! Are you okay?
But her thoughts went further…
“My husband. My darling, I met him at the pool. And it was love at first sight. The one who built my life with me. A whole life. Went to university here together and experienced multiple sunlight shifts. Enjoyed the simulated beaches where the water waves in reverse. And then the people who live here. A bunch of freaks who all act like nothing is wrong.”
Husband: Come on honey, we have to go outside soon for the dinner that has been arranged for you..
Safira: I just have to do something for a moment, you go ahead. I’ll be right there..
Husband: Okay, Iβll see you in a minute.
She had been here for 12 years and never once had she thought of going back. Somehow, it was much nicer here. Upstairs was hell, they said here. They were afraid of the forest ranger there. But no one wanted to say a word about it. Every now and then, Safira would take a peek. Usually, objects with a reflective film were enough. Much better was the mirror standing in her room… She touched it with her finger… a warp-like dent appeared in the mirror. A portal created to the upper ground
She pushed further… and then stuck her head through it…
The forest… and a rabbit she was looking at. The rabbit was gnawing on a carrot and almost jumped onto her outstretched head out of the hole in the ground in the forest. Safira pulled her head back… Not the right moment yet, she thought…
to be continued….very soon..
