Trafika Europe 11 - Swiss Delights

Mariella Mehr

silvia in the children’s home “to the smiling jesus.” st. nicholas day. silvia five years old, bed wetter, cross- eyed, mute. occasional bursts of anger during which she breaks toys, topples over chairs, screams. silvia steals dolls which she then hides, or building blocks. all children are looking forward to st. nicholas day. to celebrate the day there is a bowl of vanilla sauce and fried apples on the table. st. nicholas in the red coat and with white beard. his bell rings bright, silvery. together with him comes his filthy helper, black, with coal-smeared face, growling, grumbling. the children recite verses, sing pious songs. the sisters smile. silvia believes in the love of st. nicholas and in the growling of the black one. silvia is supposed to recite a little verse. but silvia remains mute. st. nicholas is annoyed. the filthy helper opens the great, brown sack, sticks silvia into the sack, and carries her into the dark hallway. inside they continue to sing pious songs. silvia is afraid inside the bag, deathly afraid. let out silvia, silvia wants to be good, wants tobegood, wantstobegood. silvia remains in the dark hallway, imprisoned in the brown jute-sack. when they get her out of the sack later, she is stiff, stiff as a board they put her into her little bed, together with a small baby girl who also wets the bed. they put the bedwetters in one bed to go easy one the bedding. silvia knows who the filthy one was. but she is not allowed to tell. silvia is afraid that mrs. wanzenried

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