Magnus, aka Madz,
A very Special Student
By:
Ruwen Rouhs
(© 2022 by the author)
The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's
consent. Comments are appreciated at...
RRouhs@tickiestories.us
Chapter 14
I Made it After all!
The next day at two o'clock I was standing in front of the shed where Pollux had put up Maxi, his motor bike. I fidgeted from one leg to the other. My backpack was heavy because it was packed to the rim and Pollux didn't arrive. Finally, he arrived and pushed Maxi out of the shed. We went off, as soon as I had the helmet on my head. Today, the route to Hallberg seemed even longer than the first time. But then we arrived in front of the castle in Hallberg.
At half past four we set off for the parish house, that is Carlo, Paul and me. I had put on my new blue shirt with the white collar that I had gotten for the exams and shorts that were a little too long. They almost covered my knees. I wore blue socks and white sneakers. When I came down from my rom into the living room, Carlo turned me once around the axis, "That’s the way a student should look. Come on, Father Mayer is waiting."
Father Mayer was indeed waiting, but not alone. He was sitting in the library with a bearded gentleman at a small table. The dark room was so full of cigar smoke that I could hardly discover them. The village father waved the smoke to the side with one hand, "So you're Madz, the unlucky one! Let's see what we can do for you." Then he pointed to the bearded man next to him, "That's Principal Brewer, he runs the Hallberg Boarding School and wants to see if you fit in." When I looked to Pollux for help in shock, he laughed, "Well Magnus, you really do look as well-behaved as Chaplain Carstens described you, I am right Johannes." with that he turned to the principal. "So now show us your report cards and the letter with your exam results."
I blushed and handed both to him embarrassed. He handed the sheets with the results to the principal and delved into the report book himself. "You got straight A's in religion! Did your pastor flatter you or do you really know everything?"
I didn't dare answer. He saw how embarrassed I was, "Then I have to ask you a question. My first name is Alfred, which is not a special first name. But Magnus is special. You are the only student with that name I know." He thought for a moment, "Do you know who St. Magnus is, where he lived, and why he is revered as a saint?" I pondered for a moment, "Do you mean my namesake?" When he nodded, I hesitated for a moment, "Magnus was a prince from Ireland. He came to Germany as a missionary and worked many miracles." "Do you know when that was and what miracles he worked? "I don't know exactly, but he came more than a thousand years ago. He defeated a giant snake and killed a dragon, both of which plagued the people. But he also fought with unholy ghosts and drove them away. In the place where evil spirits had previously reigned, he founded a monastery. When he died, farmers made pilgrimages to his grave and he helped when their fields were infested with caterpillars, grubs and mice." Then I took a breath. "That's all I can think of. My name day is at the beginning of September." "Well, you know more about St. Magnus than I do. What do you think John, should we try it with him?"
In the meantime, the principal had looked at my report cards. "I have nothing to criticize about your report cards except for spelling and penmanship. I think you can manage that, Magnus! These two subjects were not my strong subjects either, but I have learned to spell in the meantime. However, I still don't write readable. I am sure you will manage spelling also!" Then he turned to Carlo, "Vicar Carstensen, have you figured out where he can live in the meantime, because the boarding places are all taken!" "Of course, Principal Brewer. I have spoken to Alois Bundschuh. Magnus and his half-brother Andreas are friends and both are happy to have Madz move in with them." The town pastor filled in, "I've known Alois since he was small boy. He's reliable and takes care of his half-brother like a father. I think that should work out."
"I can remember Alois. It's too bad he didn't graduate from high school, but he really wanted to learn electrical engineering. He must have succeeded in that. But you two," he turned to Carlo and Paul, "you also have to take your responsibilities. If Andreas and Magnus live in the same household, you have to keep an eye on them."
*******
Keeping an eye on me? I would have liked to keep an eye on Pollux and Castor after I, Anders and Alies left the castle after dinner. They were just as curious as I was about what the teacher and the chaplain were doing in bed. Anders chuckled, "Do you think they're just playing around like you and me, or is Paul sticking his pecker in Carlo's hole?" Alies punched him in the side, "Who told you they sleep in the same bed? Are you making up stories?" "We peeked in! When we heard weird noises from Carlo's bedroom. We peeked in through the crack in the door," I giggled and Anders remarked, "What do you think we saw, bro? Paul's white butt was flying up and down, and under Paul was Carlo!" "He was whining, really loud and moaning!
After the meeting with Father Mayer and Director Brewer, Carlo, Paul and I first went to Anders' and Alies' house. They were already waiting impatiently, especially Anders. "Can you go to boarding school with me? Right after the big vacations?" He laughed when I nodded and beamed at him. "Can you stay with us? Move into the room next to me! S'Babettle and s'Bärbelle have already furnished it! They've put in a bed, cleared out the closet and put a table by the window as a desk. Do you know what kind of bedding they've put up?" Anders waited breathlessly, "My favorite linen with the pirates. I'm sure you'll sleep well guarded by the pirates!"
"Not so fast little brother!" Alies slowed him down. "Is it really all worked out? You get to go to boarding school and live with us?" When I nodded and beamed, he took me in his arms and winked at Paul and Carlo, "Now I not only have a half-brother but an adopted brother too! No one in Hallberg will believe me. Two brothers!!!"
Dinner was at Carlo's house in the castle. Carlo and Alies prepared the food to celebrate, while I stowed my report book and letter in my backpack. Paul and Anders set the table.
The two did not set the table as simply as usual. On the white tablecloth, which reached almost to the floor, they placed a large bouquet of tulips from the garden, to the right and left of which came candlesticks, one five-armed, the other three-armed. On each place came a flat plate, a deep plate and a small bowl for dessert. Only the glass dessert bowls looked the same. Two plates had flower patterns, two had gold rims, and the last had a blue onion pattern. Also, the cutlery had his origin from Carlo's various predecessors in office. He had found them in the kitchen drawer when he moved in. Each piece looked different, but at least there were spoons, knives, forks and dessert spoons for each of us. Even the glasses were all different in origin.
I couldn't help but be amazed when the food was finally served. There was wedding soup with marrow dumplings and noodles. The roast was accompanied by potato salad and spaetzle. As a conclusion we had ice cream. The three adults had wine as a beverage, while Anders and me had lemonade.
I enjoyed the food as much as I hadn’t in a long time and began to praise Carlo, who only laughed, "I don't cook that well! If I had cooked, you would have complained. I ordered the meal from the inn. Your visit came as a surprise!" Then he raised his glass and we toasted, "To Madz and Pollux, who will soon both be at boarding school here in Hallberg, to Anders and Madz, that they get along well with Madz, to Pollux and me, that we remain friends for another 50 years, and to Alies!" then he faltered, "And to Alies, that he finds the right friend, maybe it will be Haaki!"
We were in a hurry when we stumbled through Church-Street to Alies house, that is, I was stumbling out of tiredness, while Anders and Alies were exhilarated. "Don't fall asleep Baby-Boy, you still have to clear the things out of your backpack, at least your pajamas." Alies reminded me.
I didn't have to answer, because we had arrived at the house. Anders closed the door and before I could even slump down from tiredness, Alies pushed me up the stairs. In my future room I let myself fall backwards on the bed and closed my eyes. It didn't take half a second for someone else to join me on the bed and ask Anders, "Do you like it, it's soft!" and he started rocking.
Alerted by the squeak of the bedspring, Alies also came and threw himself on my other side. "That so exhausting Madz, wasn’t it? But you made it, now you'll soon be going to the same school with Anders!" "And with Haaki, I'm sure you haven't forgotten!" reminded him Anders. Then both of them started to take off first my shoes, then the socks, my trousers and so on. When I ws wearing only my briefs, they put me to bed, tucked me in and said "Sleep well!"
On Sunday evening Pollux was at the front-door of Alies’s house to take me back to Gondersdorf with Maxi. Mom heard Paul’s motorbike and before I had even taken off my helmet, she was already standing in the doorway, not her alone, no! My little sister and grandma were also standing next to her! Upstairs on the kitchen table was a big cake and no sooner were the five of us sitting around the table when the bell rang and Principal Gerstle came upstairs. "I'm glad to hear that Magnus! I always knew you were a gifted student and would make your mother happy. This time you did it in a roundabout way, but what the heck". With that, he handed me a thick book. "For the last few weeks here and for the vacations!"
The time until the end of the school year flew by. Already the next day the whole school knew that I was going to the boarding school and of course that Pollux, i.e. teacher Beck, would be teaching in this school, also. When Helmes found out, he was amazed, "You are a lucky boy, you can keep your favorite teacher and we? But you know, I'd rather stay here and learn something decent!" Then he added quietly, "Do you have time today? I'm going swimming, are you coming?"
Of course, we met at the water. When it was dark and the other boys had gone home, he pulled me into the bushes. "I have to show you something!" I already knew what and this time I joined in!
*******
The vacations went by way too fast. Only their end became exciting. Pollux vacated his apartment on the upper floor of the school building, after his apartment in Stadt Hallberg had finally become ready for occupancy. I could even darkly remember the house he moved into, since it was only five houses away from the Bundschuh house across the street.
Of course, I helped him move out. Pollux had very little to move. The heaviest were the boxes of books. Never before I had imagined what such a pile of books would weigh. However, I also had a reason to help. My mother was still puzzling over what I would have to take to Hallberg and how we could get them there, as Pollux suggested he could take my belongings with him. Mom got frantic as the suggestion came only two days before his moving date. "You need another pair of long pants, new shirts, underwear, and socks, of course!" "A pair of long pants? It's way too warm now!" "Of course, long pants, Magnus! You're going to high school now! You can't run around like a little boy all the time. Oh! I almost forgot. You need new gym shorts, as the current ones are way too tight!" "I like the blue pants though! I take them along!” "No, definitely not!" She just took them and put them in the bag for old clothes. When it was in the closet the next day, I fished them out and hid them in my suitcase among the new clothes.
Then the day of Pollux’s departure came. He had rented a van in which he could take his motorbike as well as all the boxes with the stuff from the apartment. When the engine of the van was already running, he leaned out, "How do you actually get to the city of Hallberg Ganymede, it takes forever by bus and train?" I hadn't thought about it at all and shrugged my shoulders. He quickly stepped on the gas so the engine wouldn't quit and just grinned, "Then I'll copy Zeus and get you two days before school starts, Ganymede!" Then he was gone!
The end of the vacation came faster than I would have liked. The day before Pollux came to pick me up, I remembered all the things I couldn't take with me. There was so much that was important to me and I didn’t want to leave behind. I remembered the feathers I had collected and the fossils, the monsters I had made out of wood and pine cones, and above all my books. I almost had a cold sweat running down my forehead when I thought of this. I couldn't just leave my treasures here. I couldn't take them with me either, because I could only carry one backpack on the way to Hallberg. Maxi was not a packhorse, after all. I already suspected that if I left the treasures here on the shelf, they would be gone when I returned for fall vacations. Either Mom would have thrown them away or my little sister would have "expropriated" them. I had to hide them! The attic would be the best place to do that. However in the attic I could not put them on display as in the apartment. I decided to box them. It took me half a day to put them all into boxes and transport them upstairs into the attic.
On the day of departure, I was nervous, mom was nervous, my little sister and of course grandma were nervous also. While we were waiting for Pollux in front of the house, Father Angler came with a small package in his hand. He looked a little sad, patted me on the shoulder and stroked my hair, "Here Magnus!" he held out a small package in wrapped in golden paper, "Here!" he hesitated, "Here, this is the prayer book I got from my father when I had to go to the seminary. Cherish it! It comforted me at times I was lonely. Maybe it will help you when you are sad. Maybe you need it, even if you're just sent to a boarding school and not to a major seminary." Then he took something out of his pocket, "Here is the rosary my sister sends you. You shall bring us honor and sing as beautifully in the church in Hallberg as you did in Gondersdorf. You have always given her much joy by doing so." Before he left, he made a cross on my forehead.
Then Pollux roared up. If Mama had smiled until now, now she became serious. "Take good care, big guy!"she said, as she tried to smile, "Take good care, Big Boy! Tonight, give a call to Principal Gerstle, so that he can tell us if you have arrived well. Remember Big Boy, call him if you need anything he will tell me immediately!"
Instead of the old helmet, Pollux had brought a band-new one. As I put on the shiny red helmet and flipped down the crystal-clear visor, I saw that my little sister was clinging to Mom, sobbing, and that Grandma had tears in her eyes. Suddenly my mind went blank. I must have automatically climbed onto the motorcycle behind Pollux like a zombie, because I only realized that we had already left when we roared over the small bridge behind the next village. Fortunately, there were no sheep on the road today. It was Saturday evening, therefore no convoy of trucks held us back at our fast ride to Hallberg.
In no time at all we arrived in front of Alies’ house in the Church-Street in Hallberg. Pollux honked, Anders bolted out of the house and fell around my neck. Only when I had taken off my helmet did I understand him, "...... that you are here! Alies is already waiting. Carlo and Haakon will soon be here also. We have prepared a feast, for you!"
In the apartment on the second floor under the roof I got speechless with amazement. Anders had tidied his room and put the mysuitcase and bags in front of the wardrobe in my room. A bouquet of flowers adorned the desk, "S'Babettle and s'Bärbelle send you their love. They'll see you after class on the first day of school!"
No sooner had I put my clothes in the closet and set up the books and school supplies on the desk as Pollux, Castor, and a young man with curly fox-red hair walked in. He looked like a younger edition of Carlo, but much thinner and half a head taller. He smiled shyly at me as Carlo introduced him, "Haakon. He's will attend eleventh grade in the boarding school and will take care of you if necessary." Haakon didn't seem to like that, because he mumbled something like, "If he wants to?" I looked up at him, "If you want! Gladly! However, Anders has already offered to help me at the new school." Then it occurred to me that Anders had been complaining that his classmates were mocking him as a weirdo, "Maybe you'll even have to rescue both of us, me as well as Anders. You are much stronger and can defend us if necessary!"
"Agreed!" said Anders, "But Monday is my day, so I'll show you both of you the school." Then he pushed me to Haakon, "Shake his hand. I already like Haaki almost as much as I like you. I tell you a secret, Alies would love to have Haaki moving here also. He always tells me, he hardly can believe that our vicar has such a nice brother!" As if on cue they both blushed, Haakon of course got even more crimson than Alies. Now Paul started to grin and shook his head, "I wonder if this was a good idea of Carlo, transplanting your brother to Hallberg? I hope he gets to work here!"
After dusk fell, we gathered in the large living room next to the kitchen for dinner. Alies and Paul had put together a typical bachelor's meal. In addition to a large platter of eggs and bacon, the strong aroma of wieners emanated from a pot, and there were lots of rolls. These Carlo and Haaki had bought at the bakery and brought them along with a jug of cider and lemonade from the Inn to the Red Oxen.
We barely were seated around the round table with Anders sitting across from me, Alies with Haakon, and Paul with Carlo, when the front doorbell rang. Surprised we looked from one to the other. "Is anyone else invited?" asked Anders before cautiously descending the stairs to the door. The door squeaked open and we heard Anders' astonished exclamation, "Father Mayer, Sir!" "You're amazed Anders, but everyone in the Church-Street can smell what you're having for dinner and that's why I was going to invite myself. I suppose I'll also meet Chaplain Carstens here as well as the new ones for the Hall Boarding School." With that he puffed up the narrow stairs to the living room and planted himself in the doorway. Anders stood on tiptoe behind him, grimacing. "There is enough food for you, too, Father. Come in, where do you want to sit?" Father Mayer surveyed the group, "Between Haakon and Magnus, of course, I can learn more about my new students here than I could in school." Meanwhile Allies had pulled out an extra-wide chair. We moved our chairs to make room for him at the table.
Father Mayer ate as fast as if he had been starving for days. I was still chewing on the first wiener, while he was already on his third sausage after a plate of scrambled eggs. I had also had a portion of scrambled egg. However, it had been considerably smaller than his. When Anders grinned at me across the table, I grabbed a second wiener and began to suck on it. Anders immediately understood what I was implying, but not only Anders. While he began to grin impudently, Alies and Carlo, who were sitting next to him, gave me warning glimpses. They'd better not have acted like that, because the Father Mayer mistook the glances as directed to him. When he realized that the signs were meant for me, he turned his head to me, "You're not that little anymore Magnus, are you?" then he blushed, "At the table, my little one....!" when everyone laughed, he just said, "Good, good! I'm an old man and I won't interfere.
After I recovered from the shock, I actually wanted to ask for forgiveness, but didn't know how, until I remembered, "Father, here at the table everyone calls me Madz, will you please do the same." Then I pointed to Haakon, "And he is called Haaki! You..." I quickly improved, "I wanted to say Father Mayer. Please Father call us by our nicknames, too."
He frowned. I was already expecting a thunderstorm. Then he smirked, "I can still call you and Anders by their first names, since you are under 16, but Haakon!" Carlo’s brother interjected smiling, "I don't mind, after all, the chaplain also calls me Haaki!"
A little later, when Anders and I were sitting on sofa the living room to the right and left of Father Mayer and the others had taken armchairs opposite us, he said, "Now I almost feel like a father! As a father of six children, six boys. Funny feeling! But really great!"
He began to settle even more into the new role when Haaki confessed to him that he wanted to be an artist and been exiled to Hallberg by his parents. Anders told him about his chimeras, about the treasure hunt and I told about my passion for collecting all kind of objects and the book by the Knight John of Montevilla.
He beamed. "For the three of you, I would have tasks. Haaki," he said to Haakon, as if he had never called him anything else, "Haaki, some frescoes in the parish house are already very faded. Have a look, maybe you can save them. And for you Anders, I'll allow you to look for the secret passage in the cellar of the parish house, provided you put everything back in its proper place when you're done. But don't get your hands on my wine. I like Magnus better, but if you prefer Madz, I will call you Madz. Your task will be to straighten up the parish library. There are a lot of old books, nobody reads anymore. Maybe you'll find another exciting book."
Paul, Carlo and Alies felt a bit left out at first, but Father Mayer wouldn't have been an old pastor if he hadn't noticed. "Alies," he said, "I know you from the days when you still wet your diapers. You really have developed into a responsible young man. Keep up! And you two," he winked at Carlo and Paul, "I need you at the boarding school, and I'll get to know what you're made of." Then he sighed, "But now I have to go home. It's too late to go to the Red Oxen anyway!" When he got up, Carlo and Paul also stood up, "We'll accompany you to the parish house, we also have to go home!"
*******
I couldn't stay at the table much longer. We had barely cleared the table when I was already on my way upstairs. In my new room, I sank into bed and must have fallen asleep immediately. After midnight I was awakened by moonlight falling through the open window directly on to my face. It took me a while to remember where I was. I listened into the night. Sounds came in with the cool night air, the KUI-WITT, KUJI-WIK of an owl, the meow of a cat, the sound of a car. From the next room, the soft breathing of Anders could be heard.
From the other side of the landing I heard soft giggling. Suddenly, my bladder squeezed and I remembered that I had fallen into bed without brushing my teeth or going to the bathroom. First, I turned to the wall and decided to keep on sleeping, but after a while I couldn't anymore. As quietly as possible I crawled out of bed, crept through Anders' room, listened briefly in the stairwell and scurried down the creaking wooden stairs to the toilet on the first floor. When I returned, the quiet giggling had died out. Back in bed, I must have fallen asleep, because I didn't wake up until Anders pulled the covers off me, jumped into bed with me, and tickled me awake merciless.
"Come on, we need to make breakfast, Alies is still sleeping. He always sleeps late on Sunday. I'll prepare breakfast by myself then, go to Sunday mass and when I get back he'll be up too." For breakfast we ate from the sandwiches that had been left over last night. Anders drank milk and I drank juice. I was slatering the second half of a roll thickly with jam when Alies came rumbling down the stairs, "Oh, am I still tired!" he shook himself and scratched his bottom. He was wearing only worn-out boxers and a red undershirt. As he scratched, the fly gaped open and I could see his semi-stiff prick with the red glans. When he noticed that I was staring at his open fly, he just grinned, turned his back to me, "You'll have to get used to that, little Madz, you're living in a man's household here!" and started to make coffee.
The smell of coffee must have awakened the guest whose voice I had heard at night from Alies’ room. I wasn't surprised when Haakon came stumbling into the kitchen, because I had noticed Alies and Haaki had sitting very close to each other the evening before. Anders started laughing, because Haaki was wearing pajama pants that only reached his knee and stretched mightily around his butt. He had, in order not to come down naked, put on the next best pair of pants he found. They were printed with snowmen. "Hey, you got my old pajama pants. I've been missing them!" Anders chuckled, then turned to Alies, "Did you stash those? I've been missing them for a year!"
A moment later Anders just returned from the kitchen to the table with two mugs full of coffee, "I guess you need coffee for revitalization Haaki? After that night!?" They sat down next to each other and Haakon immediately put his head on Alies' shoulder. "Thanks to you Anders, I actually can need one!" Then he winked tiredly at us, "Well you two, what did you experience tonight? Just sleeping?" then he thought, "One of you sneaked down the staircase last night. Alies was afraid he'd come in and catch us!" "It wasn't me, it was Madz! If I had heard you, I would have peeked!" As Alies turned bright red and Haaki laughed, "I'll be sleeping here more often now. Get used to it!"
As Anders and I got up to leave for church, the two of them rose as well. They squeezed through the door side by side, Haakon sticking his hand down the back of Alies' loose boxers. Alies took to his heels and ran up the stairs, Haakon a step behind, "I'm going to get you, Alies! It's payback time for the too-tight pants!" then he chuckled, "This time it's my turn first!"
On the way to the service, we both puzzled over what Haakon might have meant, "Is he going to spank him, Anders?" "I don't think so! I just want to know what he was looking for in the back of Alies’ pants. I would have looked in the front!"
I thought of the answer when I remembered Alies’ swollen dickhead, "Do you think they have?" at this I clenched my left into a loose fist, put index finger of the right into the hole formed by the curved fingers, moved it quickly back and forth. "Sure, first it was Alies' turn, and now Haakon's." Then he leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Do you also believe what I think they are doing now? Do you think we should try that today too?"
*******
After Mass we sat down on the low wall that separated the churchyard from the street. "Your friends looked funny when you showed up with me. I was a bit unsettled when they asked who's the little one was and ask are you are playing nanny?" "Don't worry about it. They're just jealous because I get to go to boarding school while they go to comprehensive school." then Anders put his arm around my middle, "Madz, you know you're my Baby-Boy. You are just my little one. Everyone envies me for you!”
At that moment the Father Mayer came, "Baby-Boy? Do you really call Magnus Baby-Boy? He's not that little anymore.” Rethinking, he agreed, “But you're right, if you like him!" Anders blushed and stared at the tips of his shoes. Therefore, I had to answer. "He only says it when we're alone, though. Only Alies, Paul and Carlo know the nickname." Then I looked at him pleadingly. "But that's not why we're waiting for you, Father. Anders would have liked to have a look in the parish cellar and I in the library."
"Not the cellar, not on the Lord's Day. But I'll let you into the library." With that, he pushed us toward the parish house and through the glass front door into the library. "Look, here are the books for young people. However, Baby-Boy” he smirked, “I bet you are more interested in the books in the glass cabinet. That's where the old books are." As he unlocked it, he began scratching his nose. "I think I have something else what would of much more interest to treasure hunters. But you'll have to come with me to my office, there it is."
In the office, he unlocked the safe and took out a slim, hand-bound book. The script on its cover was in Sütterlin script, "Mysterious Stories of The City of Hallberg and its Environment." He smelled it, wrinkled his nose and opened it. The leaves were yellowed and the writing seemed quite illegible at first glance. "Look, look about 150 years ago one of my predecessor wrote this down by hand. He collected stories that people here in Hallberg had been telling each other over and over again for decades."
When I looked more closely, I could decipher individual words, because the writing was much nicer than my handwriting. The words also didn't sound as strange as in the book by the knight John of Montevilla. "I think I can decipher it. Do you know what's written in there? Have you read the stories?"
"Twenty years ago, when I became a pastor of this town, I did read one or two of the stories. One is about a bona fide girl, another about an evil abbot, a third about a robber who promised his heart to the devil! However, I never have finished reading the book. You can try it Baby-Boy. Andreas can help you with that."
At that moment the parish cook came in. "Father, the food is getting cold!" When she saw the two of us, she frowned. "I'm not prepared for guests, but it's enough for two little twerps if Father Mayer gives you some of the roast.
*******
To be continued...
Posted 10/21/2022