Kaytek the Wizard

Kaytek the Wizard — page 7 — janusz korczak Kaytek goes into a store selling cleaning products He asks for ﬂea killer The lady gives it to him That’s for ﬂeas bedbugs and roaches We don’t have any bedbugs or roaches at home My mom said just get it for ﬂeas Doesn’t matter That’s good powder everyone buys it Show me how much cash you have Kaytek tightly clenches his empty ﬁst No I have to ask I have to do what my mom says Well go ask her And tell her it costs a zloty Do you live far from here Just round the corner If you buy things here often you’ll get candy See this Yes She shows him a jar full of candy Kaytek leaves Thinks she’s so smart as if I’d give her a zloty right away he tells his pal She thinks I’ll be tempted by candy It’s been dyed those colors for sure How many stores is that now Six Exactly half OK let’s go on What’s your rush Let me take a rest My head’s already spin But it’s nothing Kaytek is okay He goes into the seventh ning store It’s a garden center Can I get a coconut palm here asks Kaytek We haven’t any says the lady Please would you look miss The nature teacher told me to So you tell the nature teacher he’s got bats in his belfry No he hasn’t Our teacher knows what he’s talking about get one The zloty is the Polish currency 15

Kaytek the Wizard — page 8 — kaytek the wizard It’s not nice to talk to children like that You’re not allowed to insult the teacher Get out of here you little brat Trying to preach morals at Sure it’s about morals because you shouldn’t talk like that me In the doorway he sticks out his tongue at her Pity I didn’t tell her to get stuffed and wallpapered too Why are you so annoyed Because I’m getting bored with all this traipsing about Tough you made a bet I know that without you telling me I started it so I’ll ﬁn ish it Outside the store there’s a stall selling soda water A glass of gas please says Kaytek The lady ﬁlls a glass with water and hands it to him And Kaytek says I don’t want the water just the gas He makes another innocent face But she doesn’t even look She takes a swing and ﬂings the water at him Kaytek dodges just in time She misses Go break an arm and a leg you thief But Kaytek isn’t a jerk or a thief He could have drunk the water and run away And he is feeling thirsty You’re the cheat lady He’s mad at her and at himself And at his pal Hey listen he asks his pal What does he’s got bats in his It must mean he talks garbage You could have ﬁgured that belfry mean out for yourself They stop outside a photography studio I’m coming in with you As you wish They go inside 16

Kaytek the Wizard — page 9 — janusz korczak How much do half a dozen pigeons cost What sort of pigeons says the lady Carrier pigeons for the office We’re going to keep them on our laps Do you have any money Not yet But we’re trying to get some First go try then come back What are you telling them a man in glasses butts in Here we only take pictures of people And jackasses They leave Kaytek says nothing Then he remembers That guy called me a jackass the other one called me a little brat That lady threw water at me and that other guy wanted to thrash me But why Because I don’t have any money If he had a zloty everyone would be polite to him They’d let him in the movie theater too And give him water not just plain but with juice How many stores is that Eight You’re wrong that’s nine Maybe I made a mistake They start counting including the stallholder it is nine OK off we go They go into the next store together Please show me a belt says Kaytek He looks at it picks it up and tries it on He examines the buckle He counts the holes He breathes on it and gives it a rub He makes a face This belt is too thin this one’s too dark and that one’s too As the young lady fetches each one she puts the last one straight back in the box She’s afraid I’ll steal it thinks Kaytek wide 17

Kaytek the Wizard — page 10 — kaytek the wizard And no surprise All kinds of people hang around in stores They come along because they’re bored but they don’t buy anything And they really do try to steal Kaytek knows that but he’s mad at being suspected And he thinks about his pal How bold he is now He comes in with me but he still can’t open his trap Finally he chooses a belt a nice one for scouts How much is it Two zlotys and ﬁfty groshys Too expensive How much did you think it would be young man My friend bought one like this for forty groshys So go to the place where your friend bought his All right we will What a pair of wise guys One of you does the choosing while the other cases the joint I know your type And I know yours She shouts abuse and chases them out of the store What would you have done if she’d called the cops You’re dumb Kaytek knows what he’d have done He’d have searched his pockets as if he’d lost his money But he doesn’t want to talk his pal will just have to guess So tomorrow you’re paying for a movie He stops and waits for the answer His friend hesitates I’ll ask my dad I’m sure he’ll give it to me And what if he doesn’t Then next Sunday for sure Kaytek makes a face and waves a hand in an annoyed way He’s thinking That’s what you get if you make a bet with a squirt like him In the tobacco store they feel sorry for Kaytek He stands timidly in the corner chewing his cap A groshy is a Polish coin 100 groshys equals one zloty 18

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