August 20

Mutti when she was thirteen

A week or so after Carmen's birthday, my and my sisters' thoughts turned to the next birthday coming up August 20.

One evening, when I was about eleven, after supper was done and Josefa and I had finished washing the dishes, we sat down on the sofa on the other end of where Mutti was sitting, reading a doctor novel.

"Mutti, what would you like for your birthday?" I asked.

Mutti looked up and smiled. "I don't want much, just some good and obedient children."

I hung my head. I wished I knew how to be good. Whatever I tried, it didn't work out. I'd tried being obedient too, but I often didn't know exactly what Mutti wanted, and sometimes I did, but didn't want to be obedient. I didn't know why.

Josefa nudged me. "But really Mutti, Sonja and I have saved up some money and we want to buy you something."

"All right." Mutti sighed. "If I can't have any good children, maybe something pretty."

I was relieved. I already knew what we could get her. If Josefa and I would combine our savings we would have just enough to get it.

A few days before Mutti's birthday we two went into the town we were in that week. We found a store that sold household goods, and in the window we saw just what we wanted for Mutti. The price ticket on it was a little less than what money we had.

We went inside and asked for it, the Sammeltasse, a small cup and saucer, intricately painted with tiny roses and bordered in gold. It was very beautiful. 

Mutti had had Sammeltassen before, but sooner or later they broke, either during our travels or because of a scuffle we children caused in the kitchen, and which would topple the beautiful cup onto the floor where it shattered.

We paid for the cup and the man in the store carefully wrapped it in old newspaper.

Mutti's birthday came, and after dinner, we children all gave her a small thing we had either made or bought for her. Mutti admired all of it, especially mine and Josefa's cup and saucer. She smiled at us children and patted our heads, and Mutti's birthday, too was over.