Deafblind

My father had to push to get me through the wrought-iron gate, surmounted by TV cameras. I was surprised to see that the whole interior of the wall was covered with a thick foam.

- Dad, why is Simonti’s son not coming to school?

- It is none of your business! Go to school, and study.”

My father was very angry with me. When I brought home my grades I was forced to follow him in his work as a gardener for the whole summer. That day it was the turn of the Simonti villa.

I wanted to ask confirmation of the rumors that were circulating in the classroom. It was said that the Simontis held a monster in the house who never came out.

While my father poured gasoline in the mower, and busied himself to turn it on, panting and pulling the rope of the engine, I was still looking for the answer to my question.

Then the mower was set in motion and its noise drowned out every other noise. My father, grim, nodded first at the rake and then at a large tree near the house, and I knew that I had to collect all the leaves that had fallen.

I took the rake and walked reluctantly toward the tree in the middle of the garden. I began to rake a few leaves here and there, chewing on a piece of candy.