One time it chimed just before a fire. And the last time, I saw it and heard it myself.”

“Did it ring loud?”

“Just normally, like any clock.”

“And did the hand hold the key for a long time?”

“What can I tell you? I can’t remember.”

“Did the fingers move?”

“I don’t know, Antek.”

Kaytek has forgotten a lot of things too – he can’t remember when he himself was little.

“Grandma, please tell me how the robbers poisoned King.”

“I’ve already told you so many times before. We had two dogs. King was a young dog, and Fido was old and wise.”

“He was a good watchdog,” adds Kaytek.

“He was a wise and faithful dog.”

“And the robbers threw them some poisoned sausage,” prompts Kaytek.

“That’s right. But Fido knew at once. He sniffed the sausage, barked, and didn’t move.”

“Oh, Grandma. What about the doctor? That’s a funny story.”

“It is and it isn’t. Your mother was sick. So Grandpa went to fetch the doctor.”

“Fido was on his chain.”

“That’s right. He was a strong dog. He could have mauled a stranger.”

“But he broke free of his chain.”

“He did, and he jumped up at the doctor.”

“Who opened his umbrella.”

“Yes. He leaped onto the trash can and opened his umbrella.”

“And Fido ran for it.”

“Wait, don’t be in such a hurry. So Fido tucked in his tail and jumped down. Then he stood there like an idiot whining for help.”

“He must have thought the umbrella would start firing?”

“Who knows what a dog thinks.”

Kaytek yawns. He’s not sleepy, but he is getting tired.

“It was funny,” says Grandma, “how that great big dog ate out of a wooden tub with a little kitten.”

“With Kitty?”

“No, Kitty was before that.”

“So please tell me the story, Grandma.”

“All right then. We put some food into the tub for the dog, and the kitten was there in a flash. She wasn’t hungry, she just came to tease. And Fido sat waiting for her to take what she wanted. But then he started getting impatient. He was annoyed and tried to push her away with his paw. And then she spat at him. How we laughed!”

Grandma is laughing now, although it all happened long ago.

Kaytek is laughing too, although he didn’t see it happen.

“Tell me about the rats, Grandma.”

“But then I’ll stop.”

“All right,” Kaytek agrees.

“Well then, our cottage was old, but it was clean. There were no vermin, no mice. But we had a nasty neighbor. Our cottage was here, the fence was here, and his old shack was right next to it.”

“He was a drunk,” says Kaytek.

“A drunk and a troublemaker.”

“He beat his wife.”

“He did. So your grandpa and I were sitting there together. Grandpa was reading a book, and I was sewing. We were sitting on the small porch outside the house. It was like a little veranda.”

“With a wild vine growing on it.”

“That’s right. Your momma and uncle were already asleep.