"Still a few hours of working ahead." Antonio thought to himself as he looked at the clock and saw that it was only one o'clock in the afternoon. He had been busy for the whole morning with emptying the kettles and providing materials for the other miners. But today was a day like no other already had been.
After more than thirty years of service he had been told today that it will be the last month of working in the mines of Beringen. On October, 28, all miners would be working their last day.
For Antonio, this news came with a bit of a shock, but somehow he was also relieved. Thirty
years long he had spent blood, sweat and tears. With his colleagues who also were friends. Together they had many hours of polite fun here, but that came to an end. The mine of Beringen closed its doors permanently. To honor this, Antonio had made bundle with drawings of the mines. Drawings of the mines at night, views from the outside. And finally a portrait of his friends and fellow miners which showed that they had fun. This he made in collaboration with his boss who had them printed and bundled to a book. One for every coworker, so that each miner could take home their own copy as reminder.
When Antonio and his companions had past a part of the noon, they went for lunch upstairs. There they all ran into a pleasant surprise. The front site was equipped with a large table with sandwiches and spreads for everyone. Their boss had arranged it for them as a sign of thanks for their years of hard work. They were allowed to eat from it, but they were first addressed by the boss who thanked them and the people who were the longest in service, including Antonio, were rewarded with a handshake for their years of service.
Besides their chief, another person was there too who came to thank everyone personally and when Antonio saw the king and queen entering, he gained a shiver over his body.
There was his fellow scouts companion of the past. He was still the same sweet, kind and nice personality as before.
After his speech, in which he thanked everyone personally, the king and queen mixed themselves between the miners and talked to everybody. When king Baudouin came up with Antonio, he recognized him immediately. "Brave Kangaroo, that is a very long while ago." Antonio turned around when he heard someone calling his totem name of the scouts. "Well, it definitely is, Loyal Moose." Antonio replied towards the King and his colleagues looked at Antonio as if he had just made a very serious offense against the king.
When Antonio and king Baudouin saw their faces, they both laughed very hard and the others stood there rooted to the ground. "You do not worry gentlemen, although I am your king, you do not have to salute me or address me with king or lord." King Baudouin said. "On the contrary, I'd have to salute you, you are the brave ones who have done hard and heavy labor during all those years. Without you, our small country hadn't even exist anymore. For which I give you my eternal gratitude. "He added formally. With these words spoken, the others became a bit calmer and talked to the king and queen too.
The rest of the night the king mixed in everywhere so he could give everyone a chance to talk to him and so he had a chance to thank everyone personally.
By the end of the evening Antonio was collecting his drawings to give them to his boss.. The room was beginning to run empty. There were only a few people. King Baudouin came up behind Antonio. The latter had not heard him coming and scared up when he heard a voice behind him saying: "After all these years you still have it in you?"
Antonio turned and saw King Baudouin standing in front of him. "Well, it's not the most expensive pieces of art." He replied. "It's my hobby and I never gave it up." He added. "And apparently you have only improved." Baudouin replied.
Behind them stood cartoonist Jef Nijs to admire the drawings. When he saw the king and Antonio talking, he joined them. "Sorry to disturb you sir, I do not want to be a burden but ..." "Nonsense!" Replied the king,
"No one is a burden to me, and certainly not the creator of the nation's most beloved comic hero. "Baudouin replied. "Thank you! That's quite an honor." Jef said and he accustomed himself to Antonio. "Are you the one who created these drawings?" He asked him and for a moment Antonio did not know what to answer. "Um, yeah those are my drawings." He replied with an uncertain voice. "Well you're pretty good! Have you considered a job as a draftsman already? What about you working for my studio?" Asked Jef him and Antonio blushed when he heard this question. "I ... Yes, of course I wanna work in your studio!" Antonio replied, while being a bit beaten out of the field but also euphoric. He glanced at the king and then returned to Jef. "You deserve it friend!" Said
Baudouin and he gave Antonio and Jef hand and left them both behind.
After a while Jef left the room followed by Antonio. He agreed with Jef to get the paper work in order in the course of next week so that he in the next week could begin immediately. Antonio was very happy with this opportunity and when he told it the next morning to Hannah she was visibly happy and proud of her dad. "Then I soon will have a famous dad!" She said enthusiastically. "Well famous is not what I would say exactly, but I will be in any case, given more attention by people. But know that you will always be my number one!" Said Antonio and Hannah agreed with that with a nod and gave her dad an intense hug. Antonio looked again at the picture of the king above the fireplace, and a smile appeared as he recalled the day he had experienced today. "The
turning point in my career." Antonio thought to himself.
YOU ARE READING
Fellow Compatriots
Historical Fiction.In honor of a noble king, who died way too early, I have written a short novel about his life. The novel is partly written as seen through the eyes of a fictional character; Antonio, who knew king Baudouin personally.
