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Miss Hospes introduced him. ‘This is Joost,’ she said, with those nice Eastern os.

‘What a small class’, said Joost. ‘In Amsterdam the class is much bigger. And we have an aquarium, too. Our teacher is called Miss Prins.’

‘Joost’s father is a doctor,’ said Miss Hospes. Joost nodded. ‘First Joost’s father was a doctor in Amsterdam, now he’s a doctor here. Perhaps you will be able to go to Joost’s father sometime, if you’re ill.’

‘Or if you die.’ Joost laughed out loud, but we were shocked and Cora Berg started crying.

‘Don’t say those funny things, Joost,’ said Miss Hospes.

‘And my mother plays the saxophone.’ No one knew what a saxophone was.

‘Really, that’s nice. So tell the class what nice songs she plays.’

‘No songs. Mummy plays jazz.’

‘Oh,’ said Miss Hospes, who knew more about psalms.

‘She puts on records by Charlie Parker and she plays along. It drives Daddy crazy. “Can’t you stop that tooting,” he shouts. “It’s just like a cow.” Then she shouts, “Prick.”’ Joost must have found that very funny, because he almost got the giggles.