The boy was around seven years old. His mother was a draper. She had a textile store. The family rented a separate part of the house to an old lady. She was living alone and as far as the boy remembers she was 80 years old at least at that time. Her name was Magdi and the boy called her ‘Magdi néni’ (Aunty Magdi). She had long grey hair and always wore the same style, old, dark clothes. They were really good friends. The boy visited her every day after school. He was allowed from the beginning of primary school to go on his own to the mother’s store from school. He always said hello to his mother and after that he visited Magdi néni.
The house was dark, very dark all the time. They usually didn’t switch on the lights. The furniture was beautiful. Old wood furniture like in a museum. The boy had the feeling that he has the opportunity to be in a special place. It was magical somehow. And the lady had many strange board games, books, religious and expensive stuff. The boy remembers his favorite object. It was a shiny little cat made of china with green and gold colors. He loved it. It was stored in a glass showcase. He asked the lady each day to touch this little cat. He knew that it was not a toy. He just wanted to keep the cat in his hands. It was so beautiful, and the boy was proud to keep such a beautiful and valuable china figure in his own hand. It was a treasure. The lady trusted him. He talked and played a lot with Magdi néni. The boy loved to act like a priest and celebrate a mass. The lady’s brother was a real priest, that’s why they had many Catholic objects in the house. It was his usual afternoon. She was like his grandmother. But one day the boy got bad news. Magdi néni is in the hospital and she will probably die but she asked the boy’s father to take the little cat out of the showcase and give it to the boy. The boy was very upset. He had the feeling he doesn’t want the cat this way. This is not good. This is not okay. He was disappointed because he loved Magdi néni much more than the little cat.