(Dialogue between two middle-aged women on a bench in the countryside.)
– About last night.
– Yes?
– Late last night.
– What about late last night?
– I thought I heard something then.
– Oh?
– Yes.
– And what did you think you heard then?
– Stumbling.
– Stumbling…
– Yes. Stumbling in the distance.
– Hm.
– It came from your place.
– Oh?
– It sounded near to your house.
– Oh. It sounded near to me, that stumbling?
– Yes.
– That’s possible of course.
– Did you hear it too?
– What time was it exactly?
– I don’t know. By midnight, I think.
– So, you were still awake at midnight?
– Yes, I couldn’t sleep.
– I was wondering. You normally go to sleep early, don’t you?
– Yes, that is true. But yesterday it didn’t work.
– That’s a pity.
– Yes.
– So….
(silence)
– But did you hear it too?
– Did I hear what?
– That stumbling?
– Yes. Yes, I heard that too.
– And I heard something else.
– You heard more?
– Yes.
– What was it?
– I heard a sort of loud coughing.
– Coughing?
– Yes, a loud, deep sort of coughing.
– Loud and deep coughing.
– Yes.
– Gosh.
– And I smelled something too.
– Did you smell?
– Smoke!
– Huh?
– Smoke!
– You smoke?
– No, you silly, I smelled.
– You smelled?
– I smelled smoke!
– Ooooh! You smelled smoke!
– Yes.
– That’s strange.
– Yes. I smelled smoke, in the middle of the night.
– Was your bedroom window open then?
– No. But I still smelled it. Smoke. Like from fire.
– Oh dear!
– Yes, oh dear!
– Did you go and see if there was a fire?
– No, I didn’t. I was listening and had there been a fire I would have heard noises.
– Yes, that makes sense.
(silence)
– And you, were you still awake then?
– Yes, I was still awake. You know I sometimes stay up late.
– And did you smell that smoke too?
– Yeah, now that you mention it. I smelled that too.
– But there was no fire.
– No, there wasn’t.
– Good.
– And were you able to sleep afterwards?
– Yes, luckily I was.
– Ah, nice.
– Sure, once I fell asleep, I never woke up again.
– Good.
(silence)
– You got up late this morning.
– Yes, that’s right.
– How come?
– Slept in.
– Ah.
– I got up at ten o’clock.
– That was probably because you went to bed late.
– Yes, exactly.
– You still look a little rosy.
– How do you mean?
– Your cheeks are red and your hair is tousled.
– Oh yeah. I’m taking it easy this morning.
– You look like you…
– Like I what?
– Like you…, you know.
– No, I don’t know.
– Like you had a man visiting last night.
– Haha! That’s a good one!
– No man?
– No, no man.
– But you had a good night.
– A very good night!
– A woman then?
– Haha! No, no woman either.
– But you didn’t sleep.
– Indeed. I slept very late.
– What did you do then?
– Well…
(silence)
– Of course, it’s none of my business.
– That’s true.
– Sorry.
– Never mind.
– I was just curious.
– You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.
– You don’t know that, do you?
– Yes really, you wouldn’t believe me!
– Try me.
– I have a new friend.
– See? I knew it!
– No, haha! Not thát kind of friend!
– Oh.
– You won’t believe me.
– You don’t háve to tell me, of course.
– No, I don’t have to.
– You seem very excited though.
– I am!
– Well, then tell me.
(silence)
– It was Lightning.
– Was there lightning last night?
– No, it was Lightning who came to see me.
– Uh…
– He’s been visiting me about once a week lately.
– At night?
– Yes, always at night.
– Why at night? And who is that Lightning?
– Because no one can see him.
– That sounds mysterious.
– Yes. People wouldn’t believe their eyes.
– Probably not…
– They would NOT believe their eyes!
– And uh…, that Lightning and you, what do you do?
– Good question!
– It is, isn’t it…?
(silence)
– We go fly.
– You go what?
– We go fly. Me on his back.
– Uh? Wah…, huh?
– For hours, through the night! It’s delightful!
– But…, I don’t understand.
– Of course you don’t. That stumbling you heard?
– Yes?
– That’s how he lets me know he’s there.
– Ah. Okay.
– Then I put on warm clothes, grab my ladder and a horse blanket ….
– Uh…, okay… yes…
– Go outside.
– Yes….?
– And then I have to warn him first. Not to cough. At least not in the direction of wood.
– Uh…
– Because of the fire hazard.
– Fire hazard? I knew it. I smelled it!
– Yes. You smelled his breath.
– His… breath?
– Yeah! Lightning is a DRAGON!
– A what?
– Lightning is my friend, the DRAGON!
When he comes to visit me, we fly together in the night, over the village, the woods, the river.
Oh, it is wonderful to be friends with a dragon!
(silence)
– I…, er…, I…. must go peel my potatoes!