Три товарища

           enthusiast,advisedOttotoconvertitintoasewingmachine.

           ButKösterwasnottobediscouraged.Hetookdownthecarasifithadbeenawatch,andworkedonitnightafternightformonths.Thenoneeveningheturnedupinitoutsidethebarwhichweusuallyfrequented.Bollwiesnearlyfelloverwithlaughingwhenhesawit,itstilllookedsofunny.ForabitoffunhechallengedOttotoarace.HeofferedtwohundredmarkstotwentyifKösterwouldtakehimoninhisnewsportscar—coursetenkilometres,Ottotohaveakilometrestart.Ottotookupthebet.ButOttowentonebetter.Herefusedthehandicapandraisedtheoddstoevenmoney,athousandmarkseachway.Bollwies,delighted,offeredtodrivehimtoamentalhomeimmediately.Everyonelaughedandpreparedtoenjoythejoke.Köster’sonlyresponsewastoswitchonhisengine.Theysetofftosettlethematteratonce.Bollwiescamebacklookingasifhehadseenthegreatseaserpent,andwroteoutthechequeandanotheraswell.Hewantedtobuythemachineonthespot.ButKösterjustlaughedathim.Hewouldn’thavepartedwithitforanymoneyonearth.Outsideitlookedaterriblewreck,butinsideitwaslikeanewpin.Fordailyusewehadriggeditwithaparticularlyold-fashionedbodythathadjusthappenedtofit;thepaintwasgone,themudguards16/529weresplit,andthehoodwasquitetenyearsold!Wecouldhavedoneitbetter,ofcourse.Butwehadareasonfornotdoingso.

           "Karl,"wechristenedhim—Karl,theRoadSpook.