- I am a Gypsy Prince 2 -
by Harry AnderS, Dutch psychotherapist and writer of 'books with a message'

Book 2 - Our Lucky Mascot


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(This is the SECOND book of my famous sequel 'I am a Gypsy Prince')

 

25. My sixth birthday; and my own beautiful small snow scooter.

    Finally, March the third, my sixth birthday, approached.

I had been nervous for weeks, silently hoping for the present I wanted most of all...

Because my Dad had told me about it, I was sure they existed, someplace in the gadjo world!

Really small snow scooters; especially made for kids, or for little boys like me...

 

    Only, nobody seemed to know where to buy a second hand one, not even Michail.

And, of course, even while having our 'little moneymaker', we certainly weren't rich enough to buy me a new one.

Yet, silently, I hoped and prayed for some unexpected miracle...

 

    My Big Friend, Michail, had already asked me what I wanted to have this year, as my official birthday present.

He wanted to visit a few gadjo towns early, to search their various markets in advance...

    After I told him I wanted to have a small snow scooter, he shook his head, while he told me:

 

    "I don't think they exist, because I've never seen one at any of the normal gadjo markets."

 

    "But, my Dad told me he has seen one, in some gadjo store! Please, Michail, could you ask my Dad about where he saw it..."

 

    "Well; even if they may exist, please, don't reckon on getting one! But, I will ask your Dad where he has seen such a small one."

 

    I felt disappointed, but tried not to show my feelings.

I was sure that some happy little gadjo boy once got a small snow scooter, from the gadjo store my Dad had seen...

So, why should I, as our Royal Gypsy Prince and official Lucky Mascot, have to do with anything less desirable?

 

    Silently, I hoped the little gadjo boy had grown up; and that his father had put his small snow scooter up for sale on some market...

Would our beloved Ancestors or Spirit Friends be able to help us find it?

I thought I heard them, chuckling from the beyond; but wasn't really sure...

 

 

    The morning of my sixth birthday, I woke up early and couldn't sleep any more.

I left my bed and looked out my small den, but everything outside our caravan was still dark.

Silently, I tiptoed to our living room, carefully not to wake my parents, and sat down near the main window.

From here, I stared into the darkness, only lighted by our smoldering campfire and the faintly glowing mountaintops in a far distance.

Slowly, the highest tops started to be illuminated more and more...

 

    Suddenly, I stared at such a marvelous spectacle that I almost started to sob!

This time, I felt extremely small and vulnerable; while the rising sunlight lit the highest snow-clad tops with many beautiful and sparkling colors.

I looked at the grandiose spectacle in total awe, holding my breath; while the sun slowly showed up and rose higher and higher.

This particular feeling, of being vulnerable and totally in awe, remained for a long time...

 

    Now, my people started to wake up; while a few yawning men already raked our campfire.

This was my Home; and here was where I belonged, in my own secluded camp in our own Rumanian mountains!

My Big Friend, Michail, showed up; and started to scoop some clean snow into a pan, probably to wash his little sons.

Yes, that was a very good idea, to help my Mom!

 

    Hastily, I put on my warm badger fur coat and nice fox boots, and went outside.

Next, I scooped a pan full of bright white snow, looking for a clean and untouched spot.

Of course, I looked out not to scoop any 'yellow snow'...

    There was a joke we kids always told each other, after we had peed outside:

 

    "The yellow snow over there is delicious! Just go and taste it."

 

    However, nobody ever did as we told them...

 

    I chuckled at the funny thought; and went back to our caravan, closing the door to keep the cold outside.

Next, I shucked my badger fur coat and fox boots; and put the filled pan onto the grate in our still faintly glowing fireplace.

I raked the fire and put some dry wood onto it; until it started to flame abundantly and glow brightly.

Soon, the snow started to hiss, while I played with it by turning its melting glob around and around...

 

    My Mom entered our living room, and told me with a sleepy voice:

 

    "Thank you very much, for helping me with hot water. This morning, you are a real early bird! How do you feel, now that you are six years old?"

 

    Lately, my Mom had developed a bad habit of asking me such silly questions all the time...

 

    "Well... Of course, now that I am six years old, I also FEEL six years old!"

 

    "You witty little brat... Please, go wake your father, and tell him he has some chores to do."

 

    I trotted to my parent's bedroom, and unceremoniously jumped onto my sleeping Dad's stomach:

 

    "Wake up, you lazy slacker! Mom has some chores to do for you."

 

    My Dad groaned and tried to turn around, but I didn't let him, while I told him:

 

    "Come on, Dad, rise and shine! Today is the first day of the rest of your life, and don't waste it in bed!"

 

    Ten seconds later, we were in a heavy fight; frantically tickling each other wherever we found any sensitive spot.

Of course, my Dad could win easily; but I loved him dearly for letting me win half of the time, so I could get even with him...

 

    At last, I let him win generously, while I slumped down onto his broad stomach.

He threw his powerful arms around my body, and held me close while he rubbed my back.

I loved the nice feeling of his skin against my skin, and thought about cuddling in bed for the rest of the day...

    However, my chuckling Mom showed up and chased us out of bed:

 

    "Please, hurry up, because everybody is waiting outside for Harry's sixth birthday."

 

    Suddenly, I was in a tremendous hurry, and dressed in a record time!

Then, I had to help my Mom prepare a healthy breakfast, of course spiced by my tasty herbs.

    We had breakfast; while I nervously fumbled with my clothes, anxious to go outside:

 

    "Please, hurry up some more! They are already waiting for me..."

 

    Finally, we went outside in the snow, and sat down on our own Royal wooden bench.

Everybody else had already gathered around our campfire; waiting for me, to congratulate me and wish me all the best!

They approached me, one by one; and almost all the grown-ups cuddled me or ruffled my hair.

 

    Little Dimi threw his arms around my neck, wishing that I would this year finally have my growth spurt!

Biny even offered me a little kiss after she congratulated me, causing my Dad to chuckle.

That caused me to give him a dead look, causing him to chuckle even more.

Now, wait until HE gets a kiss from a lady...

 

    My grandmother threw her arms around me, and told me she was very proud of me.

I was her favorite grandson, and she hoped I would once be a proud father and have a little son myself...

Next, she offered me two kisses, but NOW my Dad didn't dare to chuckle!

The chicken...

 

    After everybody congratulated me, they all sat down on their wooden benches.

All the smaller kids climbed onto a cozy lap, to sit on and be held.

They all fell silent, and waited...

 

    Obviously, they were now waiting for my official birthday present to show up.

What would it be this year?

Last year, my people had been very poor, and yet they had bought me such a beautiful mountain bike!

I remembered thinking they had forgotten me, and how ashamed I had felt afterwards...

This year, I would NOT make the same mistake again!

But, why did nobody carry any visible birthday package...

 

    Suddenly, I heard a very well-known sound I recognized immediately, coming from our parking space!

A snow scooter started, and approached our circle of benches at full speed...

A SNOW SCOOTER?

 

    I closed my eyes, because I was afraid to look around and feel disappointed...

What if that approaching snow scooter was not my birthday present, but something else?

What if one of the scooter owners decided to have a ride on his own snow scooter, forgetting about my birthday?

Who could be the nasty scalawag?

 

    I peeked through my eyelashes, but didn't find out which of our older kids was missing.

But... somebody from our camp WAS riding that quickly approaching scooter...

HEY! Where was my best friend, Misha?

Feeling very surprised, I opened my eyes quickly, and looked around...

 

    A huge gush of snow appeared from between two caravans, effectively hiding its cause.

Behind the white gush, Misha showed up, smiling from ear to ear and enthusiastically waving at me!

Slipping around the corners, he approached our circle, and stopped exactly in front of our own Royal wooden bench.

Now, I saw he stood upright, having his hands on a small handle bar and his feet on two tiny props that stuck out from a very small snow scooter...

 

    A VERY SMALL SNOW SCOOTER?

 

    I started to tremble all over, held my breath, and couldn't believe my own eyes...

In front of me, I saw a beautiful, small, black-and-golden snow scooter, abundantly painted in our own Royal colors!

 

    Was this for ME?

Was this really my birthday present?

Really?

Had my people really bought this beautiful small snow scooter for ME?

 

    I looked at my Dad, my Mom, Michail, and my grandmother...

All of them nodded at me, with beaming eyes, telling me to have a closer look at my birthday present...

 

    Still trembling all over, I approached my beautiful small snow scooter.

Was this MINE?

Was this REALLY mine?

Was this really my own beautiful little snow scooter, painted in our own Royal colors?

 

    My eyes started to tear up; but I dried them immediately, using the backs of my hands.

What would everybody think of me?

I was not a cry-baby!

 

    Misha persuaded me to mount the saddle of my beautiful birthday present:

 

    "Come on, Harry, you know how to drive your scooter. Go for a ride, to test it out!"

 

    My knees started to buckle, while I still couldn't believe my sudden luck.

Ultimately, I was only a small and barely six-year-old 'little runt'...

And, yet, I was now the proud owner of a real snow scooter?

Then, our Ancestors and Spirit Friends HAD helped us find it!

    Silently, I sent them my thoughts:

 

    "Thank you, my dear Ancestors and Spirit Friends, thank you very much!"

 

    Still trembling all over, I had a closer look at my beautiful little snow scooter.

Much to my surprise, my small scooter had a regular and very powerful engine!

Only, its engine was cleverly built into a really small and ultra light scooter frame.

Its gear and all its handles and knobs were exactly the same; but its smaller saddle was much lower to the ground.

 

    Carefully, I mounted the saddle of my own small machine...

Now, I was delighted to see that my feet touched the ground without any problems!

And, my arms were long enough to reach the steering bar, and move it around with ease.

 

    This was the small snow scooter I had been dreaming about all the time!

My own superb little snow scooter, beautifully painted in our own Royal colors...

 

    Hesitantly, I put its gear into free, and pulled its starting cord for the first time.

Immediately, the powerful engine came to life, producing its so well-known softly murmuring sound.

Now, I selected the forward gear, as I had done so many times on our bigger scooters.

I rotated the throttle a little bit, until the automatic clutch switched on...

Suddenly, my snow scooter and I jumped forward, spraying a small fountain of snow!

 

    All my people around our campfire started to cheer loudly, urging me to go for a ride!

 

    With a proud face, I drove my scooter around our circle of wooden benches, cheered at by everybody.

Within a second, I felt totally one with it, as if I had been driving my own little snow scooter all my life.

I tried out the brakes, sped up some more, and knew by instinct how to use my bodyweight to steer my scooter around the curves.

That felt wonderful!

 

    In the meantime, all the other snow scooter owners hurried after Misha towards our parking lot.

They returned immediately, now driving their own abundantly painted scooters!

They all stopped near the border of our camp; and waited for me...

 

    Side by side, six fellow scooter riders waited for my little scooter and me to join them...

Would my friends be in for a race?

Okay, then, let's go!

I stopped next to them, dared them to race me, and counted to three...

 

    Seven powerful snow scooter engines started to roar at the same time.

Seven huge fountains of snow spat out from their accelerating caterpillar bands, spraying our onlookers.

Seven cheering snow scooters jumped forward as one, slipping until their caterpillar bands got a solid grip on the snow...

 

    Immediately, I left all my fellow scooter riders far behind, speeding forward like a lightning bolt!

That felt marvelous; and I started to cheer at the top of my lungs, while I threw my little machine into the first curve.

Obviously, my combination of a powerful engine, an ultra light frame, and a very small rider, was accelerating extremely fast!

This was a lot more fun than I had ever hoped for!

 

 

    The next couple of hours were the most fantastic hours I had ever imagined in my young life!

I was leading the way all the time; and nobody else was able to pass me, or even near me, on my little scooter.

My powerful engine had to speed up only a little bit, to let me leave all the others far behind immediately...

 

    Within a few minutes, I felt totally one with my beautiful small snow scooter.

Now, I tried out a couple of difficult turns, using my bodyweight to control all the motions of my ultra-fast combination boy/machine.

I pulled up, slowed down, and performed a couple of extremely difficult moves, spraying my fellow riders with wagon loads of snow.

Then, I went for the clearings in our woods, followed by my six friends who were barely able to keep up with me...

 

    This time, I put in everything I had, feeling more and more enthusiastic.

I rounded nearly impossible curves, by throwing my little scooter diagonal while pulling up at the same time.

I jumped over huge cracks and steep hills, by accelerating to top speed and flying high through the air.

Now and then, I tumbled off my saddle; but that didn't spoil my fun at all!

Within two seconds, I had remounted my snow scooter, driving on as if nothing had happened.

Fortunately, the soft snow effectively cushioned every impact.

 

 

    Many years later, our grown-ups still told each other their amazing stories about a blond-haired little devil, driving a small snow scooter.

They had seen him jump at least three feet high into the air, in crossing nasty cracks and passing steep snowy hills.

All the time, the high-pitched sound of his cheering 'YIPPEEE...' had echoed across our mountains, while he drove faster and faster...

 

    I had to be the youngest snow scooter rider in the universe, and I loved every bit of it!

 

    Unfortunately, for my fellow snow scooter riders and me, the snow started to melt at the end of the winter, and our scooter fun ended.

At first, our technical man, Pietro, tried to replace the caterpillars by normal wheels, so that we could use them as 'normal' scooters.

However, they were less fun than being able to glide down the snowy hills and jump high into the air, without any risk of breaking our bones!

We had to wait until the next winter showed up, to resume our fun...

 

    Fortunately, we still had our 'steel steeds' to ride on.

We resumed our biking speed contests, again setting out our difficult tracks across our camp.

Little Dimi looked happy again, because he now could join us on his own bike!

His worried Mom hadn't allowed him to have a ride on our snow scooters, because she thought he would be too young...

 

    Now, as a biker, I was no longer our fastest driver; and I had to work very hard to keep up with the bigger boys!

Little Dimi was again at my side, and our friends started to tease us again by calling us 'black and white'...

 

    And, finally, I was SIX years old!

 

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This is the end of my second book...

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I wish you lots of Love in your life, and Profound Peace in your heart.

Harry AnderS, Dutch psychotherapist and writer of 'books with a message'

Thank you very much, for reading and enjoying my stories!

May our Supreme Being be with you, and bless you.