Every Saturday morning, the weekly issue of the Donald Duck comic strip arrives through the mail slot. The thin magazine plops ever so gently to the floor barely making an audible sound.
But Maarten hears it. He has been waiting all morning, if not all week, for this gift from heaven to arrive. One of the few highlights of the week.
The rush of pounding footsteps can be heard from the top floor of the house, the pattering down the stairs quickly to the bottom floor, the resounding at last with a final loud thump and he jumps past the last few steps.
All in one quick swoop before the mail slot has time to quit vibrating shut, excited Maarten has snatched up the comic strip and sped back upstairs to his bedroom.
He absorbs every single detail from cover to cover, as if these many cartoon characters provide vital mental nourishment for his growing mind.
One of the future leaders of society who must be raised correctly in order train them to take care of us properly, when they grow up and replace our footsteps.
Any time now.
