“Most wanted profession in a European future”

 The most desired profession in the future

Europe tomorrow’s 

  Karl looked at the street. Who could have thought that he would become a caretaker of a house one day? He took his broom and began sweeping the road whistling a piece of melody at the same time.

 The song in his head grew louder and louder and it happened very soon that he started dancing with the broom doing it quite unnoticeably even for himself. A crowd of people gathered round him. Having noticed it he felt embarrassed. He stopped dancing and continued his work.

„Hi, Karl!”

„Hello, Siim! How are you?”

„As you can see fine. I’m the boss of a firm now.”

„Then you are a moneyed man.”

„It depends how to look at it. That will do for me. I see that you are still loyal to your job.”

„You see, there should be somebody to keep the streets clean.”

„That’s true. Look here, I have to leave. A meeting is starting. See you!”

„It’s O.K. Bye!”

 Karl got excited. He had been working as a caretaker, for five years already and nothing! Why did he have to obey his granny? He threw down his broom and went home.

„Honey! Why are you at home to early?”

„It’s enough, for me! It’s rabbish- this caretaker’s job!”

„Please, tell me you haven’t left!”

„Just the thing I’ve done!”

„You are mad. Have you forgotten we are going to have our fifth baby? Get back there right now!”

 Karl became more sorrowful, but his wife was right. They were going to have the fifth baby and someone had to earn their living.

 He left home deeply depressed. And so- there he was, sweeping the streets with a very sad face.

 Since Karl had met Siim he was crushed. He is thirty-five with five children and working as a caretaker!

 Karl felt so sad that he did not notice an open pit of the sewer. He took one more step and fell into it. His screech was heard in the street but there were no hearers. He blacked out. When he opened his eyes again, some strange creatures were surrounding him and he was not in the same hole oh the sewer any more. He thought he was dreaming or perhaps he had got his head confused while falling and was having fancies now.

„Hello, Master!”

„It must be a dream.”

Karl shut his eyes again.

„My Master, it’s not a dream. Open your eyes!”

A small creature shook Karl. Karl opened one of his eyes and then other. It wasn’t a dream!

„Where am I?”

„Hi! I am Pi. You have fallen into our state from your own world.”

„But it was...”

„A pit in the pipeline? Probably yes, but it’s also the way to our world.”

„But who are you?”

„we are Marsians.”

„Are you from Mars?”

„Oh no! We’re been named after the tasty chocolate.”

The whole situation became more curious.

„Am I dead?”

„Why do you think so?”

„Because...”

It was too much for Karl and he fainted.

„Oops! What’s happened to him? Has he died?”

„Pe, shut up!”

Pi started examining Karl. He whispered quietly into Karl’s ear:

„Master Karl!”

Karl was still standing motionlessly.

„Obviously we have to...,” Pi shouted into Karl’s ear, „Our Lord Karl!”

Karl sat up all at once.

„Still you?”

„Yes. Now I’m going to explain you who and what we are for. We are the so-called guardian angels of the caretakers. It’s our task to watch you are O.K. We’ve noticed your sadness lately.”

„It’s because I’ve got five children and that poor job.”

All the Marsians eyes became bigger and they stepped aside.

„You shouldn’t talk this way! It’s a sacred job for us.”

„Why?”  Karl was astonished.

„Think about it if the Estonian streets were without caretakers what would they look like then. Thanks to you the rest of the European countries cannot slander us any more.”

Karl became thoughtful. Pi had been right.

„You are right.”

„You are a man!”

„I am a man!”

„Say it once again!”

Karl stood up and shouted,

„I am a man!”

Then he remembered his children, second-hand shops and potatoes he had eaten every day. He became sad again and he sat down.

„Look, what’s the matter?”

„But what about the money? I am as poor as a church rat.”

„Youa are wrong, Karl. You are not right, man!”

„What?”

„You had been working as a caretaker for five years by the last month?”

„Yes.”

„karl, it was the time for testing you.”

It was in order to check your fitness for this job.”

„I don’t understand you are talking about.”

„Karl! Could you have been able to think in 2003 that the caretaker’s job would be the most desired profession in the future Europe?”

Karl remained silent and listened.

„When Estonia joined the European Union, we were sent here. And we were told that in 2028 the caretaker’s job would be the most popular one.”

„I can’t see any storm for that job.”

„But as you see the year isn’t over yet.”

Pi smiled.

„What do you mean by saying that?”

„Your annual pay will be 500, 000 EURO’s from tomorrow on.”

Karl looked at Pi without understanding anything.

„How could it be possible?”

„Look here, Karl! Don’t think too much. It may make you ill!”

When Karl opened his eyes, he was in a hospital. His wife was sitting beside him.

„Hi, darling!”

„Karl! I’m so happy you are well again!”

She gave Karl a hug.

„I was dreaming something strange. I was...”

At the same moment Karl’s boss entered the room.

„Hi, Karl!”

„Boss?”

„I heard about your accident and came here at once. Are you O.K.?”

„Yes!”

„Fine, then I’ve got something to tell you. It’s about raising your salary.”

Now that was too much and Karl fainted again.

Karl’s boss whispered to himself.

„Maybe he met Pi!”

Kaidi Kraavi  Class 9 Turba School