PAGE 49
Thanks to John Boyne for inspiring content.

'i remember when i was a child', said Father, there were certain thing that i didn't want to do, but when my father said that it would be better for everyone if I did them, I just put my best foot forward and got on with them.'

'What kind of thing?' asked Bruno.

'Oh, I don't know,' said Father, shrugging his shoulders. 'It's neither here nor there anyway. I was just a child and didn't know what was for the best. Sometimes, for example, I didn't want to stay at home and finish my schoolwork; I wanted to be out on the streets, playing with my friends just like you do, and I look back now and see how foolish I was.

So you know how I feel,' said Bruno hopefully.

Yes, but I also knew that my father, your grandfather, knew what was best for me and that I was alwys happiest when I just accepted that. Do you think that I would have made such a success of my life if I hadn't learned when to argue and when to keep my mouth shut and follow orders? Well, Bruno? Do you?'