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〃this is the male sexual organ； these are a few stray hairs； and thats his backside。”
the cat flipped himself over and stood up on his little white feet。
if any other boy had pointed out the 〃male sexual organ〃 to me； i would never have given him a second glance。 but peter went on talking in a normal voice about what is otherwise a very awkward subject。 nor did he have any ulterior motives。 by the time hed finished； i felt so much at ease that i started acting normally too。 we played with boche； had a good time； chatted a bit and finally sauntered through the long warehouse to the door。 〃were you there when mouschi was fixed？”
〃yeah； sure。 it doesnt take long。 they give the cat an anesthetic； of course。”
〃do they take something out？”
〃no； the vet just snips the tube。 theres nothing to see on the outside。”
i had to get up my nerve to ask a question； since it wasnt as 〃normal〃 as i thought。
〃peter； the german word geschlechtsteil means sexual organ； doesnt it？ but then the male and female ones have different names。”
〃i know that。”
〃the female one is a vagina； that i know； but i dont know what its called in males。”
〃oh well；〃 i said。 〃how are we supposed to know these words？ most of the time you just e across them by accident。”
〃why wait？ ill ask my parents。 they know more than i do and theyve had more experience。”
we were already on the stairs； so nothing more was said。
yes； it really did happen。 id never have talked to a girl about this in such a normal tone of voice。 im also certain that this isnt what mother meant when she warned me about boys。
all the same； i wasnt exactly my usual self for the rest of the day。 when i thought
back to our talk； it struck me as odd。 but ive learned at least one thing： there are young people； even those of the opposite sex； who can discuss these things naturally； without cracking jokes。
is peter really going to ask his parents a lot of questions？ is he really the way he seemed yesterday？
oh； what do i know？！！！
yours； anne
friday； january 28； 1944
dearest kitty；
in recent weeks ive developed a great liking for family trees and the genealogical tables of royal families。 ive e to the conclusion that once you begin your search； you have to keep digging deeper and deeper into the past； which leads you to even more interesting discoveries。
although im extremely diligent when it es to my schoolwork and can pretty much follow the bbc home service on the radio； i still spend many of my sundays sorting out and looking over my movie…star collection； which has grown to a very respectable size。 mr。 kugler makes me happy every monday by bringing me a copy of cinema & theater magazine。 the less worldly members of our household often refer to this small indulgence as a waste of money； yet they never fail to be surprised at how accurately i can list the actors in any given movie； even after a year。 bep； who often goes to the movies with her boyfriend on her day off； tells me on saturday the name of the show theyre going to see； and i then proceed to rattle off the names of the leading actors and actresses and the reviews。 moms recently remarked ； that i wouldnt need to go to the movies later on； because ！
i know all the plots； the names of the stars and the reviews by heart。
whenever i e sailing in with a new hairstyle； i i can read the disapproval on their faces； and i can be sure someone will ask which movie star im trying to imitate。 my reply； that its my own invention； is greeted with ~ skepticism。 as for the hairdo； it doesnt hold its set for ~ more than half an hour。 by that time im so sick and tired i of their remarks that i race to the bathroom and restore my hair to its normal mass of curls。
yours； anne
friday； january 28； 1944
dearest kitty；
this morning i was wondering whether you ever felt like a cow； having to chew my stale news over and over again until youre so fed up with the monotonous fare that you yawn and secretly wish anne would dig up something new。
sorry； i know you find it dull as ditchwater； but imagine how sick and tired i am of hearing the same old stuff。 if the talk at mealtime isnt about politics or good food； then mother or mrs。 van d。 trot out stories about their childhood that weve heard a thousand times before； or dussel goes on and on about beautiful racehorses； his charlottes extensive wardrobe； leaky rowboats； boys who can swim at the age of four； aching muscles and frightened patients。 it all boils down to this： whenever one of the eight of us opens his mouth； the other seven can finish the story for him。 we know the punch line of every joke before it gets told； so that whoevers telling it is left to laugh alone。 the various milkmen； grocers and butchers of the two former housewives have been praised to the skies or run into the ground so many times that in our imaginations theyve grown as old as methuselah； theres absolutely no chance of anything new or fresh being brought up for discussion in the annex。
still； all this might be bearable if only the grown…ups werent in the habit of repeating the stories we hear from mr。 kleiman； jan or miep； each time embellishing them with a few details of their own； so that i often have to pinch my arm under the table to keep myself from setting the enthusiastic storyteller on the right track。 little children； such as anne； must never； ever correct their elders； no matter how many blunders they make or how often they let their imaginations run away with them。
jan and mr。 kleiman love talking about people who have gone underground or into hiding； they know were eager to hear about others in our situation and that we truly sympathize with the sorrow of those whove been arrested as well as the joy of prisoners whove been freed。
going underground or into hiding has bee as routine as the proverbial pipe and slippers that used to await the man of the house after a long day at work。 there are many resistance groups； such as free netherlands； that forge identity cards； provide financial support to those in hiding； organize hiding places and find work for young christians who go underground。 its amazing how much these generous and unselfis