Sam and Martha

Morning ritual

The butchery (where I worked) opened at 07.00 in summer and 07.30 in spring, autumn and winter. That is, unless institutions and the local catering companies had ordered extra and sausages were made; then, all year true, we started at 06.00. We worked 6 days a week and always closed at 18.00, the beginning of the evening.

Martha, our neighbour from across the street knew that exactly. Martha was mentally disturbed … through the years her condition became worse. She was married to Sam and they had children. Every day Martha was our first customer, she was always there within 5 minutes after opening, including the days we opened at 06.00. I never had to guess who our first customer was … Martha!

“Butcher … hello butcher.”

“Good morning Martha, you´re up early again.”

“Yes butcher, the krauts were here tonight, when they come to your shop you better get your knife.”

“Of course Martha, we´re all heavily armed …”

“Can I have a slice of sausage butcher?”

Martha didn´t have her teeth in, she never had, she looked and sounded as without teeth …

“No liverwurst butcher, that makes me vomit.”

“No Martha, I know and our shop is still clean, we like to keep it that way …”

Martha got herself a slice of horse sausage and as always she sat down on a stool and ate the sausage as if it was first class caviar.

“You don´t have to be afraid of me butcher …they say I´m mad, but I don´t hurt anyone.”

“No Martha, I´m not afraid.”

“I will pray for you butcher …”

“That´s real sweet of you Martha.”

“Can I have another slice of sausage butcher?”

“Ok Martha, another slice.”

“No liverwurst butcher, that makes me vomit …”

And again the ritual of sitting on the stool and eating without her teeth in … Meanwhile work continued … the shop had to be ready for the day.

“I´m going to ride the bus later butcher … it´s free for me … everywhere in Amersfoort. Sometimes I fall asleep and the driver gets mad with me, but I never hurt anybody, really!”

“Well butcher, I go again …”

“That´s allright Martha … home is not far away.”

“As long as the krauts don´t come butcher …”

“I don´t think so Martha …”

The morning ritual lasted several years, more than I can remember. Sometimes Martha slept in late, I always missed her in those morning hours, but also I always knew what was going on with Martha. Then the family moved to another street in the area and Martha stopped visiting so early. She came in during the day and not every day … but when she came it was as always … regardless other customers.

I asked her husband Sam if I could take a photo of them, he liked the idea, being on a photo together with Martha …

“you never know, Butcher …”

Must have been 33 years back now, I only started photography 1 year earlier.