Waving both hands in front of her, she said, in broken German this time, ‘It okay. Nothing. No mind.’ I didn’t understand exactly what she meant but her words were accompanied with such a big smile that I knew I was off the hook. ‘We are English,’ she added. ‘Not speak good German.’

‘You speak very well,’ Papa replied. Then he turned back to me. ‘And what do you say to the gentleman who stopped you from falling?’ he prompted.

‘I’m sorry,’ I said to the man. ‘And thank you.’

The man gave me a broad smile and waved a hand as if to dismiss my apology. Then the woman spoke to Papa. ‘Your son?’ she said.

‘Yes, he’s my son,’ Papa replied. ‘He’s nine today.’ Gesticulating to indicate the ride, he said, ‘Birthday treat!’

‘Ah!’ The woman turned back to me.

‘Happy birthday,’ the man said with another broad smile.

‘He is beautiful boy,’ the lady said. She pointed at my hair.

Beautiful? Who called boys beautiful? Maybe it was because of my blond curls.

‘Can I go now?’ I asked Papa.

‘Yes, but be more careful, okay? No more bumping into people.’

I didn’t say that I’d only bumped into them because he’d been chasing us with tickle hands. I could see Max and Elsa huddled up together and I wanted to get back to them. I didn’t want to miss out on even one minute of this day.

‘Sit with us. Please,’ the woman was saying to Papa as I moved away.

‘If you’re sure,’ Papa replied. He reached out to shake her hand. ‘I am Frank Grunberg,’ he said.

‘Aileen Stewart,’ said the lady. Then she pointed at the man. ‘Eric Stewart, my husband.’

‘Please to meet you,’ the man said in broken German like his wife’s as he shook Papa’s hand.

Papa sat down beside them and before I’d even got back to Max and Elsa, he was talking animatedly with the couple.

That’s what he was like. He could talk to anyone, even people who didn’t speak the same language! Everyone loved my father. Everyone smiled when he was around, and wanted to be his friend. Sometimes I wished I was like that, but mostly I was fine how I was. I had my two best friends. I didn’t need any more. The three of us were enough for each other.

The ride had come to an end and people were piling out of the carriage. Papa was still deep in conversation with the English couple. None of them had noticed we were back on the ground.

‘Mister. You going around again?’ the man at the door said.

Papa looked up. His eyes twinkled like they always did when he had an idea. ‘You know what?’ he said. ‘Yes! Let’s go around again. What do you think, kids?’