Lord Lister No. 0115: Een Sinterklaas-verrassing

On a damp December evening in 1915 Rotterdam, rain lashes the streets while shopkeepers hustle to wrap and deliver Sinterklaas surprises. Amid the swirling drifts of wind, the grand Westersingel house—home to the Spanish consul and his wife—offers a warm counterpoint, its rooms filled with the quiet dignity of a well‑lived life. The couple, already past their prime, are surrounded by memories of their two daughters, one a settled mother in Berlin and the other newly wed to a German engineer, while their empty halls echo with the bustle of the holiday rush outside.

As night deepens, the consul, a shrewd horse‑breeder, retreats to his study, his mind turning over a delicate business matter that could alter his fortunes. Meanwhile, the house prepares for a modest Sinterklaas celebration, a tradition that promises small gifts and whispered hopes. Listeners are invited to join the quiet tension of a family caught between lingering nostalgia and the unforeseen challenges that a single evening may bring.