German Lesson

Stuttgart, Germany January 1963

I wait for the electric coil to heat the water so my bridegroom and I can wash before going to Kelley Barracks for the day.

We rent a room in apartment with three other renters: an engineering student, an actor and his wife who is a secretary for Disney. We share a toilet but have no bathroom.

The Strassenbahn takes us from downtown Stuttgart to near by Möhringen and drops us near a field we have to cross to get to Kelley Barracks. 

Once on base, we separate. He heads for his unit where he will spend the day playing music with the 82nd Army Band.

I go to the canteen and buy a honey-glazed doughnut and black coffee as I do every morning before going to my German class. I nibble and sip on the way. The coffee and doughnut have a different taste in the bitter cold. 

I am the only civilian, the only woman in the class. Max, a Spec4, is the teacher. He's bald, from Chicago and has a masters degree in English Literature, which had been my dream, my goal before putting it aside to marry my high school sweetheart. Moving to Germany where he is fulfilling his service obligations was a surprise, but also an adventure to embrace.

At the end of the day where I've spent the time learning verbs and speaking in simple sentences, I finish before my husband. I go to the well-stocked base library to wait. I never have to worry about running out of books or magazines.

Max comes in and we talk books, not just current, but the ones he plumbed for his thesis. I've missed these discussions that gave me so much joy at university. My husband and I may speak music, base news, and people we know.

As we leave, "Taps" is played. We become statues as everyone on the base freezes in place. Even cars stop, drivers get out stand by the doors in the cold as the flag is lowered for the day.

The trumpet stops. We head home where I will do homework and prepare for tomorrow's class.