Nuremberg Tour 35

It takes a lotta stuff to fill up my time. Now most consider the three hour guard shift every calendar day to be a colossal bore. Not me, it's when I do my literary thinking. Prior to going on shift, I'll take a quick look at the exact spot on the Jerusalem map and a list of my characters on that location. I then have lotsa time to ponder what to write about that micro-situation. Immediately after duty, I sit and write what I have prepared. Consequently my novel moves forward at breakneck speed.
I help both Mary and Yvette some. Both are doing upgrading, compliments of the Army budget. Mary needs a bit more help, as she's lower in level.
Then there is the news translation.
I've now been absorbed into Frau Weber's social group, join them for cards one evening a week and coffee often. They too come to visit at the guard post. All know at least some English, from years of encountering Canadian soldiers. They're hugely welcome here. If it weren't for them and for Sarge and Indira, we'd know for sure the world has forgotten us. I always notice how much more cheerful everyone seems after they visit.
Then there is washing clothes by hand in the sinks. No the Army just can't afford washers. This causes a lotta grumbling.
Then Farzana insists that I always join her when she's doing paperwork. She won't actually come right out and admit that she knows I'm know stuck being a lifer. However, her behavior says she knows, is too polite to say.
I send my novel off to the publisher after being at Dietersdorf three months, with a good deal of trepidation. I need not have worried. A month later, I get back a glowing response. Dialogue is good crisp battlespeak, exactly as it should be. Narration has quote the flavor of conversation of a professional soldier. Good so far. He'll correct a few minor grammatical errors, but publish verbatim otherwise.
As people start going away for the five day absence, morale picks up. Lotta bragging about what happened and good natured ribbing.
I'm left wondering myself. Since I don't have a boyfriend to bring over here, and since I don't drink to excess, what will I do?
The problem soon solves itself. Frau Althaus, one of the card set, announces she will be going to Nuremberg for five days, leaving on a Monday morning, returning Friday afternoon on the school bus. See, her daughter owns a small bookstore in Nuremberg. So small she cannot afford any hired help. When she wants to go away for a bit, she'd prefer not to either close the store or hire a temp for a week, as there is the possibility of theft.
The daughter's husband is a Federal bureaucrat and now and then they wish to get away a bit. Frau Althaus stays in their apartment and works in the bookstore.
I ask if she'd like to have company, help in the store.
Let me tell you, it was one wonderful trip. The daughter generously stocked the fridge, so we had food we often don't see in Dietersdorf. Customers were wildly enthusiastic to discover that the shop help was actually a Canadian soldier on leave, so I always had friendly conversations. Cable TV. Wednesday afternoon closing, so we went for a nice walk to see the sights.
The group had laughed at me when I told them before the trip, what I was doing. After I described the week, they weren't laughing anymore, realized it was a good use of time.