It is what makes her realistic and not a Mary Sue. Yes it’s infuriating, but she’s not over her history and the darkness she knows is within her. She knows she could be every bit as evil and corrupt as Otto ever was, probably worse.
Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread II
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
It is what makes her realistic and not a Mary Sue. Yes it’s infuriating, but she’s not over her history and the darkness she knows is within her. She knows she could be every bit as evil and corrupt as Otto ever was, probably worse.
Part 71, Chapter 1036
Chapter One Thousand Thirty-Six
26th September 1953
Judenbach, Thuringia
The recoil pulse drove the rifle back into Kat’s shoulder as she fired the last few cartridges from the magazine. Making sure to keep it pointed down range she ejected the magazine and locked the bolt open. If only everything in her life was as simple as this, except for one maddening aspect.
“It took you this long to requalify with as marksman, er… markswoman?” Matthias said awkwardly as Kat was removing the earplugs from her ears, “With a K44, that is.”
“I don’t want to hear it Mitya” Kat replied in Russian, “I’ve always preferred a machine pistol for when I really wanted to see someone dead.”
When she had found that switching languages was preferred when she felt pensive and didn’t want to be bothered. Judenbach was the perfect place for that because hearing people speaking different languages on account of immersion ahead of various operations was normal.
“Or a knife” Matthias answered in English, “Decided that putting some distance between you and the target was a good idea?”
“No, I just felt like shooting something” Kat said in Québécois French.
“Now, that was cheating” Mattias said in the Swabian dialect he had grown up speaking, “I doubt that we are ever going to war with the French Canadians.”
“Like if we would be going to war with Württemberg?” Kat asked in reply.
“If you Berliners keep being assholes when it comes to football then it could happen.”
Kat laughed about that and she realized that it had been a long time since she had laughed about anything. “You sound like Hans” She said.
It was a reminder that there was an ongoing row over the establishment of a National football league. It all came down to money as these things tend to. The teams in bigger markets tended to have larger payrolls and they had been arguing over how to how to have an equitable league. What Matthias said was a reminder that there were people who took the game very seriously.
“As I said I just wanted shoot something” Kat said.
“Children being little pills?” Matthias asked.
“No more than usual” Kat replied, “It’s a problem with my husband and sister.”
Matthias looked at her quizzically. “Is he still breathing?” He asked.
“Not that sort of problem” Kat said while giving Matthias a look that would have frozen water. “Douglas and Gia want to invest in some property, Gia has the Romanov money and I have my own resources.”
“I see, what’s the problem then?”
“The whole thing depends on me being Gräfin Katherine” Kat said, “Potentially a lot of money being made, I just have to pull rank to get ahead of anyone else who might also be interested.”
Matthias thought about it for a few seconds.
“You were born into a system that didn’t give a shit if you lived or died until the moment that the Emperor awarded you that black eagle making you Freiherrin Katherine von Mischner” Matthias said, “And if you think that the competition in whatever deal is being cooked up would hesitate to exploit such an advantage then you are deluding yourself.”
“That is what everyone keeps telling me” Kat said, “That and there is a lot of good that I can do if I steer the project, but I fear that I’ll eventually become like my father if I go down that road.”
“You should be worried” Matthias said, “I’m one of the few people who has seen what happens when you are at your worst.”
“Then you understand?” Kat asked.
“Yes and no” Matthias replied.
“Some help you are” Kat said as she got up to return the rifle to the armory.
Berlin
The overhead-valve engine was more complex than the earlier side-valve model. Not being familiar with American motorcycles, Emil had been unaware of that when he had bought it. While it was a less complex design than the BMW engines he had worked on for years, rebuilding it had proven difficult.
“There are two problems here” Emil said, “Know what they are?”
“That you are still playing with toys, Poppa” Zella said sweetly, “I’ve no idea what the second thing might be.”
“Been talking with your mother again?” Emil asked.
Zella just smirked. Smart ass, Emil thought to himself.
“The problems are that the negligent previous owner let it sit for a long time which is why this engine needs to be rebuilt” Emil said, “The other problem is that parts have to come all the way from the United States.”
Zella just shrugged and went back to her drawing.
The rules were simple enough, she didn’t have to help him, but he liked her to be present when he worked. As he flipped through the pages of the manual he looked at the next series of actions.
“This is more than just working on a motorcycle or playing with toys as you put it” Emil said, “Order of operations, planning and logistics.”
“Being a General?” Zella asked, “Even while doing that?”
“It is a hard thing to turn off” Emil replied, “It is however, easier than being around your Uncle Peter. He’s always a Doctor, looking for a diagnosis and it drives a lot of people up the wall especially your mother.”
“He has never done that with me” Zella said.
“It’s because I told him that unless it was an emergency then you probably wouldn’t want to hear it” Emil said, “I certainly don’t care to.”
Zella looked surprised by that.
“Don’t get me wrong” Emil said, “If you had a serious injury this minute, your uncle would be one of the best people in the world to have on hand. The rest of the time he is good man but hardly perfect.”
Zella was silent for a long moment as Emil continued to reassemble the motorcycle engine.
“Thank you” Zella said, and then she went back to her sketch pad.
26th September 1953
Judenbach, Thuringia
The recoil pulse drove the rifle back into Kat’s shoulder as she fired the last few cartridges from the magazine. Making sure to keep it pointed down range she ejected the magazine and locked the bolt open. If only everything in her life was as simple as this, except for one maddening aspect.
“It took you this long to requalify with as marksman, er… markswoman?” Matthias said awkwardly as Kat was removing the earplugs from her ears, “With a K44, that is.”
“I don’t want to hear it Mitya” Kat replied in Russian, “I’ve always preferred a machine pistol for when I really wanted to see someone dead.”
When she had found that switching languages was preferred when she felt pensive and didn’t want to be bothered. Judenbach was the perfect place for that because hearing people speaking different languages on account of immersion ahead of various operations was normal.
“Or a knife” Matthias answered in English, “Decided that putting some distance between you and the target was a good idea?”
“No, I just felt like shooting something” Kat said in Québécois French.
“Now, that was cheating” Mattias said in the Swabian dialect he had grown up speaking, “I doubt that we are ever going to war with the French Canadians.”
“Like if we would be going to war with Württemberg?” Kat asked in reply.
“If you Berliners keep being assholes when it comes to football then it could happen.”
Kat laughed about that and she realized that it had been a long time since she had laughed about anything. “You sound like Hans” She said.
It was a reminder that there was an ongoing row over the establishment of a National football league. It all came down to money as these things tend to. The teams in bigger markets tended to have larger payrolls and they had been arguing over how to how to have an equitable league. What Matthias said was a reminder that there were people who took the game very seriously.
“As I said I just wanted shoot something” Kat said.
“Children being little pills?” Matthias asked.
“No more than usual” Kat replied, “It’s a problem with my husband and sister.”
Matthias looked at her quizzically. “Is he still breathing?” He asked.
“Not that sort of problem” Kat said while giving Matthias a look that would have frozen water. “Douglas and Gia want to invest in some property, Gia has the Romanov money and I have my own resources.”
“I see, what’s the problem then?”
“The whole thing depends on me being Gräfin Katherine” Kat said, “Potentially a lot of money being made, I just have to pull rank to get ahead of anyone else who might also be interested.”
Matthias thought about it for a few seconds.
“You were born into a system that didn’t give a shit if you lived or died until the moment that the Emperor awarded you that black eagle making you Freiherrin Katherine von Mischner” Matthias said, “And if you think that the competition in whatever deal is being cooked up would hesitate to exploit such an advantage then you are deluding yourself.”
“That is what everyone keeps telling me” Kat said, “That and there is a lot of good that I can do if I steer the project, but I fear that I’ll eventually become like my father if I go down that road.”
“You should be worried” Matthias said, “I’m one of the few people who has seen what happens when you are at your worst.”
“Then you understand?” Kat asked.
“Yes and no” Matthias replied.
“Some help you are” Kat said as she got up to return the rifle to the armory.
Berlin
The overhead-valve engine was more complex than the earlier side-valve model. Not being familiar with American motorcycles, Emil had been unaware of that when he had bought it. While it was a less complex design than the BMW engines he had worked on for years, rebuilding it had proven difficult.
“There are two problems here” Emil said, “Know what they are?”
“That you are still playing with toys, Poppa” Zella said sweetly, “I’ve no idea what the second thing might be.”
“Been talking with your mother again?” Emil asked.
Zella just smirked. Smart ass, Emil thought to himself.
“The problems are that the negligent previous owner let it sit for a long time which is why this engine needs to be rebuilt” Emil said, “The other problem is that parts have to come all the way from the United States.”
Zella just shrugged and went back to her drawing.
The rules were simple enough, she didn’t have to help him, but he liked her to be present when he worked. As he flipped through the pages of the manual he looked at the next series of actions.
“This is more than just working on a motorcycle or playing with toys as you put it” Emil said, “Order of operations, planning and logistics.”
“Being a General?” Zella asked, “Even while doing that?”
“It is a hard thing to turn off” Emil replied, “It is however, easier than being around your Uncle Peter. He’s always a Doctor, looking for a diagnosis and it drives a lot of people up the wall especially your mother.”
“He has never done that with me” Zella said.
“It’s because I told him that unless it was an emergency then you probably wouldn’t want to hear it” Emil said, “I certainly don’t care to.”
Zella looked surprised by that.
“Don’t get me wrong” Emil said, “If you had a serious injury this minute, your uncle would be one of the best people in the world to have on hand. The rest of the time he is good man but hardly perfect.”
Zella was silent for a long moment as Emil continued to reassemble the motorcycle engine.
“Thank you” Zella said, and then she went back to her sketch pad.
I imagine no military action would be needed other than a blockade on cheese. From what I can gather from a French-Canadian coworker, cheese speaks to the Quebecois soul like nothing else.
Now if Kiki embraced the concept that her age, sex and position make her "interesting" and "newsworthy" she could make it work for her.
Instead of glaring balefully at the newsies she could tilt her head at the door. "We're here for the opening of a new wing. Let's go find out what's in there!" As they peruse the exhibits she could sprinkle in comments like "So that's how they did that." and "I wonder how they found that out?"
Bonus feature: whenever she asks "I wonder how they found that out?" she could make a note and do some follow-up then ask the newsies if they're interested in what she found out. The newsies would say yes so she could explain the question and call in an expert or three to 'further her education.' Feed the puppies and train them by withholding contact if they get too annoying. She might need to get Aurora and Zella involved, though.
Instead of glaring balefully at the newsies she could tilt her head at the door. "We're here for the opening of a new wing. Let's go find out what's in there!" As they peruse the exhibits she could sprinkle in comments like "So that's how they did that." and "I wonder how they found that out?"
Bonus feature: whenever she asks "I wonder how they found that out?" she could make a note and do some follow-up then ask the newsies if they're interested in what she found out. The newsies would say yes so she could explain the question and call in an expert or three to 'further her education.' Feed the puppies and train them by withholding contact if they get too annoying. She might need to get Aurora and Zella involved, though.
Part 71, Chapter 1037
Chapter One Thousand Thirty-Seven
20th October 1953
Langeoog Island
It may have put Ilse’s teeth on edge, but she was here and it was the first time she had walked along the tideline in an extremely long time. Kat had encouraged her to do it all weekend, saying that if she took on her fears directly then they would no longer have control over her. It was a cold morning, just a small taste of the winter that was coming, and Ilse’s companion was rather insistent with his questions.
“Why?” Kol demanded as he held onto Ilse’s left hand.
It related to several questions that he had asked over the last several minutes.
“Because that is the color that is scattered by the atmosphere” Ilse replied.
Kol blinked for a few seconds and then said “No.”
Ilse laughed, she knew that Kol wasn’t telling her no because he disagreed. It was because he didn’t understand the answer.
“Because” Ilse said, with a smile.
“Because” Kol repeated back to her. That was an answer he understood.
With that they walked further down the beach, Kol was picking up sea shells and handing them to Ilse who was putting them in the pockets of her coat. An elderly woman came walking the opposite direction up the beach and Kol immediately hid behind Ilse.
The woman just chuckled when she saw that. “Your little boy is adorable” She said and then she kept walking.
That gave Ilse pause.
Later, after they returned to the house Kat found the whole thing amusing. “She doesn’t know you and it was an easy assumption to make” Kat said, “You are the right age and people can see the family resemblance between you and your nieces and nephews.”
“The right age for what?” Ilse asked.
“You are not an orphan anymore Ilse” Kat said, “You need to start thinking about the things you want in your life, and that doesn’t necessarily mean being alone. You do know that marriage and a family are still possibilities for you?”
Those were uncomfortable thoughts that had never occurred to Ilse until Kat had pointed that out to her.
Langley, Virginia
The Ford might not be able to take corners particularly well, but it would eat lesser cars for breakfast in the straightaways. In the rearview mirror Jonny could see the flashing red light of the police car fading in the distance as he looked to find a place to turn off the main road before the Police Officer’s friends got a chance to cut them off somewhere ahead on the turnpike. The existence of two-way radios wasn’t something that Jonny needed to be told about by his instructors.
The exercise was simple enough, complete a mission in real world circumstances with experienced Officers of the CIA hunting them and local law enforcement being a pain in the ass. The only rule was that there were no rules. There were however several unwritten rules that applied. Naturally, Jonny realized that the only way to win was rewrite those unwritten rules in his favor. His car, a shotgun loaded with rock salt and a case of beer on back seat and Parker, the man who Jonny had been partnered with, sitting terrified in the passenger seat.
“How fast are we going!” Parker yelled over the noise of the engine and radio.
“I have no idea” Jonny yelled back.
“What!” Parker yelled, that was not the answer he was expecting to hear.
“The needle on the speedometer stops at a hundred!”
Parker went white as a sheet.
For the thousandth time Jonny wondered what they were thinking when they had partnered him with Parker. He was an intellectual from Upstate New York who had never once held a gun in his hands until he had arrived in Langley. It had only been a week earlier that Jonny had passed the exam that had given him a General Education Development Diploma, also known as a Good Enough Degree, that his continued presence in the CIA training program was contingent on. He had been advised that pursuing further education would also be good for his career. Parker on the other hand had mentioned how he had gone Princeton.
Finally turning off the main road and then turning off the side road onto an unused gravel driveway Jonny parked the car shutting off the engine. As soon as they came to a stop Parker spilled out of the car and Jonny could hear him retching into the ditch.
“This is nothing compared to Mexico!” Jonny called to Parker who just whimpered.
Reaching across to the glove box Jonny pulled the small transistor radio out and a map. Turning on the radio and listening to the police band he could hear that the State Troopers were getting called out in force, this exercise had just gotten a lot more complicated.
“What is that?” Parker asked.
“Another piece of Kraut gear that we aren’t supposed to have” Jonny answered as he opened a can of beer and handed it to Parker.
“What the Hell is wrong with you?” Parker demanded. It was no secret that Parker thought that Jonny was insane. However, it wasn’t like Jonny made a secret of the fact that he thought that Parker was a snob.
“There’s nothing else to drink and do you want that taste in your mouth?” Jonny asked.
“Why are we pulling this John Dillinger crap anyway?” Parker asked, “Isn’t the point not to be seen?”
“The point is that it’s all about the misdirection” Jonny said, “While they are looking for the car we’ll be at the farm.”
“What are you talking about?” Parker asked.
Jonny didn’t respond. He had arranged his car to be stored in a barn for the next few days. Once they got to the barn it was only a walk of a few miles to the farm. He was going to wait until they got to the barn before he told Parker the plan, he didn’t want to listen to the complaining until he had to.
20th October 1953
Langeoog Island
It may have put Ilse’s teeth on edge, but she was here and it was the first time she had walked along the tideline in an extremely long time. Kat had encouraged her to do it all weekend, saying that if she took on her fears directly then they would no longer have control over her. It was a cold morning, just a small taste of the winter that was coming, and Ilse’s companion was rather insistent with his questions.
“Why?” Kol demanded as he held onto Ilse’s left hand.
It related to several questions that he had asked over the last several minutes.
“Because that is the color that is scattered by the atmosphere” Ilse replied.
Kol blinked for a few seconds and then said “No.”
Ilse laughed, she knew that Kol wasn’t telling her no because he disagreed. It was because he didn’t understand the answer.
“Because” Ilse said, with a smile.
“Because” Kol repeated back to her. That was an answer he understood.
With that they walked further down the beach, Kol was picking up sea shells and handing them to Ilse who was putting them in the pockets of her coat. An elderly woman came walking the opposite direction up the beach and Kol immediately hid behind Ilse.
The woman just chuckled when she saw that. “Your little boy is adorable” She said and then she kept walking.
That gave Ilse pause.
Later, after they returned to the house Kat found the whole thing amusing. “She doesn’t know you and it was an easy assumption to make” Kat said, “You are the right age and people can see the family resemblance between you and your nieces and nephews.”
“The right age for what?” Ilse asked.
“You are not an orphan anymore Ilse” Kat said, “You need to start thinking about the things you want in your life, and that doesn’t necessarily mean being alone. You do know that marriage and a family are still possibilities for you?”
Those were uncomfortable thoughts that had never occurred to Ilse until Kat had pointed that out to her.
Langley, Virginia
The Ford might not be able to take corners particularly well, but it would eat lesser cars for breakfast in the straightaways. In the rearview mirror Jonny could see the flashing red light of the police car fading in the distance as he looked to find a place to turn off the main road before the Police Officer’s friends got a chance to cut them off somewhere ahead on the turnpike. The existence of two-way radios wasn’t something that Jonny needed to be told about by his instructors.
The exercise was simple enough, complete a mission in real world circumstances with experienced Officers of the CIA hunting them and local law enforcement being a pain in the ass. The only rule was that there were no rules. There were however several unwritten rules that applied. Naturally, Jonny realized that the only way to win was rewrite those unwritten rules in his favor. His car, a shotgun loaded with rock salt and a case of beer on back seat and Parker, the man who Jonny had been partnered with, sitting terrified in the passenger seat.
“How fast are we going!” Parker yelled over the noise of the engine and radio.
“I have no idea” Jonny yelled back.
“What!” Parker yelled, that was not the answer he was expecting to hear.
“The needle on the speedometer stops at a hundred!”
Parker went white as a sheet.
For the thousandth time Jonny wondered what they were thinking when they had partnered him with Parker. He was an intellectual from Upstate New York who had never once held a gun in his hands until he had arrived in Langley. It had only been a week earlier that Jonny had passed the exam that had given him a General Education Development Diploma, also known as a Good Enough Degree, that his continued presence in the CIA training program was contingent on. He had been advised that pursuing further education would also be good for his career. Parker on the other hand had mentioned how he had gone Princeton.
Finally turning off the main road and then turning off the side road onto an unused gravel driveway Jonny parked the car shutting off the engine. As soon as they came to a stop Parker spilled out of the car and Jonny could hear him retching into the ditch.
“This is nothing compared to Mexico!” Jonny called to Parker who just whimpered.
Reaching across to the glove box Jonny pulled the small transistor radio out and a map. Turning on the radio and listening to the police band he could hear that the State Troopers were getting called out in force, this exercise had just gotten a lot more complicated.
“What is that?” Parker asked.
“Another piece of Kraut gear that we aren’t supposed to have” Jonny answered as he opened a can of beer and handed it to Parker.
“What the Hell is wrong with you?” Parker demanded. It was no secret that Parker thought that Jonny was insane. However, it wasn’t like Jonny made a secret of the fact that he thought that Parker was a snob.
“There’s nothing else to drink and do you want that taste in your mouth?” Jonny asked.
“Why are we pulling this John Dillinger crap anyway?” Parker asked, “Isn’t the point not to be seen?”
“The point is that it’s all about the misdirection” Jonny said, “While they are looking for the car we’ll be at the farm.”
“What are you talking about?” Parker asked.
Jonny didn’t respond. He had arranged his car to be stored in a barn for the next few days. Once they got to the barn it was only a walk of a few miles to the farm. He was going to wait until they got to the barn before he told Parker the plan, he didn’t want to listen to the complaining until he had to.
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Hmm...Evasion training. Though I still can't really see Jonny as the covert type.
Jonny & Parker are going to be an iconic duo. In a real buddy cop duo movie style iconic. I'm looking forward to their adventures!
"Your codenames gentlemen, you will only respond to these."
"But sir, what sort of names are Riggs and Murtaugh?"
College Boy is probably fluent in Hoch Deutsch and he would stand out like a sore thumb in a working class neighborhood just like some one who speaks the King's English would stand out in a working class neighborhood in London.
Jonny on the other hand is probably a natural mimic and can imitate to a high degree of accuracy a number of different accents.
Jonny also appears to have considerable mechanical and driving skills and with training he can take any thing that has wheels and make it do anything he wants it to do.
Jonny on the other hand is probably a natural mimic and can imitate to a high degree of accuracy a number of different accents.
Jonny also appears to have considerable mechanical and driving skills and with training he can take any thing that has wheels and make it do anything he wants it to do.
Now I'm thinking of the second Kingsman movie.
Kat with a Föhn GTI at a European race track somewhere, Jonny pulls into the pits in his Mustang, blips the throttle then gets out.
"That is very... American" Kat remarked as driver got out and closed the door.
Hearing the comment, Jonny turned towards the svelte Redheaded German, broke into his biggest farm boy wide grin. "Yeah it is" he replied, piling on the mid western hick accent as much as he could.
Kat with a Föhn GTI at a European race track somewhere, Jonny pulls into the pits in his Mustang, blips the throttle then gets out.
"That is very... American" Kat remarked as driver got out and closed the door.
Hearing the comment, Jonny turned towards the svelte Redheaded German, broke into his biggest farm boy wide grin. "Yeah it is" he replied, piling on the mid western hick accent as much as he could.
Part 71, Chapter 1038
Chapter One Thousand Thirty-Eight
26th November 1953
Berlin
It was clear that they didn’t have the first clue about what they were doing, but they had done it entirely for her so Nancy couldn’t help but feel touched. Apparently, Kat had talked Ernst Preis into giving her the day off and everyone had gathered for Thanksgiving Dinner at the house in Kreuzberg. The meal itself was a potluck with the dishes being what they thought they might be like the American version. Still, there was no pumpkin pie or turkey. There was a ham that had come from a wild boar that had been provided by Helene’s father and the remainder was an odd mixture of Russian and German dishes. Even if it was strange, it all looked and smelled wonderful. Having gone up to her room, Nancy was looking for a photograph of the house her grandfather was born in that she had been telling Maria about.
As Nancy walked down the stairs she overheard Kat say, “You did invite him, yes?” to Gia looked up at Nancy and Nancy thought she saw a look of guilt cross Gia’s face.
“Yes, I did” Gia replied before scurrying off.
Then Nancy thought she heard Kat mutter something about someone being a coward.
“What was that about?” Nancy asked.
“Nothing” Kat said, “Dinner will be ready soon.”
“Yes” Nancy said, “None of you had to do this for me.”
“No, Nancy” Kat said, “You told us how the holidays were just awful last year, this will be better.”
“Thank you” Nancy said, it was nice not to be alone.
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Zella was listening as Nancy was talking to her mother about her trip up north to the Danish border region where her grandparents had come from. It didn’t seem too exciting. They were waiting on the finishing touches before starting the meal and Zella was waiting with everyone else. The younger children were running around the table, excited to be here even if they didn’t know why. Zella had understood though, they were here to celebrate an American holiday so that the Gräfin Katherine’s dear friend wouldn’t feel lonely. If anyone had asked Zella, she would have preferred a different Halloween, dress in a costume, play pranks and eat sweets. What wasn’t to like. Looking across the table, Zella saw Aurora was sticking a spoon to her nose, much to the amusement Helene’s son Manfred. He didn’t get the trick of a breath of air on the spoon was what made it stick, so his attempt to copy Aurora failed.
“You might want to stop that” Hans said to Aurora with no real heat behind it as he walked in from the kitchen, “You teach him how to that and he’ll have a spoon on his nose every chance he gets for the next several months.”
Zella was reminded of her own little brother and knew that there was probably a great deal of truth in what Hans had just said. The rest of the men were coming in from the back garden where they had all gathered for some reason.
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“You are staying home for now?” Helene asked Gerta who was seated next to her at the table. Gerta had flown to the United States a couple different times in recent months to secure acts for the show she was producing.
“Yes, finally” Gerta replied, “It took a lot to get this act booked.”
“It seems like a lot to go through” Helene said, “For a singer from Tennessee.”
“Perhaps” Gerta said, “But he’s little more than a boy right now, but he might be big in a few years.”
“Isn’t it a bit dangerous right now to be traveling in the United States?” Helene asked.
“That is part of the reason why I am glad it’s done with” Gerta replied, “We got a lot of dirty looks at every place we stopped.”
With that they were finally able to start the meal. Nancy Jensen had a joyful look on her face as they started.
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Playing two hand touch football in the backyard was just as much a holiday tradition as the turkey that was baking in the oven. Not that Jason minded playing against his younger brothers. After years of moving between military posts the entire family had all remained in the Boston area for the last few years. Their father, Jason Senior, had retired from the Marine Corps after thirty years and had returned home to Ipswich. Jason had been planning on coming to Massachusetts anyway having been excepted into Boston University. Jason’s father had made it very clear to Jason and the rest of his brothers that he would kick the shit of them if they thought for an instant of doing anything other than going to college and excelling. He knew that if they dropped out the local draft board and the Marine Corps would come knocking.
Now to Jason’s astonishment he was getting ready to graduate with honors from BU and had been accepted into Harvard Law School. That was pretty good for a student who had read the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn three times because he had to keep switching schools.
As they lined up on the scrimmage line, Jack and Bill faced off as Jason held the ball on the line. Eddy his youngest brother stood opposite him waiting for the “snap” to happen. Then Jason stepped back starting the play, and Eddy started counting aloud “One Mississippi… two Mississippi…” Jason knew that he had until Eddy reached ten and then he would be rushed.
Jack was running a buttonhook, but Bill was all over him. When Eddy reached nine Mississippi Jason threw the ball down field hoping that he was leading Jack. Even so he saw the ball fly past Jack’s outstretched hands right as Eddy ploughed into him.
Jason could hear Bill calling out “Incomplete… third down” as he pushed Eddy off of him.
26th November 1953
Berlin
It was clear that they didn’t have the first clue about what they were doing, but they had done it entirely for her so Nancy couldn’t help but feel touched. Apparently, Kat had talked Ernst Preis into giving her the day off and everyone had gathered for Thanksgiving Dinner at the house in Kreuzberg. The meal itself was a potluck with the dishes being what they thought they might be like the American version. Still, there was no pumpkin pie or turkey. There was a ham that had come from a wild boar that had been provided by Helene’s father and the remainder was an odd mixture of Russian and German dishes. Even if it was strange, it all looked and smelled wonderful. Having gone up to her room, Nancy was looking for a photograph of the house her grandfather was born in that she had been telling Maria about.
As Nancy walked down the stairs she overheard Kat say, “You did invite him, yes?” to Gia looked up at Nancy and Nancy thought she saw a look of guilt cross Gia’s face.
“Yes, I did” Gia replied before scurrying off.
Then Nancy thought she heard Kat mutter something about someone being a coward.
“What was that about?” Nancy asked.
“Nothing” Kat said, “Dinner will be ready soon.”
“Yes” Nancy said, “None of you had to do this for me.”
“No, Nancy” Kat said, “You told us how the holidays were just awful last year, this will be better.”
“Thank you” Nancy said, it was nice not to be alone.
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Zella was listening as Nancy was talking to her mother about her trip up north to the Danish border region where her grandparents had come from. It didn’t seem too exciting. They were waiting on the finishing touches before starting the meal and Zella was waiting with everyone else. The younger children were running around the table, excited to be here even if they didn’t know why. Zella had understood though, they were here to celebrate an American holiday so that the Gräfin Katherine’s dear friend wouldn’t feel lonely. If anyone had asked Zella, she would have preferred a different Halloween, dress in a costume, play pranks and eat sweets. What wasn’t to like. Looking across the table, Zella saw Aurora was sticking a spoon to her nose, much to the amusement Helene’s son Manfred. He didn’t get the trick of a breath of air on the spoon was what made it stick, so his attempt to copy Aurora failed.
“You might want to stop that” Hans said to Aurora with no real heat behind it as he walked in from the kitchen, “You teach him how to that and he’ll have a spoon on his nose every chance he gets for the next several months.”
Zella was reminded of her own little brother and knew that there was probably a great deal of truth in what Hans had just said. The rest of the men were coming in from the back garden where they had all gathered for some reason.
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“You are staying home for now?” Helene asked Gerta who was seated next to her at the table. Gerta had flown to the United States a couple different times in recent months to secure acts for the show she was producing.
“Yes, finally” Gerta replied, “It took a lot to get this act booked.”
“It seems like a lot to go through” Helene said, “For a singer from Tennessee.”
“Perhaps” Gerta said, “But he’s little more than a boy right now, but he might be big in a few years.”
“Isn’t it a bit dangerous right now to be traveling in the United States?” Helene asked.
“That is part of the reason why I am glad it’s done with” Gerta replied, “We got a lot of dirty looks at every place we stopped.”
With that they were finally able to start the meal. Nancy Jensen had a joyful look on her face as they started.
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Playing two hand touch football in the backyard was just as much a holiday tradition as the turkey that was baking in the oven. Not that Jason minded playing against his younger brothers. After years of moving between military posts the entire family had all remained in the Boston area for the last few years. Their father, Jason Senior, had retired from the Marine Corps after thirty years and had returned home to Ipswich. Jason had been planning on coming to Massachusetts anyway having been excepted into Boston University. Jason’s father had made it very clear to Jason and the rest of his brothers that he would kick the shit of them if they thought for an instant of doing anything other than going to college and excelling. He knew that if they dropped out the local draft board and the Marine Corps would come knocking.
Now to Jason’s astonishment he was getting ready to graduate with honors from BU and had been accepted into Harvard Law School. That was pretty good for a student who had read the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn three times because he had to keep switching schools.
As they lined up on the scrimmage line, Jack and Bill faced off as Jason held the ball on the line. Eddy his youngest brother stood opposite him waiting for the “snap” to happen. Then Jason stepped back starting the play, and Eddy started counting aloud “One Mississippi… two Mississippi…” Jason knew that he had until Eddy reached ten and then he would be rushed.
Jack was running a buttonhook, but Bill was all over him. When Eddy reached nine Mississippi Jason threw the ball down field hoping that he was leading Jack. Even so he saw the ball fly past Jack’s outstretched hands right as Eddy ploughed into him.
Jason could hear Bill calling out “Incomplete… third down” as he pushed Eddy off of him.
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Hmmm. Elvis would be 20ish...so it can't be him, i mean, "boy", unless its derisive.