| It was a few months after the war in Germany as | | | | with needy Germans. Fearful of being imprisoned in |
| some raggedy kids cruised the streets looking for coal, | | | | one of the enemy's interrogation rooms, Marianne |
| wood, and a little entertainment. They strolled up to the | | | | nevertheless couldn't resist the possibility of a hand out |
| Alabama Kaserne to get a look at the black American | | | | of their delicious chocolate pudding. Suspecting that |
| soldiers. Not one of them had ever seen a Negro | | | | she would only have one chance to have her tin cup |
| before, and the specter of a real black boogie man | | | | filled, she waited until the line neared the end. Leaning |
| ran chills up their spines. Ten year old Marianne (today, | | | | against the building were two American soldiers with |
| my wife) showed her bravado by skipping within a | | | | Red Cross arm bands. They whispered to each other, |
| few yards of the black soldier on guard. Circling ever | | | | staring at Marianne's bandaged foot. A few days ago, |
| closer, the pack of kids popped their eyes and primed | | | | Marianne had stubbed her pinkie toe, opening the skin |
| their bodies for flight if it seemed necessary. Suddenly, | | | | to the bone. Not having any medication, she washed |
| the guard crouched in a Karate pose, screaming a | | | | out the cut and finding a large roll of gauze stripping, |
| chopped cry, Gaaaaaarhhh!!!". They took off like | | | | wound it around her toe until it resembled a large |
| scalded chickens, diving for cover. The guard laughed | | | | snowball. |
| and returned to his post. The German kids were no | | | | Eyeing the soldiers, Marianne tried to look disinterested. |
| different than the ones at home, if he ever could get | | | | One of the soldiers worked his way around her back |
| there. | | | | while the other distracted her from the front. Suddenly, |
| A little ways down the street, the Americans had set | | | | she found herself lifted bodily off the ground. Struggling, |
| up a temporary hospital and mess hall in a deserted | | | | Marianne screamed for them to let go as they carried |
| bowling alley. When the windows opened at supper | | | | her horizontally into the hospital. |
| time, the Americans were known to share their food | | | | |