Flirting With the Wind

“Whiskey,” I order as the bartender gave me a look. I smiled at the older man as he handed me the glass of whiskey then I turned me back to observe the area. My eyes fell upon the table far in the back separate from the area and the group of men laughing that occupied the table. Drink in hand I headed to the area; my heels clicking as I walked.

“Hallo schöne (Hello Beautiful),” a man greets with a crooked smile.
“Darf ich mich Ihnen anschließen? (May I join you),” I inquire with a charming smile.
“Natürlich (Of course),” he answers appearing to be the leader. I took in his appearance; he looked to be a German version of the famous gangster Al Capone except less stylish and grittier. I sat down and gave a smile. At least I was getting to practice my German more this way. Let the gambling begin.

The men seemed impressed with my gambling skills, the way I could hold a straight face and call their bluffs. It was a night filled with laughs and drinks. Might seem strange but I always felt incredibly comfortable when I was joking around with the guys, smoking cigars and drinking whatever we could get our hands on. Calling it a night after winning a good sum of money I bid my farewells to the guys.

It was around three in the morning when I was making my way back to the house and I smiled softly knowing that I was going to push through this all. With the coming weeks I went to the bar about three times a week sometimes more depending on the week. During the day I began putting on the real show. I had a large sum of money saved up and I began finding out how I could pay my way out of Germany. It was a Wednesday and I had enough money to purchase a very expensive ticket out of the country in town.

Of course I had told my cousins I was just going into a bookstore and well that got them off my back so they went into the dress maker’s shop with Sergeant Stiglitz and the two privates as their escorts. I honestly didn’t speak to Sergeant Stiglitz all that much, he was rather cold towards me ever since that day in the woods but I tried not to dwell on such matters. It wasn’t that I acted shrewd because I put on quite the show to make everyone think I was alright. If I were being honest I felt a bit terrible especially when left to my own thoughts. I’d think about Sergeant Stiglitz and that day; analyzing every interaction I had ever had with him. He was incredibly hard to read and his domineering stern silence he chose to use around me unnerved me a bit.

I entered the office to look at possible times to leave and stood there reading the latest posting of departures. Biting my bottom lip as I looked up at the board and finally let out a sigh seeing that I was going to get away a more difficult way, I was going to have to stick it out a little longer. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Germany or staying with my Uncle but things were different than they were when I was a child visiting. Every day a new Jewish family was taken to a concentration camp; every day the racism and discrimination got worse. From the looks on my Uncle’s tired eyes I knew he had grown weary and almost saddened from the way things were going. He had been in the German army for so long, before Hitler came into power to start his campaign against the Jewish community. The question was would I be like the little swallow in Oscar Wilde’s tale and stick it out with the Happy Prince even if it meant death? Then again who was the Happy Prince in this story? What was holding me back in this country?

Exiting the offices I headed back towards the car not wanting to get any dresses like the twins were doing. I leaned against the light post next to the car trying to organize my troubling thoughts. It wasn’t the best of times because things were starting to click causing me to feel so much more troubled. Grunting in frustration I decided I needed a drink and I headed towards my favorite bar. Entering the bar I was greeted by Victor the bartender that I had grown to be friends with after so many nights playing there.

Victor put my usual order of whiskey in a glass then set it in front of me. He was in his mid-sixties with gray hair and a matching mustache; he spoke German and English. It was a slow day in the bar and I was the only customer sitting in there whilst Victor was reading a book. I sat there nursing the whiskey staring at the wooden bar top and all the knots in the smooth wood.

“Ever notice all the grains of wood go in the same direction?” I found myself asking aloud.
“Yes, but then there are the knots in the wood that tarnish the flow,” Victor replies.
“I like how the knots stand out going against the grain, makes the wood look more distinguished and unique,” I say running my hand over a knot in the wood.
“Suppose it does,” he comments seeming to think it over.
Victor set down his book and the sound of it along with the sudden tension in the air got me to look up at him. I looked up from the countertop and saw Victor staring at the door; following his gaze I saw Sergeant Stiglitz standing there in his Gestapo uniform. My gaze went back to the counter and I picked up my glass of whiskey downing whatever was left then pulled out some money to pay for my tab.

“Bye,” I say to Victor with a soft smile.
“Is this goodbye for good or goodbye as in see you later?” Victor says looking at me. He seemed to know my contemplation to leave town.
“Goodbye for now and lets hope for a later,” I smile.
“Let’s hope,” he smiles as he took my empty glass from the counter to clean. I waved and headed out the door with Sergeant Stiglitz following behind me. Sergeant Stiglitz didn’t speak as we walked back to the car. I pursed my lips deliberating whether or not I should say something to him or not but I bit back the words as I saw my cousins approaching me with devilish grins on their faces. The two privates Hermann and Martin stood behind them stupidly as they held clothing bags most likely containing unnecessary dresses.

“Cousin you have an admirer,” Bridget states grinning.
“Yes, yes, but he is too shy to talk to you directly,” Darcy continues.
“Oh? Is that so?” I retort sarcastically.
“He’d like to know what your favorite flowers are,” Bridget says.
“I don’t like flowers, flowers are best left on the plants at least then they can live and serve purpose,” I counter.
“Why must you be so unapproachable Mira?” Darcy huffs.
“I’m good at it and I could care less about admirers that cannot come to me directly, no man is worth chasing after, if he is so damn smitten tell him to come to me and I’ll consider it, otherwise tough shit,” I state pointedly.
“Fine I’ll go get him,” she smiles walking off.
“You guys aren’t serious about this are you?” I inquire turning to Bridget.
“So very serious,” Bridget chuckles.
“I’m leaving, this is ridiculous,” I retort.
“Oh come on you haven’t even seen him yet, he’s really good looking ya know,” she states grabbing me by the wrist.
“I don’t care, Sergeant Stiglitz here is very good looking but you don’t see me trying to jump his bones,” I respond.
“You think he is good looking? Actually let me rephrase this you think he is very good looking?” Bridget smiles cheekily. Very good looking, yes he is very good looking and hard not to think about. Oh lord this is such a ridiculous mess.
“Looks aren’t everything,” I mutter growing more annoyed and uneasy about the whole situation.

“Mirabel meet Deiter, Deiter meet our lovely cousin Mirabel,” Darcy announces appearing with a soldier, no Major on her arm. He wasn’t the kind of good looking most would appreciate, hell I was having troubles appreciating it. His pale complexion, cold blue eyes, and full pout kind of creeps me out the way his lips curved up into a devilish smirk.

“It’s nice meeting you Major,” I say formally sticking my hand out to shake his.
“Call me Deiter,” he states as he brought my hand up to kiss it.
“Something tells me that you are not nearly as shy as my cousins led on,” I reply letting my hand fall back to my side. He smiled sending an unwelcoming shiver down my spine, his smile foreboding something I could never imagine.
“It was a pleasure finally meeting your acquaintance Mirabel, but I must tend to other matters, if it is alright I will call to you at your uncle’s estate,” Deiter replies.
“Of course that’s alright,” Darcy states with a big smile.
“Until next time Mirabel,” he says bowing his head slightly to me. Sergeant Stiglitz and him saluted to one another then Deiter was off to do only god knows what. My breathing hitched slightly as soon as he left because I felt as though I was trying to disarm a bomb while I was speaking with Deiter, like with any wrong move it would explode. He reminded me of my encounter with Colonel Hans Landa, except madness and cruelty was more prevalent on Deiter’s features less hidden behind the mask of propriety. Less controlled and composed than the Colonel.

“Mira you look a little pale,” Bridget comments touching my arm but I flinched involuntarily.
“What’s your problem? You’ve got high ranking officers after your affections and you’re acting like you’ve received a death sentence,” Darcy adds giving me a look that said I was some sort of an idiot.
“For people like me it is a death sentence,” I mutter darkly.
“What you’re not a Jew so it’s not like you’re supposed to be hiding,” she retorts.
“Why don’t you focus on ruining your own life with predatory cruel men who only want to oppress you into just standing there looking pretty, I myself have had more than enough misery for one lifetime, I don’t want to willingly place myself in such awful situations if I can help it,” I reprehend harshly.
“Misery?” Darcy scoffs.
“Darcy,” Bridget warns seeing that I was about to unleash the famous Shepherd temper on her.
“I’m jealous of your ability to be blissfully unaware Darcy, I wish I could be the very same, maybe then I wouldn’t be so blatantly dubious of everything I encounter,” I say regaining my composure giving a weak smile.
“Sorry Mira, we only want you to be happy and have fun,” Darcy finally says apologetically.
“I’m happy enough,” I reply.

The twins smiled at me and we all headed back to the car. We all got in the car, first were the twins then last was myself I locked eyes briefly with Sergeant Stiglitz before getting into the car. Quickly I diverted my eyes and got into the car. We arrived at the house and the twins showed me what they had gotten. The rest of the week was fairly uneventful and after dinner I found myself sitting outside contemplating. I finally decided to suck up my pride and call a truce between Sergeant Stiglitz and me. No longer able to stand the uncomfortable silence he seemed to only hold for me.