As I became better known to the Americans, the soldiers began to approach me with requests of their own.
Although I was unfortunately unable to fulfill their wish for nice "Frauleins", I felt obligated when they
asked me again and again if I could buy them "Bockwurst" (sausages), "Broetchen" (bread rolls) and salami.
I would have much rather stayed with them, but there was no way I wanted to turn down their requests.
With some dollar bills in my pocket, I made my way by foot to the "Rodelhuette", a small restaurant on
the Onkel-Tom Strasse. Unfortunately, the slightly closer "Welsbaude" Imbiss (food stand) next to the
beach of the Krumme Lanke lake did not sell hot Bockwurst. When I returned to the spot after about an hour
with a big package of food, what an awful surprise! There was nobody there! I desperately searched the
area for the unit, but no luck, everybody was gone, the place abandoned!
With a bad conscience and feeling despondent - I still had the goods and all the change, after all - I ran
back home. The food that had been meant for the GIs was eaten by us for dinner. My grandma was happy to
have it. Although I normally really loved Bockwurst, I didn't enjoy them so much this time. For several
days I didn't dare go back into the Grunewald, and I was cross with myself for not having obtained the
requested food quickly enough. But this didn't last very long, of course. I soon went back into the woods
and, naturally, I came across the same unit again. Oh my God, what happens now? I was pale with fright, and
before I could explain what had happened, one of them said in broken German: "Sorry, but we had to go,
that's the army, sorry"! I then quickly fished their change out of my pants pocket, as I hadn't touched it,
and I handed it to the soldier. With a smile, he declined and said: "Keep it"! I couldn't believe it, boy
did I have good friends! Everything was all right again, what a big relief!
A touch of War