Kurt Steiner & trekaddict: Seen and greatly enjoyed all of those except The Desert Rats.
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March 1, 1940
Deuil, France
Helmut Wolf brought a steaming cup of coffee to his lips and cautiously sipped at the contents, his eyes never leaving his companion across the small table. Wincing at the taste, he set the cup down and pushed it away from him. Waving a hand to call the waiter over, he pointed to the cup and said, "Please take this away and bring a new one. Black this time."
As the waiter took the offending cup away, his companion laughed and asked, "I take it that you didn't like it?"
Helmut, still looking pained, shook his head and responded, "No, I didn't. Frankly, I don't even know how you can stand to drink it like that.
Corinne shrugged, "That's how I like my coffee and I thought that you'd like to try it that way."
"That's not coffee. Coffee is black, with no additives. What you drink is a coffee-based abomination."
Corinne rolled her eyes and replied, "Fine, I'm sorry I suggested it. Look, here's your cup of nasty black coffee. Enjoy."
"I will, thank you very much."
Corinne almost sullenly went back to her beverage, as Helmut eyed her with amusement. They had made meeting at this cafe a sort of weekly ritual and Helmut was finding her company to be most enjoyable. In fact, he often times thought of his weekly meetings with her to be the one bright spot in this otherwise dull posting and looked forward to them greatly. Once they had finished, Helmut dropped some money on the table and walked to her side. After helping her pull her chair out, he offered her his arm and escorted her out of the cafe. They walked together mostly in silence, enjoying the bright spring day. Coming to her home, Helmut disengaged his arm and offered her a slight bow, which she laughed at as she always did. Straightening up, he smiled at her and said, "I've enjoyed our meeting as always, but I've got to be getting back."
"Of course. I'll see you again next week?"
Helmut shifted uncomfortably and responded, "Most likely. I may, however, have... ah... other business."
Corinne pouted up at him and asked, "Other business? What sort of other business would be more important than me, Helmut?"
Taken aback by the question, Helmut was unable to come up with an immediate response. Seeing that she had made him nervous, Corinne laughed and said, "Never mind, I was only teasing you." Let off the hook, Helmut smiled weakly and nodded. As he did, she stepped forward and took one of his hands in hers. Smiling at him, she let her other hand gently brush his cheek as she said, "I'll look forward to hearing from you next week, Helmut."
With that, she released his hand and opened her door. Pausing in the doorway, she waved goodbye to him before shutting it and leaving him alone outside. Turning from the door, Helmut slowly walked back toward his office, his mind a jumble of warring thoughts and emotions. Stepping into the building that housed his office, he found Nagel at his customary station outside of his office door. Motioning for Nagel to remain seated, Helmut approached him and asked, "How are you today?"
"You know how it is, sir. I can't complain because no one would listen if I did.", replied Nagel.
Helmut frowned, "Why do you sat that? Of course I would...Oh, you're joking right?"
Nagel nodded, "Yes, sir. Scharfuhrer Baer says that I need to loosen up a bit."
Sighing, Helmut leaned over Nagel's desk and said, "I'm going to give you some advice. You will go far in life if the last thing you do is listen to Max."
"Oh, alright sir. Sorry."
"Don't be sorry Nagel, you do need to loosen up a bit. I'm just saying that you shouldn't listen to everything he tells you."
"I'll keep that in mind, sir."
Helmut turned to enter his office, but pulled himself up short and walked back over to Nagel's desk. He leaned on it once again and said, "Listen Nagel, I called a friend of mine in Berlin and he says he should be able to help with your little problem."
Nagel's face brightened and he jumped out of his chair as he said, "Oh, thank you sir! I hope that it wasn't a lot of trouble."
Helmut shrugged, "No, not unless you consider owing him my first born a lot of trouble."
Nagel looked shocked and responded, "Sir, I'm sorry. I-"
"Nagel, that was a joke."
"Oh, right. I mean, I knew that sir."
Helmut shook his head and decided to move on with the conversation. Looking Nagle in the eye he said, "Anyway, let me ask you something. Are you sure that you want to go through with this?"
"I don't know what you mean, sir."
Helmut sighed, "It's just that you haven't known her for that long. How can you be so sure about this?"
Nagel frowned, "We just are, sir. Sure it hasn't been that long, but we know what we feel. We know that we want to be together."
"And you've both thought of the effect this will have on her?"
"Sir?"
"Come on Nagel, don't be naive. We are occupiers here. Sure the people smile and act polite, but that all comes at gunpoint. If that woman marries you, she'll be considered a traitor. You'll have to take her to Germany and she'll be cut off from her family and friends. Do you understand that? Is that what she wants?"
Nagel opened his mouth to respond, but closed it without reply and seemed to slump down into his seat. Seeing that he had greatly upset the young man, Helmut instantly felt guilty. Coming around the desk, he put a hand on Nagel's shoulder and said, "Listen kid, don't pay any attention to me. I'm sure that you two will be very happy together. Tell you what, why not take the rest of the day off? Go see that nice girl of yours, and give her the good news."
Nagel nodded a little woodenly and replied, "Thank you sir, I will."
As Nagel began to collect his things, Helmut quickly walked away and entered his office. Sitting down behind his desk he leaned back in the chair and said to the empty room, "Well, that was a nice job of ruining Nagel's day. Where the hell did that all come from?"
He couldn't think of an answer.