The Hotel
Mister Garner was correct; the hotel wasn't far. Soon the bus was parked in front of a large red brick building bearing the name, Hotel Liberty. He stood to announce.
"Leave your bags here for now. Please follow me."
After leaving the bus two small flights of stairs had them standing on a simple porch; before them was a simple brown door. Mister Garner held it open for them. They stepped into a grand lobby with a marble floor and intricate moldings around the windows. The room was nicely decorated with upholstered chairs, settees and large comfortable sofas.
And no one could take their eyes off the beautiful very long registration desk. It too had intricate molding on its sides. It had a golden oak mantle with stained glass for the counter top.
The clerk had seen the door open and watched as this group entered; then he saw Mister Garner.
"Sir, who have you brought us today?"
"A family whose patriarch, Georg an Austrian navy officer who was sure once the Anschluss occurred he would receive orders to Germany's naval base and a group of Jewish young people who listened to their Rabbi's warning to leave Austria. One of their best friends came with them, a Christian woman named Maria. She's been helping Georg with his youngest two daughters."
"Welcome everyone. I'm sure you are hungry; it is past lunch time. Follow me to our dining room; there's a bathroom there you can use."
After each had used the bathroom, the hostess explained. "This building was once a college dormitory. This was their cafeteria; a type of restaurant where each person selects their own meal. The serving line begins by that stack of trays. Pick-up one and slide it on the metal counter.
"You then tell the servers what you want and they will place in on a plate, first the meat, then the others foods you select. A separate plate is used for a salad and a dessert. And don't forget to take a glass. College students will bring pitchers of beverages to you; they will fill your glass."
Louisa could be heard asking. "Papa, have you ever seen a restaurant like this?"
"No, it's new to me too. I'm sure the food will be good. We need to follow the hostess."
She led them to where the trays were stacked. Marta immediately asked. "Maria, will you help us?"
"Of course I will. I'm sure they have something you will both like."
The girls and Maria did find foods they liked. All of them chose the main dish of veal scaloppini, which when Maria asked learned it was the same as Austrian Wiener Schnitzel. Their plates were passed to other servers who added other foods of their choosing.
The girls didn't want a salad but Maria did. And for dessert they each selected a piece of chocolate cake with white icing. And then each placed a glass on the tray. Other attendants were there to carry the girls' tray to a table.
Georg was with his other children. None of them needed his help in selecting their meal. As he had watched Maria with his littlest girls, he knew what he had told Mister Garner about Maria was absolutely necessary. They needed her in their life. Georg would look for an opportunity to speak to her.
While they were all together in the cafeteria, Mister Garner spoke to everyone. "Georg already knows he's going to help my government. Abraham, do you have the name Raymond Geist on your list of contacts?"
"I do sir."
"He'll be arriving later this afternoon. While we wait I think we should visit the playground. I'm sure Georg's children would like it. There are benches there for sitting."
All of them enjoyed the playground. And Raymond Geist found them there when he arrived. Mister Garner greeted him.
"Raymond, so glad you could come on such a short notice."
"I had already told my staff about this group of Jewish young people who would be arriving soon. I hope we can extricate many more before it is too late."
"Yes, I know the window is closing. Allow me to introduce you to Abraham. He's the young man talking to Georg's oldest son."
Both Friedrich and Abraham noticed them walking towards them; they paused their conversation. Friedrich was about to walk away when he heard.
"Friedrich, you don't need to leave. This gentleman with me is a United States government official from the State Department. Please say hello to Raymond Geist."
Friedrich was very formal in his greeting. "Hello sir."
Abraham was excited. "Do you have news for us?"
"I do. We should return to the hotel so I can speak to everyone."
Friedrich found his papa. "Mister Garner needs us to go back to the hotel."
Today Georg didn't use his boatswain's whistle; he used his fingers. He produced a shrill sound which everyone heard all over the playground. They immediately stopped what they were doing and came running to him.
"We need to return to the hotel. This gentleman has news for all of us."
The young people and Georg's children didn't dally; they walked quickly. Even Maria with the two girls in tow did as well.
The hotel clerk showed them to a room which had been used by the college for lectures. It had chairs on raised platforms. Georg's children took up the first row. He and Maria sat behind them. The young people filled in that row and the others sat in the next row behind them. They were all very quiet.
Mister Geist stood behind a podium which a professor would use for his lecture notes. He had a booming voice so everyone could hear him.
"First, I speak for my President; welcome to America. I know you are anxious to be permanently settled. And I also know you young people and Georg's family have become almost like one big family."
Mister Geist saw smiles from all of them. "There's a home which is perfect for all of you. It's located not far from here. Would you like to go there now?"
No one spoke; their smiles told Raymond their answer. "We will board the bus you were on to take us there."
"So that why we left our bags on it."
"Yes young man, I believe your name is Kurt."
"You're right, sir."
"Okay, Kurt. You can be the leader."
"Did everyone hear Mister Geist? Follow me back to the bus." Kurt shouted.
The hotel staff met them there. They had been told this group wouldn't be staying at the hotel. Both Georg and Abraham thanked them more than once. They heard. "Come visit us; we'd love to see everyone again."
The group responded. "We will."
