Klink

Wilhelm Klink stood on the platform at the train station waiting for the afternoon train from Stuttgart. The icy wind blew down the tracks carrying with it the first few flakes of the coming snow storm. Klink turned his slim frame so his back was to the wind and used it to shield his companion from the chilling bite of winter. She stepped closer to him so she could take advantage of the warmth he provided. Placing his gloved hand on the small of her back, he drew her closer. He looked at his watch and then down at her. "The train should be here in a few minutes and then we can get out of the cold. Are you sure you don't want to wait inside where it is warm? I can wait here for Karl and then come inside and get you."

"Nein," she said smiling up at him, "I will wait here with you."

Klink smiled at her and felt an overwhelming desire to kiss her. He hesitated for a moment because of the public setting and the fact he had never kissed her before. He quickly decided to stop living in fear. Years of living under the oppression of the Nazi regime had Klink second guessing everything he did. Throwing caution to the wind he bent down slightly and kissed Gertrude. As he pulled away he was surprised and pleased when her hand reached up and touched his face. Gently she pulled him back to her and returned his gentle kiss with a passionate one of her own.

Forgetting the others on the platform, Klink looked down into her hazel eyes. He felt like a school boy, giddy with love's first blush. His face broke into a grin that was surely undignified for a man of his stature and age. Klink didn't care. She loved him. Klink was sure that if he was to look, he would find his feet were not touching the ground.

"Perhaps after we finish picking up your friend, we can go back to my apartment and get warm. I have a little coffee left." Gertrude said in a soft seductive voice while gently caressing his cheek.

"I find myself to be very warm right now." he replied, his eyes never leaving hers.

She removed her hand from his cheek and placed it over his heart. "Well if you don't wish to have coffee…" she said teasing him.

Klink felt like his blood was boiling. He thought his heart skipped a beat or two. "No my dear I love coffee, especially your coffee."

Klink pulled her closer to him. He knew that their behavior was not considered proper. There were probably several people on the platform that were aghast at such a public display. Klink didn't care. That was the old Klink. He had shed his former self like a drowning man sheds the heavy coat that is dragging him down to his doom. This was the new Klink. To hell with what other people may think. She made him deliriously happy and that is all he cared about.

He was glad he was wearing a heavy overcoat so she would not know what a profound effect she was having on him. He looked at her and seeing the mischievous twinkle in her eye he reconsidered. The little minx knew exactly what was up and was enjoying Klink's discomfort.

"My dear," he began as she grinned up at him. "We will safety deposit Karl with Versie and then I intend to teach you some Prussian close order drills."

Whatever was going to be her reply was lost when the train could be heard nearing the station. A screech of brakes sounded and the train slowed to a stop at the platform. Several people got off the train while others waited for the opportunity to board. Klink searched the crowd but could not find Karl. He stopped a porter who was getting ready to re-board to ask him about Karl. The porter stated he did not know of anyone by that name but would hold the train for a few minutes to ask the other porters.

After what seemed to Klink was an eternity, the porter returned with the news that no one remembered anyone named Karl Langenscheidt. Upset and confused, Klink walked Gertrude back to his car.

"Perhaps he came in on an earlier train and he is already with Versie." Gertrude reasoned.

"Yes that is it." Klink said in an attempt to calm his growing concern. "We'll stop by her apartment and check. If he is not there we won't say anything and I will call Hogan. If he is there we will make a quick exit and resume our plans."

"It will be alright Wilhelm." Gertrude said patting his chest.

"I hope so." Klink said distractedly as he opened the car door for her.

HHHHH

Klink fumbled with the keys to his apartment to the extent that Gertrude had to gently take them from him and open the door herself. Giving her an apologetic look, he quickly stepped into the foyer and picked up the telephone. His hands shook as he dialed the numbers.

Gertrude stood slightly behind him and rubbed his back with her hand in an attempt to quiet his nerves. He looked pale and she knew he was very concerned about his friend. Glancing at her, Klink took his free arm, placed it around her shoulders and drew her closer to him. As he waited for someone to answer, he smiled, leaned down and gave her a kiss on her forehead. She smiled back at him and rested her head on his shoulder.

A deep voice answered on the other end of the line and Klink requested to speak with General Robert Hogan regarding an urgent matter. Klink was told to wait and the line went silent. Moments later a familiar voice was heard.

"Wilhelm, it's good to hear from you. I trust you delivered that package without any trouble." Hogan cheerfully said.

"That's why I am calling Robert. Karl wasn't on the train. I asked around but there was no Karl Langenscheidt on board." Klink explained.

"Damn I forgot. I swear everyday I get closer and closer to being put in a home." Hogan swore at himself for his absent mindedness. "Bonacelli set him up with a fake passport. He is probably still traveling using a fake name. I'll get Kinch to drive to Mannheim and ask around. I'm sure his is just temporarily misplaced."

"You will keep me informed won't you Hogan?" Klink asked.

"You can count on it." Hogan replied.

"Thank you and good-bye Robert." Klink said as he hung up the phone.

Looking down at his guest, he smiled. "Let me take your hat and coat my dear." Placing the items in the closet along with his own coat, Klink drew her to the living room.

"Wait here." He said as he touched her lips with his finger. "I'll be right back."

Klink returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

Gertrude raised an eyebrow. "A little early in the day, don't you think?" she asked without any real rebuke.

"It goes well with the bubbles." He replied as he took her hand and began to lead her down the hall.

"Bubbles?" she asked as she willing let him lead her towards the bedroom.

"Yes, I am somewhat fond of bubble baths. Are you my dear?" he asked suggestively as they entered the bedroom.

"I have a feeling that I will soon be a great supporter of bubble baths." Gertrude said as she played with the buttons on his shirt.

"Ah, that's what I find so endearing about you Frau Linkmeyer, your grand sense of adventure." Kink responded as he shut the bedroom door.

Later that night Klink's telephone rang several times with neighbors concerned about the noise coming from his apartment. They all went unanswered.

HHHHH

It was two days before Christmas and a lone figure limped through the Karlstor. As he entered the Altstadt, he smiled at the irony of his entrance into Heidelberg. Karl had been taken off the train in Stuttgart and sent to the hospital where he was treated and then released. Remembering that he had gone home with Schultz a couple of times when they both had passes together, Karl headed to the Schultz's home. Following the Neckar River, Karl enjoyed the sense of being in familiar surroundings. He felt like a tourist as he silently gushed over his beautiful surroundings.

Taking his time and resting often, Karl felt himself relaxing. He smiled to himself at the thought his journey would soon be over. He had not realized until now how much he had missed his friend. Karl was distressed to see that three of the arches in the Old Bridge had been destroyed. Shaking his head at the mindless destruction Karl moved on.

Karl turned down the street where his friend lived. His whole body vibrated with excitement. Knocking on the door, Karl readied himself to throw his arms around Schultz. To his dismay Schultz did not answer the door, a dour man with foul breath did. Inquiring about his friend, the man cursed at Karl and then slammed the door in his face. After knocking on several neighbor's doors, Karl was able to learn the fate of his friend.

Karl walked to the Autobahn and hitched a ride to Mannheim. Feeling lost and alone again, Karl rode into the city in silence. Looking at the ruins of the great city, Karl thought to himself that the ruins seemed to be an outward reflection of how he felt inside.

HHHHHH

A knock at the door brought Schultz to his feet. It was late, he thought, who would come calling at this hour? When he opened the door, Schultz at first did not recognize who was standing before him. At first he thought it was one of the countless refugees that were flooding in from everywhere. The man standing in front of him was gaunt, his clothes hanging from his thin frame. His eyes were shadowed and had a haunted quality about them. The man's brown hair touched the bottom of his collar and he had a full beard. Schultz was about to send the man away when he looked at his eyes again. He remembered those blue eyes, not as sad and mournful but as being vibrate and happy. Schultz took in a deep breath as he realized he was looking at Karl.

Schultz grabbed his friend and pulled him into a bear like hug. He realized he had hugged his friend too tight when he heard the whoosh of Karl's breath leave his body. Even through his clothes, Schultz could feel every one of Karl's bones.

Pulling him inside, Schultz asked the children to move and give Karl some room on the quilt. Frau Schultz quickly got up and started to fix him something to eat, ignoring Karl's protests.

"Everyone has been looking for you. Where have you been?" Schultz asked.

"It's a long story Schultz and truthfully I am too tired to tell it. Do you mind if I curl up in a corner and sleep here tonight. I promise to leave first thing in the morning."

Schultz could see how exhausted Karl was. "You will stay as long as you need to. We will talk in the morning. Look Gretchen has heated some soup for you. Eat and then you rest."

Schultz could see Karl was struggling not to devour the soup as soon as the bowl was placed in his hands. Schultz was going to have his wife give Karl some more soup when he saw Karl was having trouble staying awake. Saving the bowl before it slipped through Karl's tired fingers, Schultz motioned for Georg Hans to make a place for Karl to sleep. Within moments Karl was fast asleep. Gretchen removed his boots and placed a quilt over him. She hummed a lullaby as she gently stroked his hair.

Giving her husband a silent sad look, she finally moved away from Karl and set about cleaning up. When she finished, Schultz held out his hand and she came and sat by his side. Placing his arm around his wife, they both sat there was watched the dancing flames in the fireplace. Everything was quiet but the crackling and popping of the fire. For the first time since the end of the war, Schultz felt truly blessed and grateful for what he had.

HHHHHH

Karl awoke to the chatter of happy children as they went about their morning chores. Karl sat up; a first confused by his surroundings but quickly got his bearings. After putting on his boots and putting away the bedding, Karl joined the morning routine. Being with children had always been a joy to Karl and being with Schultz's children was especially nice. Once the chores were completed, with the exception of Uncle Otto and Aunt Fritzy, they all got ready to go out and help with the clearing of the rubble. After putting in a full day's work, the family and Karl returned to the factory. The children went to play before it got too dark and the adults went inside to have some tea and relax.

"Hans, why do you not ask one of our friends for help? You cannot let the Kinder remain here, it is not safe." Karl said with concern.

Schultz attempted to explain his reasons to his friend and was surprised to see Karl become angry, not upset but really angry. Schultz had never seen Karl as anything but happy. He sputtered to an abrupt stop, unsure what to do next.

"You have the ability to be somewhere warm and safe and you chose to be here because you think you somehow failed your fellow man? You think you need redemption?" Karl said in a low monotone.

Taking a deep breath, Karl looked down at his clenched fists. He looked up at Schultz, his mouth a slash across his face. His eyes were not the gentle eyes Schultz was used to. They were fierce angry eyes.

"What do you think you can do that will ever make right what happened? How many lifetimes of sacrifice and pious living do you need to live? What makes you think that anything you do will ever even scratch the surface of making things right?" Karl asked his barely controlled rage present in his voice.

Schultz stammered as he tried to answer his friend. "I need to…"

"Need to what Hans? Punish your family for being human? For failing to live up to some standard you have set for yourself? Well surprise Hans, we mere mortals often fall short of the mark. You learn and you go on from there. You don't make the mistake again and you teach your children not to make those same mistakes."

Standing up, Karl began to pace the room. Finally coming to a stop him front of Schultz he continued. "You think you need to be punished but you don't. I have been punished enough for the both of us. What I have seen and what has been done to me, more than atone for any shortcoming you feel you have."

"But," Schultz said attempting to interrupt Karl because he could see the man's anger escalate.

Unless you want to spit on me and our friendship, you get off your ass and call someone and get your family out of here." Karl demanded, his face red, body shaking with rage and grief.

Schultz stood up to face his friend. Watching Karl's face crumble to reflect his misery, Schultz pulled his friend into an embrace. Karl put his arms around Schultz and clung to the larger man in order to remain standing. Schultz could feel Karl's grief and pain almost as if it was a tangible thing.

"I will do what you ask Karl. First thing in the morning, I promise."

Karlstor or Karl's Gate is a triumphal arch in honor of Prince Elector Karl Theodor built in 1775-1781 and located on Heidelberg's east side.

Altstadt or Old Town is the oldest part of Heidelberg and is very beautiful.

The Old Bridge was built in 1786 and was originally part of the town wall. The Wehrmacht blew up the bridge when they retreated from the city on March 29, 1945.