Two for Tea
Stalag 13
November, 1944
Day 6
"Vocalists?" Klink repeated, looking at Reigels and Anna who were seated across from his desk. "What does Major Miller think Stalag 13 is? The Copenhagen School of Music?"
"Well, if you don't believe there are any prisoners here who would be able to assist I'm sure there are Kommandant's of other Stalags who would be more than willing to help..." Reigels said.
Klink chuckled nervously. "I was merely trying to make a joke..uh—Unteroffizier! Tell the prisoners there will be a roll call in five minutes!"
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant!" the Unteroffizier replied and turned, leaving Klink's office.
Klink looked back at Reigels and Anna with more nervous chuckling. "Uh..." He stood up and stepped around the side of his desk. "I happen to know that several of the prisoners here take part in small choirs and acappella singing. I'm sure we will have no problem finding singers for the Major."
"Very good, Colonel," Reigels said.
"You know, if I may ask...is there any possibility that I could be of any assistance with this broadcast?"
Anna turned in her chair to look at Klink, with a little alarm. "Colonel Klink, don't tell me you sing?"
"Oh no no!" Klink replied with a laugh. "Well, I've done a little singing here and there, but certainly not of the level that would be required for this very important broadcast. No, I was thinking perhaps I could assist with the announcing duties?"
"The Propaganda Ministry appreciates your wanting to help but it will not be necessary," Reigels said. "We will be having Major Miller do most of the announcing during the broadcast."
"Major Miller? Will he be speaking German?"
"Some German. Some English also, as we will be broadcasting the program to London as well."
"I see. Are you sure you would not want some one else to speak the German while Major Miller speaks English?"
Reigels smiled as he and Anna stood up from their seats. "Your willingness to help with the broadcast is commendable, Herr Kommandant. But I assure we are well prepared. Now...the vocalists?"
Klink looked disappointed. "Yes, the vocalists..." He headed for the door with Reigels and Anna following.
Being the only two to volunteer, much to Klink's chagrin, Newkirk and Carter were brought to Klink's office before being taken to Düsseldorf.
"Just two of you?" Klink said. "But there are several of you whom I've heard sing, I don't understand this."
"Well sir," Newkirk explained, "some of the lads are a little under the weather, their voices aren't sounding all that good right now. And some of the others I think are really intimidated by the idea of singing for Major Miller."
"Yeah," Carter added. "He's real particular you know. Very disciplined." He waved his thumb between himself and Newkirk. "He may not even like us!"
"Unfortunately, Major Miller does not have the luxury to be choosy," Reigels said. "He will have to settle for the two of you. Assuming of course, you can sing..."
"Of course we can sing!" Carter replied. "Why else would we volunteer??"
Newkirk nudged Carter with his elbow. "We could be volunteering just to get the special privileges."
"Well I would think we better be able to carry a tune in a bucket or else we won't get anything." Carter looked at Reigels. "Right?"
Reigels nodded.
"See?" Carter looked at Newkirk now. "Boy they're gonna find out we can sing!"
"Hauptmann Reigels," Klink said, "I can assure that these men can sing. I've heard them."
"Very well," Reigels said. He looked at the two prisoners. "Let us be going now..."
Carter and Newkirk turned and started for the door. Together, they started to sing: "Over there! Over there! Send the word, send the word, over there!..." as they marched out of Klink's office.
Düsseldorf Radio Station
DüsseldorfGermany
November 1944
Day 6
With two hours left of rehearsal time, Miller called for a break. Hans and Ahren took a chance and approached Major Miller. It seemed like the American Colonel was around the bandleader all the time, pulling him off to the side and talking to him in hushed tones. Although the boys were suspicious, they figured it might have something to do with the Major attempting to escape the other night. The Colonel could have been telling the Major one of two things: How to do it right the next time, or to not do it again.
The boys were figuring the Colonel told him don't do it again, given that there had been no indication of any escape attempt the night before. Although Erik had been pretty shaken up by being singled out the day before, he and all of the boys knew that Major Miller could not, and should not, remain in Germany. If there was an opportunity for him to escape he should take it. They would face whatever they had to from the Gestapo for it. They had all faced much before.
With the American Colonel talking to the other two prisoners, Hans and Ahren approached Miller at the front of the bandstand. "Herr Miller?"
Miller looked up at the two. He saw both the seriousness and the concern on the young faces.
"Can we speak with you for a moment?" Ahren asked.
"Sure."
Hans' head moved slightly, indicating that he and Ahren wanted their own off to the side conversation. The boys then walked back towards the risers of the bandstand and Miller followed. When they stopped and turned back to him, he quietly asked, "What's wrong?"
"Herr Miller," Hans started, "did you... try to escape last night?"
Miller paused looking between the two. Although he was surprised by the question, he knew he shouldn't have been. The whole band had seen what happened the day before when Reigels tried to make Erik take the punishment for Miller's escape attempt. There was no hiding there had been an attempt. But there had been no attempt last night....
Miller's look was concerned as he answered. "No. Why, did Hochstetter or Reigels try something?"
The boys shook their heads. "Nein. We were just wondering." Ahren said.
"Oh. No, I didn't try to escape last night."
"Why not?" Hans asked.
Miller was caught off guard by Hans' tone. The boy wasn't merely wondering....he was practically demanding. "Well, because I had visitors. First was Hochstetter, who tried to take me to his Gestapo jail and then Reigels showed up, spoiling Hochstetter's plan."
"You were questioned by them?" Ahren asked.
"No. Hochstetter hardly said anything to me, he let his goons with the gun---er, his guards with the guns do the talking. Reigels came around to discuss the broadcast."
The boys nodded. "Herr Miller," Hans said, "we know you must try to escape. We know you should not be here. Please don't let us stop you from getting away from here."
"We will take whatever punishment the Gestapo and Reigels give, just as long as you make it safely back to England," Ahren added.
Miller was stunned. It took a moment for him to find his voice. "You boys don't know what you're saying..."
"Yes, we do," Hans said. "You should not be here. Therefore, you must leave here. Soon..."
The studio doors suddenly clicked open and Hauptmann Reigels entered with Carter and Newkirk.
Hogan turned from his conversation with LeBeau and Kinch and made eye contact with Miller. Before the Major could excuse himself from the boys, Hans gently touched his arm. The young boy's eyes were serious as he looked at Miller. "Remember," he said, "you must..."
Miller hesitated and then nodded. Not so much because he agreed with leaving them behind to take the punishment but agreeing with the urgency in getting out of the place. Of all of them getting out of the place.
Miller stepped away from the boys and came to the middle of the studio. "Nice of them to be timely," Hogan said quietly, coming to stand next to Major Miller. Reigels approached with Carter and Newkirk.
"Major Miller," Reigels said, "these were the only two prisoners to volunteer. Will two be sufficient?"
"Two will be fine. I wasn't expecting a choir."
Reigels gave a curt nod. "Very well." He turned to Carter and Newkirk. "The Propaganda Ministry thanks you for volunteering."
"Oh no sir," Newkirk said with a smile. "Thank you..."
Reigels wasn't sure he cared for the Englander's tone. He eye Newkirk warily before turning to leave with Anna.
"Charming lot," Newkirk muttered before turning back to face the Colonel and Major Miller. Carter came up directly to the Major with a wide eyed grin. "You really are Glenn Miller!"
"Carter..." Hogan said.
"Oh, sorry sir." Carter stepped back and saluted Major Miller. "You really are Glenn Miller. Sir."
Miller chuckled and returned a salute to the young airman. "Yes, I am. Although previously I've tried to deny it."
"Major Glenn Miller, Sergeant Andrew Carter," Hogan said.
Miller extended a hand and shook hands with the sergeant. "Nice to meet you."
"It's an honor to meet you, sir," Carter said. "I've got several of your records back home. I even saw ya in person once, just before I went into the service. And I saw you in Sun Valley Serenade." Carter paused. "Haven't seen Orchestra Wives yet."
"Uh Carter?" Hogan spoke up.
"Sorry, sir." Carter smiled at the Major and stepped back.
"Major.... Corporal Peter Newkirk."
Newkirk smiled and shook Miller's hand. "I'm with Andrew tho', it's an honor to meet you sir."
"You going to gush like Carter did?" Hogan joked.
"Uh, no sir." Newkirk grinned and stepped back. He then leaned forward a bit. "But I could."
Major Miller stood with Colonel Hogan, LeBeau and Kinch as the young musicians were led out of the studio first by the Gestapo guard. As they had done for the previous two days, each band member looked at the Major and nodded, bidding him good night. He nodded back and said "Gute nacht," for all of them. Hans and Ahren spoke more formally. "Guten Abend, Herr Miller," each of them said. In each of their faces, Miller saw the honor and the sense of a salute. They were saying more than just good night. They were taking the opportunity to say goodbye, knowing if there was a chance for the Major to escape he should take it.
Once the boys were gone, Miller turned to Hogan. The Colonel had a small smile on his face and was tucking something into his brown bomber jacket.
"We'll stop by and see you later at the hotel."
"What?"
"Some more rehearsal," Hogan answered with a wink. He then saluted the Major and Miller saluted back. The Colonel and his men then turned as Schultz was approaching to lead them off.
"You gonna count us, Schultzie?" Newkirk asked. "You should have five..."
"Jolly joker," Schultz replied. "Rouse." He pointed to the door. The heroes obliged and marched, single file out of the studio. It was then that Miller realized what Hogan had been tucking into his bomber jacket.
Sheet music.
As they drove back to Stalag 13, Hogan pulled the sheet music out of his jacket. He turned in the passenger seat at the front of the truck to face the heroes who were in the back of the truck. "Okay fellas, this song here. I think we're going to have to really work on it to make it good for tomorrow...."
Schultz glanced away from the road ahead of him and saw what Hogan had. "Ah ah ah! Where did you get that?!"
"Major Miller," Hogan replied.
"Major Miller?? He is not supposed to be letting you have any of the things for the broadcast!" Schultz snatched the sheet music away from the Colonel.
"The sheet music?? C'mon Schultz, it's not like we just stole Hitler's memoirs!"
Schultz brought the truck to a stop at the side of the road. "This is the property of the Propaganda Ministry and you dangerous prisoners are not supposed to have any of this stuff."
"Schultz, like having a copy of the sheet music for "Perfidia" is going to change the course of the war! C'mon..." Hogan reached out for the sheet music but Schultz held it out of reach.
"Nein! We will go back to Düsseldorf and return this to the Major."
"All the way back to Düsseldorf just to return some sheet music?? Schultz, that's ridiculous!"
"We will go back to Düsseldorf." Schultz put the truck in gear and turned it around in the middle of the road and they headed back to Düsseldorf.
Hogan held back his grin. This was going better than he thought. Now to convince Schultz that once they got to Düsseldorf, they should stay for a bit to work out the song with the Major.