"It is always more difficult to fight against faith than against knowledge." – Adolf Hitler
As I approached my family home, Mein Vati shouted to me.
"Hannelore! Hurry! We need to talk, now!" He yelled. My father was a bit of a control freak. I still loved him of course, so I sang his praises. I picked up my speed and got home in no time.
I went up on the front porch. "Ja, Vati," I said, partially winded.
"Party in two and a half hours, the house, luckily, is cleaned and now all I need is food. Can you make some steak and potato salad? It's just a few men helping me plan the campaign. And by the way, thanks for writing those speeches," he said, rubbing the top of my head and then walking back inside.
"You're welcome!" I called after him, chuckling lightly. I unbuckled the straps on my shoes and slid them off and left them on the patio.
I walked into the house and through the landing. It was filled with all of my father's artwork from when he was an aspiring youth. Times changed, Elva had me, and then left my father and I. Mein Vati still has yet to explain why. I walked past the dining hall, and the living room, past the winding stair case and into the kitchen and prepared the men a supper. About an hour and a half in, I heard my father open the door and the footsteps of a bunch of hearty and hungry men.
I placed the final steak on the fifth plate and called for my dad.
"Vati! Where are we eating?" I asked, balancing the plates in my arms.
"Ah, dining room. Business first, then fun," he said, tapping my nose and taking two plates. I placed my three plates in front of Georg, Hans and Erik.
"Let me grab the potato salad," I said, my voice fading off as a power walked back to the kitchen, grabbed the potato salad and walked back to the dining room. I placed it on the table. "Beer, gentleman?"
They all nodded in agreement. I walked back into the kitchen and filled up three mugs and placed them on the table, walked back to the kitchen again and filled the final three.
"Anything else, Vati?" I asked, politely as possible.
He shook his head and walked back to the men. I stood in the kitchen and listened to them rejoice as my father walked in. I smiled and walked up stairs to my rather big room for a child.
I plopped down on my bed and looked around. My walls were filled with Picasso and my father's campaign posters. My vanity set was about 100 years old and my tea table and chair set were about 50 years old. My cat, Homer, hopped on my bed and cuddled next to my leg. I felt his warm and hairy body through my thin dress. I reached my hand over and gently rubbed his head. Purring poured from his kitty lips.
After a long while of reading, writing and studying, mein Vati called for me.
"Hannelore!" he yelled. "Come here!"
I got up and walked down stairs, the cat on my tail. "Ja, Vati?" I said.
"The men and I are going outside and taking a walk. Fresh air is stimulating." he said, puffing out his chest. "I'll be back around 11." he deflated and kissed my cheek and walked away.
I sat on the top stair. "Unbelievable." I said, covering my face. "Him and his stupid friends," I said petting the cat. "I feel neglected sometimes." I stood up slowly and walked to the living room. I turned on the radio and listened to a few radio shows. The pain of life always seemed to disappear when I listened to the radio. With the cat curled up on my lap I nearly fell asleep half way through the show, but I was awoken from my lazy slumber with a shout from my father. I set the cat on the chair and I walked to the door. There outside stood my dad bloody, bruised, and laughing.
"Vati!" I yelled. "What the hell happened?"
He looked at me and laughed. "I am drunker than a skunk," he said, high-fiving Hans. My father braced himself and Georg charged at him. They wrestled like the Austrian drunks they were. My dad threw Georg to the ground and Georg returned with powerful blows to his my dad's face.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I shouted, running over to their sides. "I think it's time to stop and for you men to go home," I said, placing my hands in the grass.
They ignored me.
"You guys!" I yelled.
Suddenly, I felt Georg's fist in my mouth. I flew back five feet and I hit my head. I slowly raised my shaky hand and felt my mouth. Blood was slowly pouring out of it. I looked up at my dad. "FUCK OFF!" I yelled. I wiped off some blood and stormed in the house. I gently covered my mouth and walked into the bathroom.
My father was quick to follow. "Hannelore…," he said quietly, peering into the bathroom. "I am so sorry. The guys and I… we were having fun," he said, partially smiling.
"Dad, this happens when ever you hang out with them!" I practically yelled. I turned on the sink and placed a rag underneath it and soaked up some warm water and dabbed it on my tore gum and lip. "They need to go and you need to sober up." I looked at him. "What are you waiting for?"
He put his head down and walked out. I investigated my cuts. They were surprisingly small. Who knew so much blood could come from something so small? I touched my gum. The bleeding had stopped. I rinsed off the rag and threw it in the laundry hamper and waited outside the bathroom for my father to come.
After about five minutes, he finally walked in. "Hannelore, I need to be cleaned up…" he said quietly.
I nodded my head and directed him into the bathroom. "Vati, sit on the toilet," I said pulling out a rag. I turned on the faucet and let the water run warm while I looked at his cuts. He had a rather large gash on his right arm and his right cheek. Otherwise, his face was covered in specs of dirt and dried blood. I dampened the rag and wiped all the dirt off his face. "Vati, you need to focus more," I said, rising off the rag and wiping him up some more. "The election is coming soon and your ill-prepared. Vati, I want you to win."
He looked up from his mud-caked pant legs. "You do?" he asked, innocently.
I started to bandage up his cheek. "Of course I do. I only want the best for you." I said, taping down a piece of gauze.
"Hannelore, what do you say, we head to Munich next weekend?" he asked.
I laughed and cleaned out his wound on his right arm. "Don't forget. Remember, you're drunk right now," I said, laughing and placing a piece of gauze down and taping it. I washed my hands and clapped them together. "All done!"
Mein Vati stood up and shook my hand. "Pleasure doing business," he said, ducking out of the bathroom.
I sighed and left. I turned off the light and headed up stairs. I changed into some comfy pajamas and headed to bed for the evening.