The Encounter

Georg didn't know Maria had prayed that day she had seen Rolf.

Dear God, please tell me what to do. I pray every day for protection against evil yet I feel it is closer to me than ever before. Here on my knees, I pray for your protection so I can find the life I was meant to live. Amen.

The day after seeing Rolf, Maria had gone into the shop early; she had wanted to finish all the pieces of embroidery she had been given. It was late afternoon when she said a tearful goodbye to Hattie and the others who worked there.

She had assured everyone that she would be fine. She was going to take a train to Tirol and spend some time in the village where she grew up.

"Shalom, Maria, and remember the Lord is always with you."

"Thank you, Hattie, peace be with you too. And yes, I do know the Lord is with me."

And Maria had no idea how much she would need the Lord when she would come face to face with evil.

Once Maria had stepped out of the shop she didn't look back. Soon she was out of Hattie's sight. She had turned the corner. Her walk was pensive; she didn't notice the group of boys, all dressed in the uniform of Hitler's Youth Army, in front of her. She heard the voice of the boy she had met in Salzburg Square with Liesl.

"There she is, the Captain's mistress. If we get her, we'll all score points with Gauleiter Zeller."

She saw them come closer. Maria felt her heart racing like a runaway train as she surveyed her surroundings. She knew she could neither flee nor fight.

Rolf spoke again. "You're coming with us."

The other boys began to pull and prod her along. "Stop touching me!" Maria yelled. "I'm not going to run away."

"Then walk faster. Our accomplice is waiting for us."

Maria obeyed. She thought Rolf had a gun in his pocket. The boys didn't walk very far. They had stopped a few meters from an apartment building.

"Hermann, go in and be sure the way is clear."

Hermann shouted from the top step. "All clear, bring her in."

Once she was inside, one of the boys opened the door to the cellar. "Your overnight quarters are waiting for you."

After walking down the stairs, another door was opened and Rolf pushed Maria inside. "We'll be back in the morning with Gauleiter Zeller. You're going to be bait for your Captain."

All of them left laughing and Maria heard the bolt move into place. She didn't panic; she was immediately on her knees praying.

"Lord, I'm not afraid. I know you are here with me. I believe with all my heart you will provide a way out of this room. I know this isn't part of your plan for me. I truly believe that when a door closes a window will open."

By now Maria's eyes had adjusted to the dimly lit room. She could see items in the room, buckets, a pile of brown sturdy bags with handles and two shovels with extra-large scoops.

She spoke out loud to the empty room. "Those shovels remind me of the shovels I used at the Abbey for scooping coal. There must be a coal bin near-by." Her eyes saw another door.

"I bet that's to the coal bin."

Maria opened it slightly and the smell of coal confirmed what it was. It was empty of coal since it was only the middle of August.

Again she had to let her eyes adjust to the darker room. Soon she saw a sliver of light.

"That must be the opening for the delivery men. Maybe it's a way out." She continued to speak to the empty room; it gave her confidence. "Let me have a look."

When she did, she found a good size opening. The metal doors opened into the room. Maria wondered if they opened into an alley. She pulled both open at the same time and confirmed that was true. And the alley was empty; no cars or trucks and not a single person were in sight.

"Lord, thank you, this is my open window."

Being of a tiny frame, Maria was easily able to shimmy her way through the opening even though the doors closed against her. As she felt for the ground, she used her hands to walk on as the rest of her body emerged. She was able to slowly pull one leg out and rest it on the ground. And almost simultaneously she pulled the other out and then turned over and sat on the ground for a few seconds.

Maria could see and hear cars passing the entrance to the alley. She stood; straightened her dress and walked in that direction. She paused as the last car went by.

Now she had only a couple of blocks to walk to the boarding house. No one was at the desk to see her enter. She had to take time for a quick bath; she knew she smelled like coal and had a few smudges on her face and arms.

Maria didn't have a lot to pack. With her carpet bag in one hand and her guitar in the other she set out for the train station. Her destination was her home in Tirol. Where she would try and find the life she was meant to live.

…∞∞∞…

Georg had returned home despondent but determined to find Maria. He had to make a plan to visit Tirol.

As soon as he had parked the car in the back of the villa, he went looking for his children. He didn't find them; he found Elsa. He asked about them.

"Thank God Isabel walked with them to see the horses. Can we talk about our wedding?"

"Not now Elsa, I need to make a phone call."

"Of course, darling, I'm in no hurry."

Georg knew there was one person who could help him find Maria. His name was Sidney Shriver. He was Georg's co-commander on his last mission. He never married; instead he had bought a lodge close to a seminary for priests. The lodge was in Tirol.

Georg shut the door to his study and placed the call. "Sidney, I'm surprised you answered the phone. Where's your desk clerk?"

Georg, what a surprise, I've closed the lodge. The German soldiers have chased all my paying customers away. Georg, I've heard their talk. Something tells me we need to leave soon. I'm not about to accept any orders from the German Navy and I know you aren't either. Can I come to your villa?

"Sidney, I'm not going to marry Elsa. I don't know what I was thinking when I proposed. The children try to like her but I know they're not happy. You can stay at the Bristol Hotel; I can make some excuse to meet you there."

All right, I'll call you when I arrive there.

"Very well, then we can make a plan."

Now it was Georg who had to pretend. He was pondering how to break his engagement to Elsa.

The next afternoon Elsa was exasperated with the children. She yelled at them. "I'm not your governess; stop harassing me. I'm never going to play with you."

That was enough for Georg. "Children, please go inside. You can ask Katia for some lemonade and cookies."

They did as he asked. Liesl and Friedrich both looked back to see their father standing, glaring at Elsa with his arms folded.

"He's angry, Friedrich. We better get inside."

Actually, he was livid. "How dare you speak to my children that way!"

"I'm not their governess and I don't plan on being their mother either. You have a choice, Georg. It's either me or them."

"That's an easy choice. I'll find a mother for them. Elsa, our engagement is off. I also know we differ politically too. I doubt you would leave with me if the Germans want me for their navy."

"Never, I'll pack my bags. I don't mind taking the late train back to Vienna."

"Very well, I'll tell Franz to bring the car to the front of the villa."

Elsa wasted no time in packing. By the time she did the children had consumed their lemonade and cookies. They had gone out the kitchen door and walked around front. They heard this exchange.

"You should come with me, Franz. I know you support the Germans."

"Not any more Elsa. What Hitler is doing to the Jewish people defies a civilized person. From all reports they're being treated like animals. I had only hoped for a better economy for Austria under his socialist party."

"I don't see any way to stop it; just as there's no way to stop the earth from revolving around the sun. I don't plan on changing my life; I still have friends who think as I do."

Franz shut the car door after Elsa was seated and drove away. Neither spoke as he drove her to the train station behind the pasture.

Liesl reminded her brothers and sisters. "We can't ever repeat what we heard. Father might be angry; he may think we were eavesdropping."

"The world sure is complicated these days."

"It is Kurt. We must be happy and upbeat around Father."

They didn't know their father would make it easy for them to be upbeat and happy. They had walked back to the veranda. He hadn't gone anywhere. He immediately asked. "What do you want to play?"

"Will you play Freeze Tag with us?"

"Of course I will; but you need to teach me how to play."

"It's easy, Father. Even Gretl and I can play. When the IT person touches you, you must stand still and don't move."

"Sounds like fun, Marta. Now who's going to be IT?"

"I will, Father. I'll give you to the count of five to run away."

Georg knew he could easily out run Kurt, but he didn't, although he was the last to be frozen.

Max had been in town. He heard it all from Franz when he returned. He saw the very happy scene. He was only a tad bit sad it hadn't worked out with Elsa.