 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
Upstarts
I don't know how they managed this magnificent menu, since I am sure they had
been on short rations for a long time, but we accepted it gratefully and told ourselves that
we didn't want to hurt their feelings by refusing.
The actions of the first peasants we offered cigarettes to was typical. They were
proud people, and their etiquette demanded that they avoid any appearance of asking for
something that was not freely offered.
Even the children were indoctrinated. We were used to the English kids' "Got any
gum, chum?" and the French "Cigarette pour Papa?" Even the German children, despite
the prohibition on fraternization, occasionally had put in a timid "Schokolate?" But not
these Czech youngsters.
By way of example, if you were surrounded by English "gum chums" and handed
one of them a package of gum (five sticks) he would open the pack and share with four
friends. A French lad would snatch it and run like hell with his friends in hot pursuit. I
don't know what a German would do, but a Czech kid would refuse it until offered again.
One day the fire direction crew took advantage of the lull to clean out the interior
of the truck, with a gaggle of local eight-to-ten-year-olds as fascinated spectators. There
was a box into which unwanted items of K- and C-rations had been tossed, and in
straightening out the contents, someone inadvertently let a chocolate bar fall off the
tailgate of the truck.
One of the youngsters retrieved it and solemnly stretched to hand it back up to the
soldier in the truck.
I don't know who suggested that there be a dance in our honor, but everyone was
enthusiastic about the idea. It was a street dance, since the weather was fine and there
were no buildings of suitable size. The lights were dim, but blackout was not complete:
nobody was worried about aerial attack now. The dancing ranged from Czech matrons
teaching GIs native folk dances to GIs teaching Czech matrons to jitterbug.
Note the term Czech matrons. There was almost no one in the village in the
eighteen-to-forty age bracket. All the young people had been taken away to serve in the
armed forces or in factories supporting the war effort. So romantic interludes between
townspeople and guests were rare if not non-existent, but friendship and fun were warm.
The first dance was so successful that we had one every night we were there.
Some of the dancers became proficient at the cross-cultural dances, and most of us
learned to hum along with the folk songs the people sang. One of them in particular had a
very catchy tune. Unfortunately, according to some Germans I met later, the SS had
picked up the melody, written some raunchy words for it, and made it their own.
226
|
 |
|