Have you ever sat in a CVS Pharmacy and sobbed? Up until today, I
had not either. But listen..... you would have been right there with
me!
I have a sore throat. Had it for the last week.
No fever, no congestion, no nothing, but some overly large tonsils.
With tonsils, you get either bacterial or viral tonsillitis. With
bacterial they give you antibiotics and with viral they don't because
the medications will not work on viral stuff.
So if you
are not in too much distress, wait it out. After a week and two days, I
got tired of being cautious when I ate, choosing soft foods that would
not scratch on the way down.. So the doc gave me a prescription just
because. Of course the insurance for some reason decided that I didn't
need it. I spent the last two days between the pharmacy and the insurance people totally exasperated just trying to get my
prescription. Well I won, and went to the drug store to pick it up
after lunch.
I met this gentleman that made all this
frustration totally worth what I went through so I could be at the same place
he was today. He was an amazing person and his story overwhelming.
He said that even Hollywood would not believe it. He may have been right, but I would like to see them try to make it as moving as he told it to me.
His
father was born in Germany, his mother in France. They came to America
and met and married. He was accepted into medical school when he was
16. They did that in those days. He was fluent in both French and
German and of course American.
As World War II
continued in Europe, and America opened its eyes and joined in, he had a
deferment because of medical school. But at some point the government
cancelled all deferments and he was drafted and he left his childhood
sweetheart to fight. He served in General Patton's 3rd Army Command.
It was during this time he met a beautiful blonde German girl who
brought eggs and pastries to the American men. He, like all the men,
was enamored by her.
The war raged on and then came
time to return to medical school and his love. They married. He found
after being in the horrors of war, he had seen too much blood and death
and he no longer wanted to have a life in it. So he applied to
engineering school. After graduation he was hired by Kaiser and spent
his career and marriage having children in the beautiful cities of
Europe -- Paris, London, Stuttgart, Amsterdam, Moscow and into the
capitals of Africa-- Cairo, Johannesburg, Kampala, Nairobi. He retired
and they all moved to Baton Rouge. There used to be a large Kaiser
plant here, 30 years ago.
But in Stuttgart he ran
into the beautiful blonde German girl from the war. He knew her
instantly. Paul and his wife socialized with Freda and her beaus all
over Europe. They were all good friends, but only good friends. He
knew he could not have taken it further; he was after all, just a man.
He
retired and brought his family home to the US and the settled in Baton
Rouge. There used to be a huge Kaiser plant here 30 years ago. The
children married, had families of their own and had grandchildren even.
There
was never a day, he says, that the beautiful blonde German girl didn't
walk across his mind. He is quick to add, he was never unfaithful to his
wife. Ever.
His wife had been diagnosed with lupus
20 years ago. A the disease progressed she lost function in both of
her kidneys and eventually her eyes. He would carry her in his arms to
dialysis, and carry her back to the car and in the house. He sat
with her and read her books from the greats of literature. He would
gently put grandchildren, then great grandchildren into the bed next to
her. Three years ago she lost the will to fight. His wife of 64 years
whispered to him, I am dying. I want to go to hospice.
He took her.
He
sat with her for a week, holding her hand and reading to her so she
could hear his voice. then she tells him, I will be gone in two days.
We need to talk.
She says, you are young and healthy still. You must promise me to remarry.
Astounded, he says, but I am 90 years old. Who would I marry?
Rita,
she says. You must find Rita again. He is speechless. How could she
have know, he wonders. But she knew. She told him that every day he
stayed with her, it was a gift to her. And she knew the depth of his
love for her. But now he must go find the beautiful blonde German girl.
A
month later, his sister called him to say that Rita was flying into the
Baton Rouge Airport. Did he want to pick her up or should she send a
grandson. Oh, he was shocked, but he was there when her plane landed at
9 PM.
He told me that was the only he has ever lied
to a woman. He told her that the headlights on his car were not working
well enough to drive to Mandeville to his sisters home. They would have
to stay in a hotel! And they did1
Rita still lives in
Germany, Paul in Baton Rouge. They meet four times a year for 6
weeks. They travel, they live and they love.
It was such a joy to meet this man today.
Have
you ever sat there in CVS Pharmacy and sobbed? I spent half the time
wiping tears from my eyes and the other half amazed at his words. He
really does need to tell his story to Hollywood. It would not have fast
action, wild effects or scary monsters devouring the earth. But it
would be the amazing story of one man's love, two women's love and the
world of their lives.
Wow, what a story. It reminds me of the movie, 'Same Time, Next Year' but better!
ReplyDelete(Sigh) that is beautiful - what a precious man - thank you for sharing . They don't make men like that anymore
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing his story -- hope you feel better soon!!!!
ReplyDelete