PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

Leanne,
We lived in Berlin when the wall went up in 1961.  We were stationed there
from 60 to 63.  I was 5-6 yrs old at the time.  We lived for a year in a
huge house in the German section that had been a former Nazi officers house.
It was beautiful with a sweeping staircase in a 2 story  foyer.  It was so
high my brother would shoot his toy rockets off inside and they wouldn't hit
the ceiling.  We moved closer to other American the next year.  About that
time the wall went up.  It went up over night.  The East Germans caddying
for the generals at the army golf course said they couldn't come back
because they were putting a wall up that night.  And there it was.

My brother and I probably did not appreciate Europe.  My mother said we had
our noses in a comic book the whole time we traveled.  We would groan every
time we stopped at another church or walled city,  I remember important
landmarks by what happened instead of the landmark itself.  I remember the
Last Supper because we locked our keys in the car in the rain,  The painting
was so dark and the church cold and damp.  They were in the middle of
restoring it I think.  I understand that is much brighter now.  Sistine
Chapel my neck hurt.  Rothenburg (walled city) the beautiful 15th century
canopy bed I was to sleep in but got scared.  I thought since it was so old
it would fall on me in the night and crush me. 400 years and it never fell?
Hey I was 8.I felt like a princess for a few hours.

We camped when we traveled and set up in the dark one night only to find ourselves among
headstones in the morning.  

I remember seeing  Kennedy when he came to
Berlin and made his famous statement -Ich bin ein Berliner.

We moved back to the States for 4 years Then moved back to Frankfurt,
Germany.  Our appreciation was not any better.  We tried to carry on an
American life, football ,teen clubs, Fourth of July, American movies (Not
Easy Rider we had to go to a German theater to see it In English thanks
heavens) all during a very turbulent time 67-70.  My brother graduated HS I
was in Jr. HI.  I got my news about Vietnam throught the Stars &Stripes The
Military Newspaper.  We really didn't know what was happening.  I missed a
lot of great TV shows but did get to see some dubbed in German.  High Noon
in German GAry Cooper( ?)  walks into the Saloon and says And I'm spelling
literally now cuz Ive lost my German knowledge" Waz ist los in de Guesthaus
" I dont know,  its just not the same.

I know you are disappointed that you made the decision not to go to Rome but
you did get to go to Japan!  Not many can say that.  My older brother was
born in Japan.  All the neighbors kids came over to see him and were
suprized he had round eyes.  My folks were stationed there five years
1947-1952.  My Dad was sent to Korean during that time and my mom stayed
there to be close to him.  A lot of wives went home but my mom loved it
there. My Dad was a Dentist and served in a MASH hospital.  He says he
doesn't remember any nurses that looked like the ones on the TV show.
Things were so primitive he would do his dentistry sometimes on the hood of
a jeep.

I love talking about my childhood Thanks for asking.  I went to Rome A lot
of old buildings  Groan not another church! But I though Pompeii was cool
and the collisium was great for a youngster to run around and get her energy
out.

Gotta go and pick up kids.

Did you hear from the 1980 plate lady I think I might have bid on that one.
I'll send some $ if you still want to sell them all.  I was kind a waiting
to see if the 1980 was sold .
Daughter home gotta run
Much love
Debbie I didnt spell ck the last bit!

-----Original Message-----
From: leanne watson
To: Deborah T Johnson
Date: Saturday, May 29, 1999 3:46 AM
Subject: Me again!

>Debbie:
>
>Sorry to bother you again but in one of your e-mails you mentioned living
in
>Europe.  Where did you live?  I've never been there before, but the rest of
>my family have been there numerous times.  My dad tried to talk me into
>going to school in Rome for my last 2 years of high school so he could
>finish his seminary studies there.  Silly teenager, I didn't want to leave
>all of my friends!  I now keep in contact with 2 of these "life long
>friends".  What an experience that would have been!
>
>I have been to Japan.  The summer before my junior year, I went to visit my
>sister who was living in Tokoyo.  It was a great city to visit.  I was
there
>for 3 weeks but I would have loved to stay!  I was offered a modeling job
>while I was there.  My sister was very quick to make sure I didn't get a
>"big head" and explained that it's very common for this to happen to anyone
>with blonde hair and blue eyes! :)
>
>Well, I'll sign off for now.  I just wanted to ask you about your life in
>Europe.
>
>Leanne
>