Excerpt from Faraway Eyes, a work in progress copyright Bernie Schultz

 06 - Two Men, A Trumpet And A Gypsy

Ivan was in the garage, working on one of the cars, when he saw Greta approaching with that boy from next door. He wiped his oil stained hands with an even oilier rag, and waved to her. When she was in the garage and standing before him she looked at him with deadly earnestness in her eyes. Ivan recognized that look as one he had seen in her mother's eyes the day the Russians came to Budapest.

“Ivan. I need you to tell Eddie the story you told me about my parents.” Greta said.

Ivan looked back at Greta, trying to summon some earnestness of his own. “Now, my dear child. You know I'm not supposed to tell that story to anyone who is not part of the Family.”

“But, you don't understand, Ivan. Eddie and I are in love.” Greta said, taking Eddie's hand in hers and squeezing it tightly.

“Ahhhhh. I see. That does change things, doesn't it? Well, I will tell you the story again, so that your companion will know what sort of girl he is falling in love with.” Ivan chuckled. They were barely 13. Whatever it was they were up to, and he sensed that something was going on, it was a bit too soon to be love.

Ivan pulled a wooden crate over to sit upon, and launched into a tale that Eddie would probably not understand.

It was 1941. World War two had begun a few years ago. Many nations were involved or were becoming involved. Many people's lives were changed, their ideals questioned and re-evaluated. Many things that we had all taken for granted now became secondary and we all had to adapt to new situations.

Our story begins with a man named Felix Konig, a corporal in the Wehrmacht....what you would call the German army. Felix had come to the Cafe de Paris, a popular jazz cafe in London. He liked to play the trumpet and had played here a few times. But, Felix had recently learned that wanting to be a jazz musician and wanting to play jazz were not the same thing. So, Felix had decided that being a jazz trumpeter was not for him and he decided to sell his horn. A friend of his had a friend who knew a girl who knew a guy who was looking for a horn. And that's how Felix Konig met Roberto Canavar.

Ivan saw how Eddie's attention was roused by the mention of Roberto and he surmised that his being here in this garage, listening to the tale of Greta's parents, had something to do with the recent disappearance of Roberto Canavar.

Their meeting was to be brief, just long enough to complete the transaction, and then Felix planned to return to Budapest. They were sitting at a table outside the cafe. A jazz quintet had just finished its set and was packing its gear into the back of a dusty jeep. Their lead singer was a tall, slender, sensual redhead wearing a green sequined dress and a pink shawl. Felix was instantly and acutely aware of how stunning she looked and he wondered if, after the sale, he might be able to buy her a drink.

Roberto was examining the trumpet when the green-eyed lady in the even greener dress sauntered over to their table. She focused those sparkling green eyes on Roberto. She placed a long french-looking cigarette between her sensuous red lips and said, "Hey there, bugle boy. Can you light my fire?"

Roberto never even looked up from his examination of the horn. "I don't play with matches and therefore I do not light fires. And it's not a bugle. It's a Stradivarius trumpet. Now if you don't mind, could you go interrupt someone else."

Felix chuckled. This Roberto fellow was either married or gay. No matter. His refusal to acknowledge the lady gave Felix the opening he needed. He stood up and tipped his fedora at the lady. "I believe I can light that for you."

He reached into the pocket of his trousers and produced a box of wooden matches. He lit one and cupped it in his hand as the lady with the sparkling green eyes leaned forward to light her cigarette. As she did so, she glanced at him. Her eyes sparkled even greener and Felix knew he wanted more.

"Perhaps we could have a drink after I'm done here. It shouldn't be too long." Felix inquired.

"I certainly hope not. I'm feeling very thirsty," replied the lady with the sparkling green eyes.

Roberto had finished his study of the trumpet. He remarked that it was in excellent condition and he agreed to purchase it for the price they had agreed upon. After completing the transaction, Roberto departed the cafe.

Felix and the green-eyed lady had that drink. Then they decided to go outside the cafe, to smoke a cigarette and look at the night sky. It wasn't so foggy that night. As they talked, they walked.

The green-eyed lady introduced herself as Gretchen and spoke briefly of being born into a poor Romanian family, of discovering at the age of ten that she could sing, of leaving home at sixteen, joining up with a band of gypsies and finally being here, tonight, still with the gypsies.

Gretchen asked Felix to speak about his past and how he came to be here tonight, selling his trumpet to that rude but handsome man. Felix started to speak but then they heard the whine of the siren, and the distant roar of approaching bombers, sounds that reminded them of the reality of their world.

At first, they thought to go back to the cafe, but Felix had a room at a hotel on this street and, luckily, it was in the basement level, so they headed there instead. Felix felt a shiver as he remembered their decision not to seek refuge in the cafe. For the cafe was one of the bombers targets. Two bombs went down a ventilation shaft and exploded in the basement of the cafe, where the stage was. Everyone in that room died instantly. Outside, there were only wounded patrons, about a hundred of them.

Gretchen wept as she realized all her friends had all perished in the blast. Felix held her in his arms and tried to comfort her in her grief. They spent the night at his hotel. In the morning, Felix told Gretchen she could come with him to Budapest to stay at his villa for as long as she needed.

Gretchen agreed and so they departed on the morning train. It would be two day's travel to the port of Newhaven, so Felix had arranged a compartment rather than seats in the main car. They talked almost the entire trip, intense conversations about the universe and everything in it.

Ivan paused to light a cigar. “I'm sure you and Greta have similar conversations, the two of you being in love after all.”

Eddie sat up straight and looked squarely into Ivan's eyes. “As a matter of fact, we do have those kinds of talks.”

“That is good, little man. But, allow me to continue the story before you decide to compare yourself with her....with Felix.”

The talking lasted through dinner. A sumptuous feast of lamb and sweet potatoes, fresh corn and breads. They drank at least two bottles of wine as they ate. They talked and laughed and flirted and somehow last night's tragedy seemed only a dream that faded wth the morning light.

When the attendant came to clear away their dishes, Felix ordered a bottle of champagne and ice. They opened the compartment's tiny window and enjoyed a cigarette. As they lay there on the foldout bed, staring into each other's eyes, both of them knew that champagne would not be required. And so, with the train clickety clacking through the Alps, and the warm night breeze caressing their bodies, they gave their souls to each other.

A week later, Felix and Gretchen arrived in Budapest. Hilda and myself were, at that time, employed by Felix as housekeeper and mechanic. I am from the province of Bavaria and Hilda is from Romania, so we all got along amicably. Gretchen was the type of woman that every man fell instantly in love with and I was no exception. But, of course, she was with Felix, my employer, to whom I felt a strong sense of loyalty and so I kept my thoughts and feelings to myself. Felix was the type of man that all men followed, a true leader. I was not under his command but if I had been I would have followed him to hell and back.

A few months after their return, Gretchen was with child and in the early weeks of 1942, she gave birth to a beautiful girl with eyes as dark as the night sky and as fierce as the sunlight. They named the child Greta.

Ah yes, Eddie, Felix and Gretchen are Greta's parents.

They were not married because Gretchen was Romanian and Felix was a German soldier and that sort of marriage would not have been allowed. Despite that, all went well for the next couple of years. Once Gretchen was recovered from childbirth, she began to work as a nurse in the Budapest military hospital. It had been built in the caves and tunnels underneath the Castle in the late 1800s and had not seen much use until the war we were currently fighting.

Gretchen worked long hours in the hospital. Hilda cared for Greta as if she was her own child. Hilda and I....are also not married, but we live together as a couple, so while Gretchen tended to the wounded in the hospital and Felix carried out his duties as a German officer, Hilda and I became like guardians to Greta. It was a very pleasant time for all of us. And then, the Russians came to Budapest.

In 1945, Soviet troops arrived with support from the Romanian militia and they laid siege to Budapest. The siege lasted a hundred days. Their intention was to kill all the Nazis in Budapest and emancipate all the Jews being held captive in the city. Felix was Wehrmacht which meant he served as a German soldier, but he was not necessarily a Nazi. In fact, he was often appalled by the atrocities inflicted upon the Jews and was instrumental in setting up an underground railroad for smuggling the Jews out of Budapest to nearby Greece. I cannot tell you anymore about that. Suffice to say that Felix was a good man.

There was much about the siege that no one of us cares to dwell upon. Many died during the siege and the rest perished trying to escape. Squads of Soviet soldiers led by Romanian secret service agents tried to infiltrate the city's defenses by entering through the hospital tunnels. The Germans, with the help of the Waffen SS managed to prevent such attacks. During one of the skirmishes, Felix came face to face with a Romanian captain. At first, he did not recognize him, and his squad would have shot him dead, but then he realized it was Roberto Canavar, the man who had bought his trumpet and had, without knowing it, introduced him to Gretchen. Felix spared his life and brought him to the hospital so that Gretchen could tend to his wounds. While in the hospital, Felix explained his dilemma to Roberto. He knew that he must escape before the Soviets stormed the city. He also knew that his household must be unharmed. So they devised a plan between them.

Hilda and Gretchen were both Romanian. Ivan was Bavarian which made him almost Romanian. So, the three of them could escape the city as rescued Jews, taking the child Greta with them. Felix would attempt an escape through the hospital tunnels and find his way to them in Greece. Roberto could just rejoin his comrades. It seemed like a good plan. Unfortunately, one of the other officers was captured and tortured by the Soviets. He revealed the plan some of the Germans had to escape through the tunnels. So, Gretchen fled to the tunnels to warn Felix. Before she did so, she begged Roberto to watch over Greta and her servants until their safe return. Because she and Felix had saved his life, he agreed.

Roberto has kept his promise these last nine years. He has become so close to Greta that she often calls him Uncle. We do not know the whereabouts of Felix or Gretchen. The last contact we had with them was about five years ago. At that time, they were employed as consultants for the British government. That's all I can say about that.

Two days ago, Roberto spotted a Waffen SS officer at the Market. To throw him off our trail, Roberto faked his death in a freak drowning accident. But, rest assured, Uncle Roberto is alive and well and taking steps to ensure that the Enemy does not find us.

“But, isn't the war over?” Eddie exclaimed.

Ivan lit another cigar. “Some wars are never over.” He took a deep drag on his cigar. “And now, I must get the Studebaker up and running or Hilda will have a conniption for sure. Off with the two of you.”

As Eddie left with Greta, he realized there was still a lot of questions he hadn't asked and to which he might never get answers. But, it was an interesting story of that he was certain.