1949, 4 years after the end of World War II, the port city of Bremerhaven was devastated by the allie airraids. Arnold, 17 at the time, was working in a meat deli.
It was a summer evening, one of his friend working at the dock told him that there will be a boat leaving tomorrow morning at 5:30am, and it was going to America. Arnold saw the first hand destruction of Germany, and he wanted to get out, leave the country under reconstruction.
He gathered all the money he had and bought the ticket to America. The journey took him to Montreal, not United States as he first thought. He didn't care though, anywhere would be better than home, anywhere...
Montreal was packed with european foreigners, and the job his friend promised was no longer avaliable. Cash was running low, and he needed to work. His friend told him that he has a cousin who works on the west coast, but Arnold had to take a train to get there.
Arnold used up his remaining savings and took the train. After a few days of train ride, he arrived at a little forest/mining town, Port Hardy, BC. It was late, and dark outside. He wondered around the train station. Then he found a small lake, it was covered with reflection of the sky, the sky filled with stars. Arnold gasped, he then told himself, this will be home, this is where I will stay.
Almost 60 years later, Arnold told me the story with his detectable german accent. He has been working in the forestry industry and has since retired. He said he will be buying a small vineyard next year, something he has been wanting since he was a kid.
He smiled and said, "I will never forget the night with the stars..."
5 comments:
Beautiful story...
I've heard a story in a documentary film, don't really remember all the details. There's this young lady living with her family in Berlin. One day, she went to the grocery store about 10 min walk from her house. When she finished shopping, the Berlin Wall had gone up and she never saw her family till 40+ years later. She lived in Western Berlin while all her family was on the other side of the wall. After the family had been re-united after the wall had been taken down, the family described the experience of watching the wall being built. Their windows at lower levels got blocked off by bricks.
anyways, your story reminds me of this other German story. The sad undertone of both stories is that a lot of tragic/turning points in life happens when least expected and prepared. Sometimes people dont' want to be heroes. they just have no other choices
I thought my story is a happy one. :) Arnold had the courage to leave the place he spent all his lifetime and seeked a better life.
After reading your story, 2 things came to mind,
1) don't shop too long, or else you might miss some big events
2) always bring your cell phone, "mom, I won't be home for dinner... for the next 40 years!"
I love reading stories regarding WWII, how people had thrived under difficult conditions. It somehow reminds me how world peace can be so desirable and so unattainable because of shortcomings in human minds.
I have to admit I completely missed the happy part of your story =P
But to me, it just feels sad. Arnold was forced to leave his home country and everything he loved, not by his choice, but by some unforseen circumstances.
but yeah, I agree that people are the hardest animals to study.
well..i do believe that star lights do guide us in ways in life..and never stop believing into our dream...coz when u believe...someday..it might become the truth..^.^
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