One Road, Six Ways

One Road, Six Ways - Part 23

The German came to their table. "Entschuldigen Sie mich." (Excuse me)

"Sie sprechen nur Englisch!" Herman said to the German that the three girls only spoke English.

"Oh, sorry. Please excuse me for disturbing. I am Wilhelm." the German could speak English. And Wilhelm gave his hands to the girls. The three Filipinas for politeness also shook hands with Wilhelm and introduced themselves.

Wilhelm gave a calling card to Carla. "I like it very much if you call me!"

Carla blushed. Herman and the two girls were silent. It was very obvious that Wilhelm was attracted to Carla and dared to come to their table only to gave Carla his calling card. After giving his calling card to Carla, Wilhelm did not stay long, he bid goodbye and returned to his table. 

Carla look at the calling card Wilhelm had given to her. "He was an engineer!"

"And a German!" Herman said.

Carla looked at Herman. She sensed there's something in Herman's remarked. Something she could not understood. Then the waitress came with their orders.

"Girls, I hate to tell you that we have to consumed fast our foods and drinks. We could not stay long, we have still a long way to go!" Herman said to the girls and picked up his hot cup of coffee and drank it.

After that stopped, Herman and the three Filipinas continued their journey. Again, Herman listened to cheerful music from the radio to helped him stayed awake. 

The three girls were not sleeping. Maybe their thoughts were occupied about what will happen in the future, if they arrived and will stay to either Belgium or The Netherlands, what will be their work or kind of life? Will they have the same situation in Locarno, Switzerland where they gained back their dignity? Or maybe, they think about Lorna. Will Lorna, would have the same luck like Grace who was left behind in Cyprus but happy with her man Dimitri? Or maybe, they still think about Luz, Luz that did or had not returned to the Philippines, and they wondered where she was. Luisa for sure was thinking about her family, the death of her father, while Carla, her mind was occupied about Wilhelm, the German engineer, and also about the remarked of Herman which for her understanding meant something.

"Herman, I want to ask you something." Carla talked to Herman.

"Ask about what?" Herman replied to Carla.

"That Wilhelm is a German!" Carla said and Herman chuckled when he heard it. 

"It's true! He was a German!"

"Yes, but your words seemed had a meaning!" Carla told Herman about her perception to his remarked.

"Forgot it Carla, it does meant nothing!" Herman told Carla to forgot about his remarked.

"Please, I just want to know what you meant of the remark." Carla insisted.

"Well, in The Netherlands, we have a saying about Germans." Herman paused and then  continued talking. "Many Dutch people believed that Germans are no good!"

"No, good?" Carla repeated the words of Herman. Herman did not replied.

"Does it had something to do with Hitler?" Luisa suddenly interrupted the conversation between Herman and Carla. Herman laughed.

"Why you laughed? I am not joking!" Luisa was slightly irked that Herman laughed about what she said.

"Sorry, you are right. Luisa may I ask what you know about Hitler?" Herman shifted his attention to Luisa.

"Why you asked? You think that I am stupid, shallow-brained? Not knowing about Hitler?" Luisa was angry.

"Luisa that is not what Herman meant." Carla tried to calm down Luisa. Luisa said no more words and after throwing to Herman an angry look, she murmured, "He think that Filipinos have no education."