The Wall Crossers

Dec - Meeting with Vati

Olivia's perspective

We arrive at the café after about fifteen minute's walk—holding hands and laughing and looking over at times into each other's eyes.

Just outside the café, before we go in, Leida pulls me around and draws me close and kisses me. She says, "I love you. Be yourself. Do not let Vati... intimidate you. Okay?"

I search her eyes and reply, "Okay."

We go inside and I see him right away. He is looking at the ceiling, and snapping his fingers softly, like a fidget. He glances briefly at me, expressionless, but then looks at Leida and smiles broadly. We remove our coats. She says, "Vati! Ich liebe dich jetzt so total! (Daddy! I am loving you so fully right now!)"

"Wunderbar schöne Tochter von mir! (Wonderfully beautiful daughter of mine!)" he answers, and they give a light kiss.

Leida's perspective

Vati looks happy to see me. I ask him about yesterday's business. He tells me. He seems animated. Olivia stands there watching, quietly.

Then I step back a bit, say to him, "Vati, Ich möchte (Daddy, I would like)..." as I look to Olivia. He turns his head to her too.

Olivia's perspective

Vati steps toward me... partially lifts his right hand toward me, as if to shake, but hesitates, looks back at Leida, back at me, drops his hand back down.

Just as he drops his hand, I partially raise mine. I am trying to understand the etiquette here. I am a girl. He is a man. I make the first move! But he was unsure.

Now I hesitate. I drop my hand, but as I do that, he raises his again. I look at Leida. She is watching us with mortification in her expression!

I think, What the Hell! And I move into him and hug him. I look at Leida. She looks shocked!

Vati stands there for seconds. Then he grunts. Then he raises his right arm to around my back and pats me—twice.

Then I lean back, holding his upper arms, so close to him and say, "Vati. Ich freue mich, dich zu essen!"

He looks shocked. I look at Leida. Her jaw has dropped! Then she covers her mouth, eyes wide, drops her hand and says to me, "treffen, not essen, O-li..via!". She begins to laugh. I step back, look again at Vati. He looks at her. He begins to laugh too!

Leida says to me, "You told Vati, I am pleased to eat you! You meant I am pleased to meet you! You should have said, Ich freue mich sie zu treffen!" Now they are laughing.

I smile and say to Vati, "Vati, Ich freue mich sie zu treffen!"

He laughs and says, "Ja, Ja." We stop laughing. He regards me, from top to bottom. His eyes narrow. He rubs his chin. He looks at Leida. She nods, smiling, expectantly—signaling acceptance—Okay, Yes?

He does not nod back at her. He looks at me unsmiling. He looks at my chest, my legs. He squints. He says some things about his day, his ride here to meet us.

He speaks excellent English.

I feel naked, and would like to sit down. I look to the host who is distracted. I look back to Vati as he talks, now to Leida.

His faced is shaped like Leida's—delicate but stronger jaw. His eyes are also brown, but darker than Leida's. His hair is lighter than hers and short-cropped. He has no facial hair. His mouth is similar to hers—her lips are plumper. His ears fan out a bit where Leida's do not. He is five feet ten inches, but a bit stocky—strong body. He wears charcoal semi-dress slacks, casual cream-colored button-up shirt with golf-themed pattern. Dark brown tasseled loafers and matching belt. Beige socks with dark lines in diamond patterns. He came in with a large navy overcoat with fur collar.