The Wall Crossers

Jan 16 1972 - Berlin - Two Who are Scared

That Evening, After we are Married

Leida's perspective

"Hurry, Leida! Let's go!" Maren is anxious about the time. We are in the foyer of the Provost Marshall compound orderly room once more, having been married now for only fifteen minutes, and Olivia and I are kissing again! "Leida, Olivia, please... Beeil dich!! (Hurry up!!) We have to go to my flat to get Leida's things, and quickly, or you will miss your train to the Zone!"

Olivia and I pull away from our kiss and I say, "Okay."

Just then, the orderly room clerk who served as a witness to our marriage rushes through the door from the orderly room to the foyer saying, "Oh, good! Reary! You are still here! We did not prepare the papers for you to clear the checkpoint in Helmstedt in the Zone. We did not imagine this morning you would be going there! We have to prepare these papers for you now!"

Maren says, "Ach, mensch! There is no time!"

Olivia looks at the clerk and asks, "How long will this take?"

"Umm, maybe thirty minutes! Come with me now!"

Maren groans.

The clerk adds, "I called for a car for you, to take you all to the train station."

I say, pointing to Maren, "My friend has a car already... she and I must go to her flat first and get my things for the trip!"

Maren nods and adds, "There is no time to wait here for these papers and go to my flat also. We will be late!"

The clerk scratches his chin and then his eyes brighten, "How about you both go on your errand and Reary can meet you at the train station... riding in the car I called?"

Olivia and I look at each other. I raise my eyebrows. She shrugs. Maren says, "There is no other option! Hurry, let's do this!"

I think for a moment and then say, in a lower voice, "No. I do not like this plan."

"There is no other way, Leida," says Maren.

Olivia and I look at each other again and she says, "It will be okay. Maren's right—we are running out of time."

I say, in a slow voice, showing hesitation, "Well then... okay."

Maren grabs my arm and pulls me saying, "Gut! Lass uns gehen! (Good! Let's go!)"

I pull my arm back away from her hand and say, "Wait! One moment more!" I approach Olivia and wrap my arms around her, and she does the same and we kiss deeply. Then we pull back apart, gazing into each other's eyes, and I whisper, "We'll boat down the Rhine and watch the sleepy villages slip by on the shore and talk and dream."

Olivia also whispers, saying to me, "We'll walk along the Jersey shore gathering seashells."

"Hurry, Leida!" Maren is pulling us apart again... pulling me away from Olivia. We have our coats on. At the door I turn once more to her, "O-li..via, I live under our two stars... I'll be your all."

She looks at me with such love and responds, "Every thrill my star can bring will flow to you."

I am almost through the door, being pulled by Maren, still looking back at her, I shout, "I love you!"

She waves and calls back to me, "Take care of the baby!" I wave and am out the door.

Outside it is very cold. I notice a car at the curb, idling. It is black. I am surprised Olivia's car is here so soon! Maren pulls my arm to hurry me to the left, the short walk down the street toward where her car is parked.