I was on active duty in the Army in Europe when this story takes place. Some of you will laugh at my age when this happened, but understand that I came from a very strict family where even the mention of the word sex was sinful!! So I was pretty dumb to a lot of things that "come natural" to other folks.
I had just arrived at my new assignment and as part of the introduction to the new environment, we were given a one-day area orientation and a four day (32 hour) class on conversational German language.
I had been to Germany before, but for only a short tour, because I then had to go to Vietnam. But while I was there on that short tour, I had learned some phrases and customs. So I was not really looking forward to going to class for four days to re-learn some phrases.
One of the first guys I met upon arrival to that new unit was a nice country boy who was an administrative clerk. He just happened to work in the education center, where this class was to be held. Of course he gave me the run down on the class and on the instructor, who just happened to be a married German lady of about 25-27 years of age. "She is a knock out', he tells me, but she is married and won't mess around. A lot of guys have tried, but she wouldn't go out with any of them", he tells me. Oh well, so what, there are plenty of women in town!
The first day of class, I stroll over to the education center, stop by his desk, grab a quick cup of coffee while he introduces me to the other workers in the center. Then I go down the hall to the classroom where I am to spend the next four boring days. I walk into the classroom.....and there behind the desk is a beautiful, young, blonde-headed, blue-eyed angel from heaven!!! She was just simply beautiful!!! Well....not to be obvious or anything, I go up and take a seat on the front row, right in front of her desk. I introduce myself before I sit down.
She says, "Hello Sergeant, I was warned you were coming to my class."
"Warned?" I asked!
"Oh yes, the specialist told me that his new friend was coming to my class, and that I should watch out for you!" She says. The other four students get a good laugh out of that one!
I take my seat, wondering what he has told her. She starts the class and for the whole day I listen to words (Most I already knew) and phrases (some I didn't know) but the ones that I did know, I used to tease her. Like she would say a phrase in English and being a smart ass, I would say it in German. Then she would say it in German with the correct accent on it. (Being from the south, I didn't have much of a German accent!) But we played like that all day. And she tolerated me very well.
The next day of class, she got serious with some of the phrases. (Now understand that this was a combat line outfit—No women assigned to it) She started giving us some phrases for shopping, and for ordering meals, and for use with the girls!! Now she is talking my language!! Again, a lot of them I already knew. So again I teased her with some of the ones I knew. I also told her in German how very beautiful she was. But she didn't let on that I had even said anything. By lunchtime, I was doing pretty good with putting together phrases (The rest of the class was too) but I was making phrases that would tell her how pretty and how nice she was and how I admired her (especially for putting up with me!).
About 2 PM that afternoon, she started getting a rash on her neck, her shoulders and face.
So she dismissed the class for the day and we all took off for the snack bar for coffee. She went to the office and asked if someone could take her home. Of course my friend tells her he will take care of it and comes to get me to drive her home. Of course I didn't hesitate for a minute. Of course I'd be happy to take her home.
I had bought a Volkswagen as soon as I got there because I hate being grounded! So I pick her up at the Education Center and drive out the gate.
"Where to Monika?" I asked.
