As a serving soldier in Germany life could sometimes get a little boring so it was not unusual to go out and get wasted at the nearest bar on a Friday night. Like most of the lads I slipped into this routine and accepted it as the norm. Sometimes I thought it was a bit of a waste of time and I wondered if I might be a bit more inventive with my free time.
I was keen on sex but just wasn't getting any. Most of the plays I made for local fraulines were rebuffed and there was a note of frustration slipping into my being. I had fantasised about the possibility of a gay relationship but it was not a good idea to be open about this sort of thing in the Army; so I shifted such thoughts to the back of my mind and continued in my pursuit of local females.
I don't know where the warning came from but we were made aware that if we were going out on a weekend we had to be careful because a local man had been trying to persuade drunken squaddies to accept a lift from him. He would then try to get them back to his flat in the local town. We were told to watch out for him and to never accept a lift.
Friday night came and a few of us drifted down to the local bar. I drank less than usual and as it got to eleven I feigned illness and left to go back to the barracks. It was a two mile walk and I knew that 40 minutes would see me safely tucked up in my bed or not, as the case might be.
I walked with my head down and put on a bit of a stagger to make it look as though I was drunk. As every car passed I hoped that it might be the one that would open a sexual adventure for me. Ten minutes passed and then 20 and I was giving up hope but then I heard the telltale sound of a Volkswagen approaching from behind.
It started to slow; my pulse started to race; it pulled up in front of me and as I drew alongside it the window was lowered and a friendly voice said in faltering English. "Hey, you want the lift? I go past your barracks. Is easy for me to drop you off."
I climbed in and sat in the passenger seat. Off we went; straight away his right hand moved across and rested on my left knee. "You look drunk Tommy; maybe they make trouble for you at guardhouse. You want to go for coffee first to sober you up?" He patted my leg.
Pretending to be drunker than I was I replied, "Sure Hanz but you must get me back to camp after the coffee."
In no time we were past the camp and heading down into town. We hit the outskirts and quickly came to what I presumed was his flat. During the drive I had kept my head down but as we got out of the car I looked across at him. I had decided that if he was gross I would make a run for it. In the event he looked quite acceptable; ok he was old, probably mid forties but he looked fit and had no facial hair. I made a snap decision; if I was going to get seduced or raped then this guy was ok by me.
"Come on Tommy," he said as he steered me towards his front door, "We drink coffee ok."
"Ok Hanz lead me to it." As we entered the living room I got a shock; there was a set of real life stocks, the sort they used in the medieval days to lock people in while they pelted them with rotten fruit, they sat right there in the middle of the floor. Doubts hit my mind, "What the?"
"Oh don't worry," said Hanz, "We have a church fete on Sunday. We put people in and throw things at them. Plenty fun eh?"
He disappeared for five minutes and came back bearing coffee. We sat and chatted and drank. I began to wonder when he would make his move. It came soon enough.
"Hey Tommy; look; I go in stocks; you take photo of me." He put his head and hands in and made a big joke of it. "Camera on table; take funny picture Tommy."
I obliged and he seemed to be in high spirits as he laughed and joked. "Come on now Tommy it's your turn. I take picture eh."
My mind raced, it was decision time; cut and run or stay; I had noticed a padlock on the sideboard and I knew full well that once my head and hands were in the stocks the joking would stop. My mind was made up; I was committed to my course of action.
Still feigning drunkenness I got to my feet and placed my hands and neck in the stocks. Happy Hanz was still laughing and joking as he took a couple of pictures. "Ok we take it off now," he promised as he approached my side. I have to admit he was quick; he had the padlock on in a flash. "Ok Tommy, now you are trapped. You be a good Tommy and you get to go home all in one piece tomorrow."