Please enjoy this charming story from our guest author about Ilona’s nephew, “Kiki”
Kiki, a Wonderful Little Boy
It was summertime in 1957 and I just passed my citizen-ship tests and was sworn in as an American Citizen. My dearest husband Hal was so very proud of me, and I was so elated and proud to be an American. As a reward my husband Hal gave me an airline ticket to fly to Germany and visit my beloved sister Friedl and her family. At the Frankfurt airport, in New York when we landed and at customs in Seattle, I was so proud to show my American passport.
I longed so for my sister the last three years since I had left Germany and had to leave her behind. My Hal could not come with me at this time, due to his work. I would stay about two to three weeks. Friedl has two little boys, five-year-old Joachim and three-year-old Rainald, called Kiki. He came into this world the night I was flying to a new country, a new home, in a four-engine plane, called a super constellation from Frankfurt to Seattle in 1954. The flight was long, it took 36 hours from Frankfurt to Seattle. I arrived in Seattle, greeted and hugged my sweetheart Hal after waiting for three months for my visa and entry permit. I met and greeted them warmly, my Hal’s parents, his sister Bev and his brother Doug. After our drive to north Seattle and a short visit with Hal’s family, we drove back to Capitol Hill in Seattle to our beautiful flat on Bellevue Avenue North. I put a call in for my brother-in-law, Georg at work – it is nine hours difference from here to Darmstadt, Germany. I told him that I arrived safely, and my Hal and his family picked me up and that we are now in our nice flat in Seattle and that we could put in a call for Sunday afternoon to talk and visit. Before I could ask how my dear sister Friedl is doing, Georg told me that they were the very proud parents again of a little boy, named Rainald and that they will call him “Kiki.” He came into their world the night I was flying to my new country, my new home. That was three years ago, and we bridged this long stretch by writing letters, a lot of letters, a lot of pictures and for special occasions some phone calls with lots of tears on both sides of the phone.
I was very homesick and longed terribly for my beloved sister Friedl and my Hal made me very happy with his gift.
We arrived at Friedl’s and Georg’s home, a beautiful flat in a great part of the city of Darmstadt. Both sides of the sidewalks were lined with huge chestnut trees, forming during summertime a tunnel over the sidewalks. My father, after he returned from a prisoner-of-war camp in Siberia, Russia purchased a nice apartment for Friedl and Georg. My dearest papa died last year, but not having my American citizenship yet, I could not come to say goodbye or see my father one more time. This year’s visit with my Friedl and her family will be my chance to get over my home sickness and give me the opportunity to visit my father’s resting place.
The forecast for this coming weekend was sunny and still warm. After my phone call to my beloved Hal back home we will go on a pic nick. We had a wicker basket, Friedl will fill with a lot of delicious food and drink. We will go by streetcar to the “Oberwaldhaus” like an old, beautiful chalet sitting at the edge of the forest. Spread out a blanket and set out all the wonderful food my Friedl had prepared. By the chalet was a large lake, with benches all around and a nice sandy walkway all around the lake with wild geese, families of ducks swimming and frolicking in the clear, blue water. We could see all this wonder right from the spot where we had set up our Sunday feast. The old chalet was closed for quite a few years for upgrading and remodeling and is now reopen as a fine restaurant with life entertainment on weekends and dancing. Friedl and I had chosen the same area we always sat, when we would come here. So tranquil and peaceful with an occasional couple or children coming by. While spending one’s time watching the geese and ducks, we had some wonderful conversations about our lives. What our dreams were, during the war and the reality that came into our lives, after WWII. Other than missing one another, two sisters who went through hell and back we had happy lives so far. My dear sister Friedl’s happiness is her two little boys. Joachim, the older one is so “grown up” and very serious. His diction and choice of words are so clear and literal for his age. Rainald, called “Kiki” is a joy to have around and is funny in his actions and is demonstrative when he tells a tale, a cute little boy. Like telling George that evening after dinner about the plane he saw way up in the sky. We of course had the chance for a good laugh already by the lake, when the plane flew over our pic nick area. Kiki got up from his blanket, pointed to the sky with his little arm and called out. “This is an Ilona plane!” Lifting, his little elbows into the air “here a little wing and there a little wing” then pointing to his back, his derriere he said, “and back there on his puffer is a propeller.” After we had a good laugh Friedl unpacked the basket. Freshly baked this morning, baguettes and sweet butter, French triple cream cheeses, patè and jambo (French ham) a warm potato salad, a green salad with green goddess dressing, sliced, sun ripened, sweet tomatoes and large, crisp shrimp with a homemade dip. A feast for royalty! For dessert we enjoyed Friedl’s wonderful aromatic chocolate gateau. For drinks for the boys, we had milk and Friedl and I had our own little bottle, stuck into ice, champagne and with the dessert we had a thermos of Friedl’s strong coffee. It was an unforgettable Sunday afternoon with great food and drinks and a funny three-year-old little boy, named Kiki.
So precious!
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