I was nosing around in older stories and found this little gem: it's a great perspective to choose! I didn't guess who Gerda was till you revealed it, though I had the feeling that she had to be someone whose identity would be ironic given all the emphasis at the beginning on her son - and so it is! The story provides a very good sense of ordinary life for a German widow during the war, and Gerda has enough status that she could probably get the extra rations for cake. I can easily see Hogan playing the gentleman and changing the tire for her; his reaction on finding out her identity was pretty hilarious. Best of all is the shift in Gerda's thinking as the enemy goes from being a mass, faceless "them" to seeing individuals that can be just as kind and polite as the best of her own people. The contrast between her and her son at the end is priceless! A great story, and one I'll return to!

brilliant!

I did enjoy this story, and I was glad to see there was hope for Gerda. I don't know about the soap incident. while that was very funny, would a mother do that to her middle-aged son? LOL. I had a flashback to the Christmas Story with that. LOL. I liked how Gerda's perspective changed gradually over time. I would have hoped the Jewish comment wasn't in there. That was upsetting, but you are correct about not all Germans being Nazi's etc. It just shows what fear can do to a person, as well as years of propaganda and brainwashing.

Nice one shot!

Very nice, sir! I like the way Propaganda met Real Life, and lost. Frau Gerda believes in her Fuhrer, believes in her country, but when reality whaps her over the head, she realizes that not all Americans are bad. She does what any Christian housewife in the '40s in any country would have done: baked a thank you present. Poor Hochstetter - the irony of his mother thinking his worst enemy is a nice young man!

I enjoyed this story immensely. I always like stories that mix in a bit of actual history with the fictional elements.

And, it was nice to see some of Hochstetter's background; to see a bit of his human side.

A truly excellent little piece. I thoroughly enjoyed Gerdas musings and little everyday events - ending in her realizing that perhaps the enemy isnt as bad as people are led to believe they are. A great lesson to be learned by humanity, yet you tell it in an amusing and sometimes touching little tale, without ever sounding moralistic. You fleshed out Gerda very well, very believable and complete. And the other characters were - as usual with you - well in character, too. Well done!

A memorable quote: Even war has limits.

Yes!

I really enjoyed your story - especially because I feel that you portray Gerda realistically. I talked to my Grandma as much as possible to find out what life was like for German civilians during the war. She always said that she just went along with whatever happened because she was afraid to do anything else.

(I'm German, btw.)

Thank you for sharing your story.

LOL! And Hogan got his cake, too. Lovely.

Very well done story, all the way around. You created the character of Gerda very well and believably in a quite economical way. She also provided a sound example of how it is easy to hate an abstract group of "Them", yet far more difficult to hate individuals when you come to know them just because they're part of said group (Major Hochstetter, of course, providing the opposite example!). As a theme it was a good one and you portrayed it well.

Lots of nice tidbits throughout, but I particularly liked the comparisons of Hochstetter's father to Hogan, and Hogan's mother to Gerda.

Excellent story! Very well-written; I enjoyed the irony immensely! I wonder if mankind will ever realize that we're not so different from each other, after all. Somehow, I can see Hogan being able to affect that kind of change in attitude in someone. Your characterizations were spot on, and the storyline was exceptionally realistic. Well done!

ROTFLOLOLOLOLOL! OMG, that was priceless! Hochstetter's mother! LOLOLOLOL!

I loved this...I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

Great story. I enjoyed it!

ROFLOL. I never expected the twist at the end that Gerda was Hochstetter's mother. And what's not to like about Hogan who is very polite when it comes to an older woman while at the same time proving to her that not all Americans are the evil and vile creatures she believed them to be. I especially loved her washing Hochstetter's mouth out with soap, and would have loved to have seen that in the now that gives Hochstetter something else to hate Hogan nice indeed.

I really liked this story! I enjoyed the way that you put your sentences together, it seems different than most people on this site. You write better than most people, without run-on sentences and I really liked it.

I hope that you keep writing, because you deserve it :D