When Kennedy Went To Berlin
Chapter 10 — What Do I Say To That?
“What are you stupid? Get your hands out of your pockets!” said Klaus’ father.
Slightly above his family and God, work was Josef’s number one priority.
“Listen to me. A man’s worth is through his work. A job is everything. It puts food on the table, provides for the family, and gives a human being self-respect. If you work hard, you prove you are smart. Work keeps you away from the TV and builds up your muscles.”
Klaus didn’t want to stay away from the TV, but he liked the part about building up muscles because he was the skinniest of the skinnies, except for Gary Baltap, who had a malnutrition disorder that his mother proclaimed in front of the whole sixth-grade class.
“Gary was a frail baby! You should be so lucky not to be like Gary. I couldn’t even breastfeed him for the first two weeks of his life. You can’t imagine what that’s like,” said Gary’s mom.
No, Klaus couldn’t imagine. He was embarrassed for Gary, who recoiled in his seat in the rear of the class. However, Klaus reveled in the thought that he wasn’t the smallest kid in the 6th grade.
Klaus didn’t believe that a job was everything. He was a couple months away from turning thirteen, and playing was still everything in his mind. As long as Klaus did things that made him happy, that was the most important goal. He understood what his father was saying, but not much of what Josef said reflected Klaus’ worldview. Life was about having fun, laughing, listening to music, watching TV, and drinking a good Coca-Cola. That was what he desired. All else was grown-up stuff, and he had no intention of growing up anytime soon. However, thirteen was right around the corner, and some of his friends were getting summer jobs. So, in some sense, he felt like he had to listen to his father.
“What difference does it make if I have my hands in my pockets?” said Klaus. “If there’s nothing to do, I keep them warm.”
“When I tell you to do something, you do it,” barked Josef.
“Ok,” said Klaus, but sometimes I wish you would tell me why I should do things. I’m telling you my hands are warm. Should they be cold?” said Klaus.
“They should be ready at all times.
Do you know why you should trim the grass?” said Josef.
Josef had a habit of answering his own questions. So, Klaus knew if he waited long enough, Josef would provide the answer, and he wouldn’t have to think before saying the wrong thing.
“Because it gets too long and it looks like hell and what will the neighbors think?”
“I think trimming grass is like trimming hair,” said Klaus.
“Exactly! Now you are catching on,” said Josef.
“It’s why I like the Beatles. They don’t trim their hair and they don’t care what the neighbors think.”
Comments like this drove Josef to fits of frustration. In his mind, the 1960s was proving to be a decade where all sensibility was flying out the window. Josef’s European upbringing was a challenge in this time of cultural upheaval.
Josef’s father was the head of the family, and when his father told him to do something, he did it without question. He would never think of talking back to his father. Josef tried to import his own father’s discipline onto his children.
“You will never have hair like those mop tops,” barked Josef.
“I suppose, not as long as I live here,” said Klaus.
And with that remark, Josef gave Klaus a wack on the top of his head.
“Ow, why did you do that?” said Klaus.
“You may be a teenager now and think you can talk back to me, but you can’t. As long as you are under my roof, in my house, you do what I tell you, understand?” said Josef.
“I’m not a teenager yet. I’m still twelve.”
“You want another smack on the head?”
“Yes, please, I like it so much.”
“Be careful,” said Josef.
Klaus knew he was pushing it, but sometimes he couldn’t help himself.; his sense of humor got the better of him.
“Let me ask you something?” said Josef.
“Here it comes,” thought Klaus. The rhetorical question.
“What are you going to do with your life?”
“What am I going to do with my life?” he thought. “Where did that come from?”
In Klaus’ world, the future didn’t exist. So he only thought about the present moment and what made him happy. He understood that he would grow older, but at twelve going on thirteen, he wasn’t much of a ponderer. However, the question had merit, so he tried to answer in the hopes that he wouldn’t get whacked.
“I want to be a comedian.” Klaus barked.
He didn’t know why he said it. Nerves, perhaps. Josef laughed. Klaus stood motionless. For Josef, this was a moment of verisimilitude. Why hadn’t he thought of this before? Klaus wasn’t very good with his hands. He would never be a carpenter, bricklayer, or mechanic. A comedian, of course.
“A comedian?” asked Joseph.
“Yeah, I think so,” said Klaus.
“Now that’s funny.” said Joseph.
Klaus was getting better at reading his father. Although Josef’s remark appeared to be disparaging, Klaus sensed an opening. In a microsecond, he saw that his father found Klaus’ retort amusing. Klaus sensed a connection with his dad. Laughter was a rarity during work time and seeing Josef laugh outside of watching television was refreshing. Klaus liked it and elaborated.
“I want to be on the Ed Sullivan show,” said Klaus.
“Ed Sullivan?” said Josef.
“Yes, I know how much you like Ed Sullivan.”
“I like the comedians,” said Josef.
“I know; they make you laugh. And I make the kids in school laugh.”
“But you don’t make me laugh,” said Josef.
“Maybe if you’d give me a chance….”
The phone rang in the kitchen; Klaus wasn’t sure if he should pick it up. Maria was working, and there was no one else in the house. He looked to his father, who gave the nod signaling Klaus to answer it. Klaus sprang to the door. As he was about to open it, he turned to Josef and smiled.
“When I become a comedian, I’ll do my whole routine with my hands in my pockets.”
Josef looked at Klaus, shook his head, and chuckled.
Additional Chapters
Chapter 9 Interrogation
Chapter 8 Finding His Father
Chapter 7 The Funny Guys
Chapter 6 Affirmations
Chapter 5 Making the Grade
Chapter 4 Things I Will Never Tell You About
Chapter 3 The Frosty Window Pane
Chapter 2 Abandonment Wounds
