Redefining misanthropy for a fresh generation. Standard posts begin with a definition from Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary followed by a modern adjustment. Miscellany on Wednesday and storytelling on Saturday.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Love, American Style
Story #29, in which we return to find Doug an exchange student in Germany.
To hear the story, find a bar and order a Veltin's.
Yay another Doug story! I didn't know you were an exchange student either. Or one to frequent a gay bar for that matter.
I really enjoyed the slide show. The pictures are beautiful and the music a perfect accompaniment.
But honestly, I think I had one too many Veltin's because by the time I staggered my way down Biegenstraße and got to the slide show, I could swear the images started bubble morphing.
You know, it's funny, Actonbell. The only reason I took German was because I had heard of this program and was dying to spend time far away. If you apologize then I have to apologize for tweaking you about Mozart. (I did the same thing, by the way)
Sar, I have many secrets. Or, had.
Haha, Aral, they sure took the awkwardness out of introducing myself. I didn't feel too young, although ruing a love I'd never known might have been an indication.
I'm pretty sure not, Tom. First, Monika isn't plain, second she would have been, oh, 5, third she was on the other side of the iron curtain and pretty far north.
So Doug what is it that you haven't done in this world or any place you haven't been to? Seems like you have had a life so full of surprises and adventure. Oh poor me.
A lovely story as usual. So how's Andre doing now? :)
Great story Doug! Love getting to know more about you! Yeah, drinking and bar hopping... knew it quite well at one point... I could even drink my guy friends under the table! *GASP* Now, 2 kids and sleepless nights have caught up with this bohemian!
Romance~ Actions designed to win over the object of one's affections through taylor made gestures designed to capture both the desires of said object and the heart and intentions of the romancer...
What? I got lost in that but will leave it be...
Short version... gooey stuff geared to get you into someone's pants... and I ain't talking fabric here!
Yeah 1982...I was 5. God darn that iron curtain! I could have been there, selling red roses in that pub.
Oh and I know that woman you saw. She went home with Klaus that night. Divorced now...two kids. She likes to smoke. Lives in a two bedroom apartment in Klein-Hinterdorf, wishes she´d done something different with her life. But it is not all bad, on Friday night her neighbour babysits and she and her two friends go to Bingo-Night at the local community centre. Sometimes she still comes home late...just like in the olden days!
Paderborn is just above Sauerland, an area of Germany that is still pretty much countryside and villages. If you keep going South I think you get to Hessen. Sometimes I went to Kassel, which is about 60 some miles from PB. Paderborn is in Nordrhein-Westfalen.
I'd like to visit Germany some day. I would want to experience the romance of castles and churches and museums and parks... and try some German beer. I don't think I'd be able to do a bar tour like you did, but I'd be willing to give it a shot.
That was a nice rendition of the Allemande, but I think it should go a bit faster. After all, that's the D Major Partita, not Sonata, which means all the movements are supposed to be dances. Who is the violinist? I have Milstein.
Miz B, 10,000 apologies, I must have been tired. I knew which d-nationality was yours (the one that goes with Icelandic)
Indie, Kassel was the nearest big city to Marburg too, I think 30 km North.
Jamie Dawn, you should go. It's a beautiful country and in the West the people are as warm and hospitable as you could hope for. On my recent trip I went to the old East Germany and was stunned by how drastically the sociability turned cold (No offense, Monika, it just explains why you didn't fit there.) And while I don't drink as a rule, German beer in a German Biergarten is a good, good thing.
Jamie Dawn, the best reason to visit Germany is Indie and his Muse built a Jamie Dawn Wing onto their estate and it's silly to keep dusting the marble with no-one staying there.
When I first saw this story, I thought it was gonna be a made up yarn about Indie. I'm sure you'll have a fine tale to tell about him one of these Saturdays. My own wing? Wow! I'll have to go for sure now.
To hear the story, find a bar and order a Veltin's.
Yay another Doug story! I didn't know you were an exchange student either. Or one to frequent a gay bar for that matter.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the slide show. The pictures are beautiful and the music a perfect accompaniment.
But honestly, I think I had one too many Veltin's because by the time I staggered my way down Biegenstraße and got to the slide show, I could swear the images started bubble morphing.
Great story. 1982... you were awfully young to be an exchange student (and bar-hopping!), no?
ReplyDeleteYeah, those men. So much easier to pick up, really.
Was that girl Monika before she went to Iceland? Did those rain drops mess up your camera?
ReplyDeleteYou know, it's funny, Actonbell. The only reason I took German was because I had heard of this program and was dying to spend time far away. If you apologize then I have to apologize for tweaking you about Mozart. (I did the same thing, by the way)
ReplyDeleteSar, I have many secrets. Or, had.
Haha, Aral, they sure took the awkwardness out of introducing myself. I didn't feel too young, although ruing a love I'd never known might have been an indication.
I'm pretty sure not, Tom. First, Monika isn't plain, second she would have been, oh, 5, third she was on the other side of the iron curtain and pretty far north.
This purity of yours is getting to be a theme, D. Heh. I was an exchange student in Tübingen! During the Middle Ages. ♥ xoxo
ReplyDeleteLOVE these stories!
ReplyDeleteRomance n. the art of wooing and wowing to achieve woofing.
(I don't know where that came from.)
Slide shows, music, gay bars, exchange student, foreign country, romance....
ReplyDeleteI loved it!
Great story, impressive slide show.
ReplyDeleteIt is better to have romanced and lost than never to have lost at all.
until to the very end of the story I didn't realize I was listening to a love story... *tries stop laughing*
ReplyDeleteThe slide show is cool! Is that Mrs. Weirsdo playing? Off to listen to the story now...
ReplyDeleteWonderful story/reminiscence. It brought back lots of memories of my single days in Paderborn, a town something like Marburg.
ReplyDeleteThat was great Doug. Even liked the blah blah blah blah .
ReplyDeleteThe music- divine.
romance - is dead.
So Doug what is it that you haven't done in this world or any place you haven't been to? Seems like you have had a life so full of surprises and adventure. Oh poor me.
ReplyDeleteA lovely story as usual. So how's Andre doing now? :)
Great story Doug! Love getting to know more about you! Yeah, drinking and bar hopping... knew it quite well at one point... I could even drink my guy friends under the table! *GASP* Now, 2 kids and sleepless nights have caught up with this bohemian!
ReplyDeleteRomance~ Actions designed to win over the object of one's affections through taylor made gestures designed to capture both the desires of said object and the heart and intentions of the romancer...
What? I got lost in that but will leave it be...
Short version... gooey stuff geared to get you into someone's pants... and I ain't talking fabric here!
Don't remember the first gay bar I went to; remember every detail of the first lesbian club I went to
ReplyDeleteBut it only took us ten minutes to figure it out;-)
Loved the slide show
Mireille, I protect my purity like a mother cat. Tübingen, lieblig!
ReplyDeleteDddragon, I don't know where it came from either but you're a riot.
Something for everyone, right Fred?
Thanks, TLP, although don't underestimate ruminating over what might have been.
Lula, that was before you were born. Maybe you did.
Hahaha, Ariel. I thought I labelled it.
Indie, it isn't but when I was picking the music I thought of Weirsdo. Is Paderborn in Hessen? I don't remember the name.
Thanks, Alice. Romance may not be extinct although I can't tell you where to look. Kind of like a unicorn or a satyr.
Great question, Marwa, I saw Andre a couple times after that summer but not in 20 years. I've never been to, say, Africa or a muslim country.
Miz Bohemia, I didn't know Persian/Dutch/Icelandic/Californian Bohemian Spaniards drank. Learn something new every day.
Pia, this place was more dour than the old man bars up the road. Must be a Lutheran thing.
Yeah 1982...I was 5. God darn that iron curtain! I could have been there, selling red roses in that pub.
ReplyDeleteOh and I know that woman you saw. She went home with Klaus that night. Divorced now...two kids. She likes to smoke. Lives in a two bedroom apartment in Klein-Hinterdorf, wishes she´d done something different with her life. But it is not all bad, on Friday night her neighbour babysits and she and her two friends go to Bingo-Night at the local community centre. Sometimes she still comes home late...just like in the olden days!
Just trying to make you feel better;)
Pretty cool, first time here. I'll be back!
ReplyDeleteSo. You've been sinning internationally since 1982. How precious.
ReplyDeleteDevil, get thee OUT!
So, Monika, should I end my search or do you think she'd be open to an affair?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mike. You were here a few months back, though. Welcome back.
Soapy, I guess I never found the right woman to tempt me out of it.
*whispers* Its' Danish... not Dutch...
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah they do.... but shhhhh.... let's keep it a secret...
Man, am I quiet today!
Paderborn is just above Sauerland, an area of Germany that is still pretty much countryside and villages. If you keep going South I think you get to Hessen. Sometimes I went to Kassel, which is about 60 some miles from PB. Paderborn is in Nordrhein-Westfalen.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to visit Germany some day. I would want to experience the romance of castles and churches and museums and parks... and try some German beer.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'd be able to do a bar tour like you did, but I'd be willing to give it a shot.
That was a nice rendition of the Allemande, but I think it should go a bit faster. After all, that's the D Major Partita, not Sonata, which means all the movements are supposed to be dances. Who is the violinist? I have Milstein.
ReplyDeleteSorry. I mean D Minor. Duh.
ReplyDeleteMiz B, 10,000 apologies, I must have been tired. I knew which d-nationality was yours (the one that goes with Icelandic)
ReplyDeleteIndie, Kassel was the nearest big city to Marburg too, I think 30 km North.
Jamie Dawn, you should go. It's a beautiful country and in the West the people are as warm and hospitable as you could hope for. On my recent trip I went to the old East Germany and was stunned by how drastically the sociability turned cold (No offense, Monika, it just explains why you didn't fit there.) And while I don't drink as a rule, German beer in a German Biergarten is a good, good thing.
Uh, yeah, Weirsdo. Duhhhh! No earthly idea who the violinist is.
ReplyDeleteDoug: You forgot to tell Jamie one of the main reasons to go to Germany. Indie lives there!
ReplyDeleteIndie, you're right, apologies.
ReplyDeleteJamie Dawn, the best reason to visit Germany is Indie and his Muse built a Jamie Dawn Wing onto their estate and it's silly to keep dusting the marble with no-one staying there.
When I first saw this story, I thought it was gonna be a made up yarn about Indie. I'm sure you'll have a fine tale to tell about him one of these Saturdays.
ReplyDeleteMy own wing? Wow! I'll have to go for sure now.
"Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world ... she walks into mine." :)
ReplyDeleteYou really should, JD. I love it.
ReplyDeleteHurray, Monika! My favorite movie of all, just about.