The rainbow never sets

"How did you go at Wunder & Siemering?" she wanted to know. "I've got the job. Starting there on Monday."

"Oh good. And where are you going to live?" "I don't know yet. I haven't even thought about it." "Isn't that typical men. What would you do without us women to think about the more practical things in life. As soon as Onkel Wilhelm (she called him that in front of me) mentioned that you might get a job here in Bremen, I phoned a friend of mine, who wants to let a room in her house. She is also a widow and needs the money. But you can't cook there. You can leave your breakfast things, like bread and cheese and so on, in her kitchen on a tray. And you can't have a bath there either, but I'll show you where the public baths are. The rent will be DM 35 a month. That is quite reasonable, and you are going into a good house, you know! I hope you'll take it. Don't forget, Bremen had been badly bombed during the war and there's still a great shortage of homes here. Wolfgang and I have to make do with just this one room here, sharing kitchen and bathroom with others. Well, what do you think?"

"I'll take it, of course. Thank you very much for doing so much for me before we have even met."

"For Onkel Wilhelm's family I'll do anything." I thought she was rather fond of Onkel Wilhelm.

"First let's have something to eat. I'll take you over there after lunch, while Onkel Wilhelm can read the paper here."

It was a lovely lunch. She must have taken a lot of trouble preparing it. And where did she get all the coupons from, I wondered?

After lunch Frau von Guenther phoned her friend. She was there waiting for us. I took my pack and we walked around to No.8, Grossbeeren Strasse, not far from her flat. Frau Krech, my new landlady, showed me my room upstairs, above the entrance. Rather small, but it had all the necessary furniture. This was to be my home for the next two and a half years. Having received a key to the house, I suggested to take Frau von Guenther home so that I'd remember the way. When we arrived there I just said good-bye to Onkel Wilhelm and thanked him for all he had done for me that day. Frau von Guenther suggested that we might be seeing quite a bit of each other, which gave me some encouragement.

Slowly I walked to my new home. My head was buzzing. Back in my room I sat there absorbed in my thoughts. The day had been so full of events, that I had difficulty taking it all in. It had been overwhelming to be presented on a platter, a job, a room and a friend, all in one eventful day. What will the future be? Will I be happy, will I be sad? "Que sera, sera!" I hummed before me, the tune of a modern hit. Had I not been so tired, I would have jumped for joy, for this had been a good day for me indeed, and I thanked God for it.

I woke up to a dull old Sunday morning. Frau Krech showed me the space in the kitchen where I could keep my food. She also said that I could

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