Everyday Citizens

She pulls her shoulder length blond hair back into a ponytail held by a zebra print scrunchie and begins searching furiously through her room. Getting down on her knees, she peers under the bed and roots around with her arm. Sitting back on her feet, the girl lets out a frustrated grunt and springs quickly up to cross the room and open drawer after drawer after drawer of her dresser. Her efforts succeeding in producing nothing but more frustration the girl stands in the middle of her ransacked room.

Her face changes from speculative to anger, and she marches into the hallway and down to a closed door. Balling her left hand into a fist she knocks rapidly on the door, but there is no answer. She pauses for a second and presses her ear to the door attempting to hear some movement inside the room. Failing to determine if the occupant of the room is currently at home, she resumes her knocking and accompanies it with shouting.

“David! Open this door right now!” The girl shouts.

Her shouts bring a woman from another part of the house who is dressed in tan slacks and white cotton blouse. She stops a few feet from the girl and watches the display with arms crossed and stern look on her face. Her blond hair is cut short in a pixie cut, and she holds a pair of spectacles in her left hand.

“What are you doing Hannah?” The woman asks.

Stopping her banging and shouting, Hannah turns and responds, “I’m trying to get David to come out and give me back my journal. I know that he took it out of my room.”

“He’s not home. He is at baseball practice.”

“Well, I’m going to beat the daylights out of him when he gets home.”

“You will do no such thing. Family does not hit each other.”

“I don’t care if we are family. He is always invading my privacy, and I’m tired of it mom,” the girl says stomping her foot.

“You may not realize it now Hannah, but family is everything.”

“Mom, this is ridiculous. He won’t stay out of my room. If he goes in there again, I’m going to make him pay.” Hannah responds standing and staring back defiantly.

Tired of waiting for her mother to say anything Hannah asks, “Can I just get a lock for my room already?”

“We’ll talk about it when your father gets home. Now stop banging on your brother’s door and clean your room and do your homework.”

Defeated, Hannah passes by her mother and enters her room. Slamming the door, Hannah throws herself on the bed. Taking a pink covered pillow, she presses her face into it and screams.

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Walking into the living room, Hannah pauses at the sound of two women arguing. One of them is her mother, and they are arguing in German. Hannah creeps closer to the kitchen entrance to listen. After several minutes, the two women cease arguing, and Hannah quickly walks over to flounce on the couch. An elderly woman enters the livngroom a moment later with white hair done in a loose bun wearing a light flower pattern dress.

Seeing Hannah, the older woman smiles and says, “Hannah! My enkelin. How are you?”

Rising from her seat, Hannah cross to greet the older woman with a hug saying, “I’m good Oma. How’re you?”

Hugging the girl tightly, Oma responds, “I’m good.”

“Why were you and mom fighting.”

Steeping back from the girl with hands on her shoulders, Oma smiles and asks,” Were you spying on your mutter and me?”

“I didn’t mean to. I heard you fighting when I came into the living room.”

“Well, don’t you worry dear. Your mutter and I fight, but we always will love each other.” Oma says and turns to yell over her shoulder, “Isn’t that right Katie.”

“Yes mutter,” Katie answers back from the kitchen.

“Das ist gut. Hannah go tell your brother to come out and see me.”

“I’m not talking to him, Oma.”

“What? You’re not talking to your only brother? Tsk Tsk that’s a shame.” Oman says shaking her head.

Entering from kitchen, Katie says,” I’ll get him mutter. Have a seat, and I’ll make us some coffee. Joe should be home in time for the program tonight.”

“What program?” Hannah asks curiously.

“The Berlin Wall is coming down today, dear.”

“Oh,” Hannah comments. Then she asks, “Were you in Germany when it went up, Oma?”

“Ja, I was not much older than you when they built it. Soon after, we came to the United States.” Oma sighs and her face settles into a sad expression.

“What’s the matter Oma?”

“Oh Hannah, I was just thinking about my sister. Her husband and she live in East Berlin. We haven’t seen or heard from them in many years.”

“Oh! That’s terrible!” Hannah exclaims.

“Yes, dear, it is.” Oma sighs again and says, “Well today the wall will fall.”

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  Hannah and her family gather in the living room while the news plays on the television. Her father sits in his easy chair. He is a sturdy man with brown and gray short cropped hair and stubbled jaw. He wears a white undershirt and navy-blue work pants. He sips from a beer can that he sets on a television tray to his right. He smiles as her mother enters and places a large bowl of popcorn and a stack of paper bowls next to it on the coffee table.

A young boy who until then was laying with chin cupped in his hand staring at the television, turns over and sits up next to the table. He starts scooping out popcorn with a paper bowl while Oma grabs a handful which she pops one by one into her mouth chewing slowly.

Katie leaves the room to return with a pitcher of water and cups that she sets down on the table next to the bowls. Pouring herself a glass, she settles on the sofa between her mother and Hannah. She fills a bowl with popcorn which she hands to her daughter before getting herself one.

The gathered family settles back to watch the news program on television. Television news anchors talk about the history of the Berlin Wall, and its construction after World War II. Several times during the program, Oma dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief as they tear up at the memory of those times. The rest of the family for their part quietly watch the precedings with unwavering attention until the young boy turns his head to say something to his Oma.

“Did your sister really get trapped in East Berlin, Oma?”

“Yes, David, before her husband and she could come to us, they had closed the border. Then the wall was built, and no one was allowed across.”

“Wow,” the boy says in wide eyed wonderment.” Couldn’t your mom and dad do anything.”

“No dear, there was nothing that we could do. Eventually, my parents decided that we should move here, and I had all but given up hope of ever seeing Sara again until now.”

Katie interrupts with, “Let’s not start that again, mutter.”

“Start what?” Hannah asks curiously.

Katie and Oma exchange a look and then Katie says,” That’s what your Oma and I were arguing about earlier. She wants to travel to Germany to find her sister, but I don’t think that’s it a good idea.”

“But Liebchen it would mean so much to me. I have missed Sara so.”

“I know mutter, but your health isn’t that great.”

“It’ll be fine Katie, and you can go with her.” Joe interjects.

Before Katie can respond, David points and says,” Look they’ve started tearing it down.”

The conversation forgotten the family turns their attention back to the television screen. The image shows people, everyday citizens of West Berlin and government forces with tools tearing at the wall. As large chunks of graffiti decorated bricks start to break away and fall to the ground, the people cheer, and Oma begins to cry in earnest. Without tearing his eyes away from the television, David reaches for more popcorn and knocks over a glass of water which splashes in Hannah’s lap.

With a startled cry, Hannah jumps up from her seat exclaiming, “Look what you’ve done jerk.”

“Gosh, Hannah, I’m sorry. I didn’t do it on purpose.” David says defensively.

“I don’t care,” Hannah says petulantly.

She storms off towards the bedrooms yelling, “I wish I could build a wall to keep you out of my life!”

The television program forgotten; the group sit there in awkward silence. David’s eyes fill with un-shed tears, and he springs up from the floor rushing towards the door. When he reaches it, he puts on his shoes and grabs the door handle.

“Where are you going,” Joe asks.

“I’m going to Patrick’s.” David says walking out the door and slamming it behind him.

A few seconds later there is sound of a car braking loudly then a car door slamming. Katie is the first one to the door, and she pulls it open rushing through it followed by Joe. Joe does not even stop to put on his shoes. Oma rises more slowly and starts towards the door too when Hannah comes from the hallway. She follows her oma out the door.

Outside is a chaotic site. Several of the neighbors have gather out in the road in front of their house. Hannah approaches the group and sees her parents on their knees while a middle-aged man in a suit stands nearby where a silver sedan sits. Her grandma makes it to the periphery of the crowd first, and her hand goes to her mouth. Hannah draws up behind her oma and peers through the crowd. On the ground between her parents, David lays. His bike a mangle mess lays nearby.

Hannah mirrors her oma bringing her hand to her mouth in surprise. She stumbles towards her family with tears welling in her eyes. She too drops to her knees near her brother David. David lays quite still and quiet while the gathered crowd looks on with worried glances and whispered conversation. The motorist seems frozen in place, and his right hand rests on top of his sweaty brow.

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           Hannah stands in the kitchen toying idly with a yellow phone cord that trails behind connecting the handset in her hand with a wall mounted yellow phone cradle. A woman’s voice can be heard chattering excitedly through the phone while Hannah listens showing signs of obvious delight. Delight which turns to seriousness after a moment.

           “Yes, I know Oma,” she says into the phone. Then after a moment, “I will.”

           After another pause, she says reassuringly, “I will take care of everything. You and Mom just enjoy yourselves. Say hello to Aunt Sara for us.”

           She listens for another moment pacing back towards the wall phone. Her father passes by heading towards the sink and washes his hands. Hands dirty with soil and grass clippings. Hannah smiles at her dad and gestures questioningly with the phone towards him, but he shakes his head no hurrying out of the kitchen.

           “Ok, Oma, I love you. You have fun.” she says finally before hanging up the receiver.

           Returning to the kitchen counter where a plate sits next to containers and a cutting board on which rests slices of red tomato, she begins constructing a couple of turkey, swiss and tomato sandwiches. Sandwiches slathered with mayonnaise which she slices in half diagonally. The halves she splits apart, puts on plates with a handful of potato chips thrown between them. Grabbing the plates, she makes her way into the living room.  

           Her brother sits on the couch with a cast encased leg propped on the table. He smiles when she enters and shifts in his seat to make room for Hannah. Hannah sets down the two plates and goes back to the kitchen returning a moment later with cans of pop which she sets down on the table too.

           “Looks great Hannah,” David says before reaching out to get his plate.

           “Thanks, eat up. You need your strength.”

           “Is Roger coming over today?” David asks between mouthfuls.

           Giving him the side eye while chewing and swallowing her sandwich, Hannah asks,” Why do you ask about him?” Then elbowing him playfully in the ribs adds,” Did you read about that in my diary.”

           Blushing, David says,” No, I saw you two talking outside yesterday.”

           “Ok,” Hannah says with mock severity.” Well, he’s not coming over today. Today just the two of us are going to hang out.”

           “That’s great.”

           The young people settle back to enjoy their sandwiches and watch television. When particularly funny part happens, it causes David to laugh mid-drink and to cough and sputter when pop comes out his nose. Hannah starts laughing while clapping him on the back to help expel the pop that has gone down the wrong way before springing from the couch to go grab a towel. Once the mess is cleaned up, Hannah and David continue eating and watching their show.