Chapter 25

Having relaxed and learned that her time in Germany was survivable, Lanh finally got into the lifestyle of the Airman’s wife, Annie’s help and guidance, of course. But what really got her started was being able to sign up for classes at the education office. Lanh’s plan was to use her three years there and try to get a two-year degree. It sounds counterintuitive, but there’s not a full-time school there. You take what courses are offered and you take what credits you can get. Getting back into the swing of study really helped, almost as much as Annie’s helping her navigate the ins and outs of military life, like how to survive the military health care system, shopping in the base exchange, getting groceries in the commissary, and meeting the other wives.

The hardest part was dealing with the loneliness. At least there was the MARS station so she could call Má, or Tam, or Kim-ly. And on weekends they kept busy. If Don wasn’t working, there was always some kind of fest at one of the local villages (Lanh became a big fan of wine fests), tours to take, and volksmarches. A volksmarch was typically a stroll through the countryside from one village to another, usually 5km (3.1 miles) or 10km (6,2 miles). She wasn’t sure what the attraction was to a six-mile hike, but it was pleasant and something that she and Don could do that didn’t cost money. They got walking sticks with a carved gnome face on the handle and soon she started earning small metal badges to put on their sticks, one for each volksmarch. Don and Lanh became known to the local volksmarching community and if there was a volksmarch that they missed, the local Burgermeister would ask them where they were. Annie sometimes went with Lanh when Don went on temporary assignment to another base.

Her first Christmas in Germany was magical, the Christmas fests and parties, the decorations, it was all so different, but because much of American Christmas traditions come from Germany, it was also so familiar. The Christmas Bazaar held on base in Hanger #2 was incredible. Vendors from all over Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands arrived to show their wares. Some of it was familiar and available at stores in America, but there were things she never saw before, wooden ornaments to hang on the tree, incredible glass ornaments, Christmas cuckoo clocks, wooden nutcrackers, but what really enticed her was the Christmas Pyramids.

The pyramids are carved wooden decorations that made her think of a wedding cake. They’re made of multiple layers, each layer is progressively smaller as they go up, each layer is supported by wooden columns, and each layer had different scenes. The scenes could be little wooden children playing in the snow, a family Christmas, a nativity scene, ice skaters in a pond, or combinations of these scenes. Her favorite pyramids had little carved railings around the scene, so the little carved children didn’t fall. But the beautiful part was that they were ringed by candles. The hot air rising off the candles turned a horizontal propeller at the top of the pyramid, which caused the scenes in the different layers to rotate. Lanh vowed to save as much money as possible for next year’s bazaar.

“Campbell!” shouted Staff Sergeant Hinsdale.

“Yes Mat?” asked Don as he walked into the squadron maintenance room.

“Report to Colonel McBride’s office immediately.”

Don’s mouth went dry. The squadron commander? “Why? What did I do?”

“I don’t know for sure, but I’m guessing it’s about wasting so many man-hours on 106.”

Don sighed and said, “OK.” His uniform was a mess, and his boots looked like he polished them with a belt sander, but immediately means immediately, so he ran off through the wet snow to Lieutenant Colonel McBride’s office.

“106?” asked Lieutenant Malley. “He fixed that one after the General Dynamics rep gave up on it. Colonel McBride is overjoyed with that.”

“Don doesn’t know that” said Mat Hinsdale.

Don entered the orderly room, which was decorated with Christmas garland and lights. The clerks of the admin office went silent when Don entered and the first sergeant, Master Sergeant Parrish, glared at him. “You’re late.”

“I was just told to come here. I ran the whole way.”

“No excuse. Follow me.” and he led Don into the executive officer’s office. Major Jennings, a slim angry looking black guy in a flight suit, looked up at Don.

“Is this him?”

“Yes, he is sir.”

Major Jennings shook his head and frowned. “Airman, do you know why you’re here?”

“Yes sir.”

“Then tell me,” said Major Jennings, steepling his fingers like he was getting ready to rip both of Don’s stripes off.

“I’m here because my immediate supervisor told me to come here. I was then escorted in this office by my first sergeant.”

“Airman Campbell, are you being a wise ass?”

“No sir, I’m being honest and straight with you.”

“That’s refreshing considering the company you keep.”

“Sir?”

“Follow me.” Major Jennings and Master Sergeant Parrish walked through the orderly room and stood outside of the commander’s office. “Report,” said Major Parrish.

Don knocked once on the commander’s door and after a few moments he heard, “Enter.”

Don stood in front of the commander’s desk and held a salute. “Airman First Class Campbell reports.”

Colonel McBride was a small but feisty looking man with graying hair and wrinkles that looked like he just took off a CPAP mask. Like Major Jennings, Colonel McBride was wearing a flight suit. He looked up from the paperwork on his desk, then after studying Don, he returned Don’s salute. “Airman, do you know why you are here?”

“No sir.”

“Your wife was caught at the main gate with stolen property on her person.”

“Lanh? No! Never, sir. There must be some mistake.”

“I have reason to believe that it was stolen from this building.”

Don went pale. There had to be some mistake! Yes, Lanh was upset over the orders to Germany, but she doesn’t steal. “My wife is not a thief. She won’t drink the free milk my dad offered her on the farm unless she helps with milking or other chores.”

The colonel covered his mouth with a fist and coughed, trying successfully to hide his laughter, then said, “This was more valuable than a glass of milk. It appears she entered Chief Brown’s office and took one of his most prized possessions.”