Yesterday was a really nasty day weather-wise. Cold and rainy: A typical winter day in this part of Germany. With visitors coming in a week for the holidays, we are in the final count-down preparations. This called for me to venture out into the crowds and hunt for meat, groceries and wine.
I decided to avoid the big supermarket down the road, opting for the smaller local shops. The hairs were up on the back of my neck as I climbed into my car contemplating my first stop. It would be war, it would be brutal - that much I was sure of. It would be me up against big German women in their 70's in the confines of the local butcher shop. One thing was sure...it would be full, leaving me little room to maneuver in the heat of the battle.
My palms started to sweat as I pulled into the parking lot. I climbed out of the car, pushed my chest out, tilted my head back and tried to make myself look as big as possible (like our cat does when she tries to scare us) as I made my way to the front door of the "Metzger" (butcher). As I entered, one of the aforementioned lades departed - brushing my 6 foot 185 pound frame aside like a feather pillow - without so much as an "excuse me". I'll take the time to explain these "Trümmerfrauen" some other time (you can google this - there are websites in English explaining them). For now, just know this; they literally put Germany back together - piece by piece - after the war. They are TOUGH and usually weigh in at over 200 lbs. Anyway - I push the door open to the sounds of high noon and to my surprise the shop is empty!! Amazing. You have to live in Germany to appreciate this. Saturday at 12:45 at the most popular butcher in the city and the shop is empty! I'm immediately served and making my selection when one by one the shop fills to capacity behind me with a mixture of Trümmerfrauen and regular civilians. They leave me in peace - grudgingly respecting my authoritative position (I'm being served) and concentrate on taking out the other "civilians" in their moves to get to the head of the line (It's kind of like watching wolves attacking each other around a dead elk). As I leave I notice that the shop is full - the ladies make room for my departure eyeing my bag with envy as they jostle each other and shout to the counter staff "I'm next".....
Long live the Trümmerfrau! What will Germany do without them?
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