Träumerei: Lili’s Dream

By Bianca Pardue

Despite a disastrous mishap during her audition, flutist Liliana Winter is accepted to the prestigious Music Program for Higher Tonal Arts in Germany. Here she finds friends, mystery, the love of her life and a new destiny. On a visit to Frankfurt she buys a tote bag at the flea market from a mysterious vendor. It contains a surprise that brings her adventure beyond her wildest dreams. Lili and her friends are transported back in time to the early 1900’s. Meanwhile, a traitor in their midst will do anything to undermine Lili and her allies for his own evil gains. He is in for a reckoning when forced to battle “The Organization of Time Travel”, whose duty is to safeguard historically weak composers and musicians destined for greatness so they complete their works for future generations to enjoy. Will the man with no music in his heart change history, as we know it? Or, has history already been re-written? Find out! Join Lili in her adventure of music, love, time travel, misdirection, seduction and murder!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Feb 7, 2015
• ISBN: 9781312900929

Book preview

Träumerei: Lili’s Dream

Träumerei - Lili’s Dream

by

Bianca Pardue

Copyright

Copyright © 2015 by Bianca Pardue

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2015

ISBN 978-1-312-90092-9

Published by Bianca Pardue

13255 Dunrobin Ave.

Downey, Ca. 90242

[e-mail]

Cover picture by Rike Bach

Cover design by Bianca Pardue

Editing by Coril Prochnow

Chapter illustrations © 2015 Bianca Pardue

Quote

Within all of us there is an elusive melody

which, when heard and followed,

will lead you to the fulfillment of your wildest dreams.

– Roy Horn, of Siegfried & Roy

Preface

I had a special connection with Clara Wieck Schumann from the moment I encountered her in my music history books. We have a lot in common. Our names were similar. Her maiden name was Wieck and mine was Wied. She was German. So am I. She played piano and so did I. Her parents rejected the love of her life, because they thought he wasn’t good enough for her. So did mine.

Music inspires me, because it brings immense joy and happiness to anyone who loves it. Yes, I’m a firm believer that music is life and that is why our hearts have beats. Oddly enough, not everybody shares this belief.

Sadly, music was deemed as nothing but brotlose Künste (breadless arts, an unprofitable profession) by my family, so I gave it up upon graduating High School. After all, I had to build a real life and learn a decent trade to earn my wages, so I could afford nice things and live the life of my dreams.

One of the last pieces I played, before sacking my music in exchange for real life was Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) by Robert Schumann. By coincidence the composer was Clara’s husband. (You know, the one deemed inadequate to be her soul mate.) I fell in love with the thirteen short little pieces. Each one was different in character, echoing high or low spirits. My favorite piece, by far, was Träumerei (Dreaming).

Turns out, real life was pretty good, if you lived by the rules. If you were reliable, clean and hardworking, you brought home an impressive paycheck. Enough to afford nice things.

Ironically, in order to do well in real life I clung to my dreams. They were absolutely essential to get through hard times, but after a while I realized imagination alone doesn’t always fuel reverie. The urgent need to return to music for inspiration was imminent.

For me, my comeback to music was a do-over. In lieu of a stationary piano, I chose a small portable instrument that could always be carried with me. The flute. I had always admired the sleek silvery instrument and thought how cool it would be to play one. My quest to once again become a virtuous musician began. Little did I know how hard it is to even produce a decent sounding tone on the flute! It proved itself to be extremely difficult. While achieving mere shrill screeches, I resorted to pretending to make beautiful music. With time, the dissonance slowly diminished and the music within me was reawakened.

During diligent practice sessions a story started to come to life inside my head. It was based on my idol Clara Wieck and her husband’s work Kinderszenen. The chapters in my novel bear the names of the individual scenes and served as a very loose outline to my tale­ in the writing process. What better inspiration than the naiveté of youth?

In real life I’ve met many inspiring people who were good to me. Bits and pieces of their spirit are incorporated in my book. One person in particular comes to mind. I consider him my mentor. Thanks, Bill.

Is it wrong to dream of playing the flute with a beautiful silvery tone? Shouldn’t everyone be entitled to a do-over in life? Find out. Sit back, relax and enjoy a good dream.

Von Fremden Lä­ndern und Menschen (Of Foreign Lands and Peoples) in G Major

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Title Page, no text.jpg

Lili was extremely nervous as she walked through the gloomy park, heading for the school she hoped to attend for the next three years. She stomped toward the iron gate and told herself aloud, This is it! This’ll either make me or break me! The heat of her breath formed a fine mist in front of her face and she shuddered, not because of the cold wet weather, but because she was afraid. What if she failed the audition? One bad intonation, one bad arpeggio (the notes of a chord played in succession, either ascending or descending) and everything she’d worked so hard to achieve could be wiped out in a heartbeat.

She took a deep breath. Her hand was trembling a little as she rang the bell. It didn’t take long before a flat, tinny voice spoke out from a small speaker mounted on the left column of the massive gate.

State your business, please! the voice demanded.

I’m L-Liliana W-Winter. I h-have an appointment to audition for Dr. S-Sommer, Lili stammered in the best German she could muster.

Ah, Fräulein Winter! Dr. Sommer is expecting you, the tinny voice replied. Please report to Room 413. Cross the yard, pass the old oak tree, enter the building, turn left and go down the stairs. The auditions are being held in the basement.

There was a loud buzzing noise and Lili pushed against the old iron gate to open it. It was heavier than she expected. She pushed on it again with all her might but still it would not open.

The buzzer stopped. Fräulein Winter! Pull, don’t push! the tinny voice commanded. Lili grinned sheepishly, hearing an undertone of disgust, and forcefully pulled at the gate. It opened with such an impact it almost hit her in the face! She barely managed to dodge it and quickly slipped through the opening, briefly imagining herself arriving at the most important meeting of her life sporting a black eye.

She looked around the abandoned courtyard, recalling the directions. Her footsteps echoed against the cobblestones as she made her way to what seemed to be a back entrance to the school. Once in the building, she followed steps leading to the basement as they descended to a brightly lit hallway and promptly came upon Room 413.

It was the only room with activity going on outside of it. Chairs were neatly lined up against the walls on each side of the door and a young man about her age with shoulder length blond hair occupied a chair on the right. He was slumped down with his hands stuffed in his trench coat pockets, a violin case resting on his knees. Lili sat on one of the remaining seats, put her bag on the chair next to her and unbuttoned her jacket.

He grinned at her. What time is yours? he asked.

Without thinking, Lili replied, In half an hour.

The young man continued to smile at her and said, Looks like I’m next. You’re early. They both gazed up at the institutional clock hanging up across from them. The second hand was ticking; it was a quarter to ten.

Promptly on the hour, the door opened and a short, slender, well-groomed man in his late forties came out and addressed her conversation partner, who had already jumped up and snapped to attention. Herr Martin, shall we? he asked. They stepped inside and closed the door. Lili could hear Dr. Sommer ask, So, Herr Martin, what will you be playing for me today?

His answer was muffled; then the sweet song of a violin filled the air. The soft, soothing tones sounded breathtakingly beautiful as they echoed through the halls. Lili sat back and let her mind drift with the music. Forgotten was the stage fright of her impending audition. All that mattered was the song of the violin.

She closed her eyes and imagined herself sitting on her grandfather’s knee in the little nook of her grandparents’ living room. It was their spot. Here they would snuggle into Grandpa’s big cozy armchair and play his eclectic collection of vinyl records on the old hi-fi. Lili loved to listen to the beautiful music with him while he elaborated on his favorite parts, explaining why this particular passage or that phrase was so special.

Fräulein Winter! Someone calling her name beckoned Lili back to reality. She realized the violin music had stopped and Dr. Sommer was looking for her. She jumped up, hastily grabbed her bag and followed him into the room.

Come along, Fräulein Winter! Get yourself set up and tuned. I haven't got all day now, he commanded and sat down behind an old baby grand which, other than a few chairs and music stands, filled the room’s capacity.

The room had the low ceiling of a basement, with stone walls freshly painted white. The acrid smell of paint was still in the air. Herr Martin, obviously very satisfied with himself, was packing up while she was unpacking. As he stowed his violin in its case and snapped down the lid, he flashed a smile at her and said, Good luck, I hope to see you around! He turned to Dr. Sommer, made a slight bow and bid him, Auf Wiedersehen!

See you next semester, Herr Martin, Dr. Sommer replied. Lili surmised, as he exited the room, that this Martin fellow had been accepted into the program. She could be too… all she needed to do was to play her heart out!

Alone with Dr. Sommer, she suddenly felt very insignificant and unsure of herself. Her hands were trembling as she assembled her flute. Don’t think now! she said to herself, Just play! She blew an A for tuning and, without a word, Dr. Sommer pounded the A on the piano. This went back and forth a time or two until she was confident her flute was in tune.

Fräulein Winter, it is okay if you’d like to warm up with some scales or an étude, he hinted.

Lili ruffled her sheet music and positioned herself behind the music stand. She mindlessly did as he’d suggested. When she looked up after her warmup, Dr. Sommer was smiling. This was encouraging. She stammered, "I-I will be playing variations on Träumerei by Robert Schumann for you today."

She closed her eyes and drew strength from the words of her grandfather. He had always told her, Within all of us there is an elusive melody which, when heard and followed, will lead you to the fulfillment of your wildest dreams! She took a deep breath, set her flute to her lips and started to play, her mind going blank as the silvery tones filled the room. She finished the familiar melody and went on to play her own variations. The first one was slow and almost lamenting, the second was upbeat, moderately skipping along, and the third was meant as the finale.

Her fingers raced to keep the tempo. She needed to catch a giant breath in order to get through the final passage, but when she inhaled something went horribly wrong! The paint fumes in the room caused a tickling sensation in her throat. Oh, no! Oh, no! she panicked. Not now! She tried to suppress the intense urge to cough but chortled in between notes and lost count of the rhythm. Not that it mattered, because she could no longer hold back and started to cough with all her might. Her shoulders heaved as she struggled to get herself under control.

By now, Dr. Sommer had grabbed a bottle of water from somewhere and leapt up from behind the piano to come to her aid. My dear! Here, have a drink! he urged, as he unscrewed the bottle top. Lili tried to sip at the water, but it seemed to set her off even more. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the coughing started to subside.

This was a good thing, but strangely enough, Dr. Sommer’s facial expression suddenly changed from simply being alarmed to being horrified. Just as Lili wondered what could be wrong, she felt a funny warm sensation on her upper lip. She set her flute on its stand and wiped her mouth. Oh, no! It was blood! She had coughed so violently she had set off a nosebleed!

Fräulein Winter! Sit down! Head back! Dr. Sommer was commanding her. She obeyed his orders. He pulled a crisp white handkerchief from the breast pocket of his coat and covered her nostrils with it. Just relax, my dear, he said, standing over her while continuing to pinch her nose. Another eternity went by until he let go and instructed her, Now, sit up and let’s see if we have that nasty nosebleed under control.

Lili did as she was told.

Inhale and exhale through your nose, my dear!

Again she complied. Now that her nosebleed had let up, Lili started feeling very awkward. She didn’t know what to do next, but Dr. Sommer left her no time to ponder.

You can pack up now. I have heard enough, he told her. He situated himself back behind the piano and was vigorously penning notes in a black composition book. Lili packed away her flute and sheet music as fast as she could. Dr. Sommer never took his eyes off his notebook as he spoke to her while she zipped her tote bag. You will hear within a week if you are accepted. The school secretary will call you. You will also receive a letter in the mail. Auf Wiedersehen, Fräulein Winter.

Lili managed to squeak, Thank you for the opportunity, Dr. Sommer. Auf Wiedersehen! and headed toward the exit. She shot one last glance at him before she stepped out the door. He never looked up.

Once out of the room, she raced down the empty corridors and across the courtyard as fast as she could go. All she wanted was to get off campus. Thank goodness, the gate was now open and she didn’t have to deal with the tinny-voiced gatekeeper!

Lili climbed up the steep steps leading to her little flat in the attic, which she sublet from Frau Berger. She hoped she wouldn’t have to deal with crazy Frau Berger right now! All she wanted was to be alone and to feel sorry for herself after her big nosebleed disaster. She didn’t even remember how she got home from downtown. She felt like a zombie, all her senses numb.

Good job, Liliana! she said to herself sarcastically, as she mechanically inserted the large skeleton key into the door’s keyhole and turned it. You blew the most important audition of your life!

Once inside, she threw her bag down, flung herself into the large, overstuffed easy chair and started to cry. Tears ran down her cheeks as she muttered to herself. A loser, that’s what I am. Nothing but a big, fat loser! By now, she was sobbing uncontrollably. She sank back into the huge armchair and let self-pity get the best of her. Loser, loser, loser! She cried herself to sleep.

When Lili awoke, it was dark outside and the light from the street lamp was shining faintly through the little attic window. She looked at her alarm clock to find that she had slept the afternoon away. It was past seven in the evening! Her throat felt dry and raspy and she was hot. No wonder! She’d never bothered to take off her coat when she’d gotten home. She stood up, turned on the light and removed her coat. Her stomach was growling; the last thing she had eaten was a jelly roll for breakfast. Going to the kitchen area of her one room flat, she opened the little mini refrigerator, which had a two-burner hot plate sitting on top, and peered inside. Except for a 6-pack of Pepsi (she despised Coke), it was empty. She popped a Pepsi and decided to wash up and go for a walk to the market square. She’d have a Bratwurst at the Schnellimbiss (fast food restaurant). No matter how bad she felt, she needed to eat something.

On her way out, Lili managed to sneak past Frau Berger again. Frau Berger was nice but crazy. Plus, she was sure to ask about the audition and Lili had no desire to talk about it at this time. All she wanted was to blank the whole disaster from her mind.

It was still drizzling outside, cold and wet with no real rain, only dampness in the air, which was typical for German weather in mid-October. Lili pulled the hood of her jacket over her head and zipped up the front, digging her hands into her pockets as she walked the cobblestone streets to the market square.

The shops were well lit and many people were on the street. Lili stopped only once to peek through the window of a music shop, her reflection peering back at her in the glass. She saw a tanned, hooded face with emerald green eyes framed by long dark lashes which could have been very pretty if they hadn’t been red from crying so hard earlier. Her waist-length dark hair, cascading out from the hoodie on either side of her face, curled slightly from the dampness in the air.

She sighed and strained to see the flutes laid out past her reflection. There were several gold and silver ones on display: Yamahas, Perlas and, of course, Gemeinhardts. Lili hoped to buy one when she got her grant money from the music school. The sight of the flutes brought back the awful feeling she was so desperately trying to get rid of.

Head down, hands in her pockets, she marched onward. The Schnellimbiss trailer was set up at the corner of the marketplace. The warm lighting of the neon sign on its roof proudly beamed Hans & Franz Schnellimbiss. A small crowd of people was gathered in front of it, all munching on something. There were no tables; nothing but the lip of the trailer served as a place to set food and drink. Lili bellied up to the imbiss where the brothers Hans and Franz were serving up German fast-food delights.

The two men looked like siblings. Both seemed to be in their twenties and they were giant in stature, like most Germans – easily over six feet. Each had the same strawberry blond hair and watery blue eyes. It seemed as if they were manhandling the food, because their hands were red from the cold and as big as pancakes.

Franz grinned at Lili, who felt dwarfed in front of them. What can I get the little lady? he asked cheerfully. He was right about little. Lili was only 5’2" and she stuck out among the crowd of German giants.

One Bratwurst with mustard, please! Oh, and one Pepsi, Lili answered politely.

Same as yesterday, then? Franz asked and smiled down at her.

Yes, please! she answered, then paid him as he handed her the food, took her place at the edge of the trailer and started munching on her wurst. She gobbled it up in no time.

The day before, Lili had told Franz about her upcoming audition. She was grateful he was too busy to ask her about it now, since he was serving a group of customers that had come from across the street a moment ago. While waiting on them, he managed to raise an inquisitive eyebrow at her and she replied by shaking her head, No.

She was throwing her plate in the trash and ready to leave when she heard someone say,

Hey, I know you! She turned to see who on earth it could be. She had been in town just two weeks and the only people she knew even remotely were Frau Berger, Hans and Franz. She smiled when she recognized the long-haired blond violinist from the audition, both happy to see him and terrified he would ask her about it.

Sure enough, the first words out of his mouth were, How’d it go today?. He was quite handsome in his blue turtleneck, blue jeans, boots and long grey wool trench coat. His shoulder-length blond hair was parted in the middle and he was grinning from ear to ear.

You don’t want to know, Lili responded.

What happened? he asked eagerly, as he lit up a cigarette.

It was horrible, she said simply, not wanting to go into details. The swarm of customers had cleared out, which left Franz free to listen in. He begged her for details, so Lili recounted the drama of her audition. By the time she was done, all three of the young men were staring at her with gaping mouths, speechless. Hans, who’d listened in on the story from the other side of the imbiss trailer, was belly laughing.

Franz was the first to regain his composure. "The good thing is, it happened at the end of your audition, he said and added wisely, This way, the good doctor got to hear you play and judge you before you started coughing."

The young man whom Lili knew as Herr Martin chimed in. He’s right! From what I heard, you sounded top notch. It was worthy of admittance, regardless of your little mishap. He grinned sheepishly. I stayed and listened in the hallway for a while. You were really good. Especially the slow variation was very cool. He nodded encouragingly at Lili, who was downing her last sip of Pepsi.

She shrugged her shoulders and said, It looks like I’ll be going back to the States soon, since I made such a fool of myself. There’s no way I’m getting into the program now… Her voice trailed off.

Herr Martin countered, Nonsense! Dr. Sommer knows a good musician when he hears one, no matter what silly stunt they pull during their audition! Besides, there is no use crying over spilt milk; just make the most of your time here. Hey, I have an idea! His face lit up as he went on, Tomorrow I’m meeting a couple friends at the flea market in Frankfurt to play open air music. He smiled knowingly at Franz and suggested to Lili, You could come!

Lili blurted out, I don’t even know your name and you want me to go running around Germany with you?

It hadn’t occurred to him that he’d never introduced himself. He did a double take and replied, I’m so sorry, but it seems like I’ve known you forever. Let me introduce myself. My name is Klaus Martin. As you know, I’m a violinist and I’ve also applied to the program, but I don’t come from as far away as you do. I live with my parents on a farm in Rotzenbuchen. It’s about 15 kilometers from here.

Now Franz piped up, Lili, Klaus is a good guy, we went to grammar school together, didn’t we, Hans? Hans, who was wiping the counters down, nodded vigorously.

Klaus reached out to shake Lili’s hand. She accepted it, smiled and said, Hi Klaus, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Liliana Winter from Fallbrook, California. I’d like very much to be your friend while I’m here and I’d love to go to the flea market with you!

Well, it’s settled then, said Klaus. She noticed Franz was clearing his throat awkwardly, so she asked him, Do you want to come too?

I thought you’d never ask! Franz beamed. Klaus shot another knowing glance at his buddy and smiled.

Franz paid him no heed and summed things up. Klaus, we’ll meet at the Bahnhof (train station) at 8:00 am. Lili, I’ll pick you up at 7:30. Where do you live? Lili gave him her address at Frau Berger’s.

Klaus suggested to Franz, Hey, bring Big Bertha!

Who’s Big Bertha? Lili asked.

You’ll see, they both answered secretively. Klaus glanced at his watch and abruptly exclaimed, Oh no, I’ve got to go or else I’ll miss my bus! See you at the Bahnhof tomorrow morning at eight! he called over his shoulder, as he started jogging toward the bus stop.

Lili said goodbye to Franz after he reminded her, Don’t forget to bring your flute! I can’t wait to hear you play! She nodded affirmatively, crossed the street and waved back at him before she rounded the corner.

Walking back home to Frau Berger’s, she pondered her day. Suddenly things didn’t look quite as bleak as before. Klaus had said she was really good and that her slow variation was very cool. Maybe the boys were right. Maybe she’d played well enough before the coughing incident to make it into the program.

On the bright side, she had also made new German friends and was going to Frankfurt with them the next day. That should count for something.

She couldn’t wait to rummage around the flea market. Lili loved everything old and rusty. Back home, she used to scour antique shops looking for deals on old stuff. Her mom would simply call it junk, but to her, old stuff was pure treasure. Who knows what she might find tomorrow? She reminded herself not to go overboard and spend too much money. She would get one thing she really liked. That’s it. No more.

Back in her flat, she got ready for bed and set her alarm for 6:00 am, but was far too excited about the next day to sleep. She thought, I’ll play myself a lullaby to calm down, and ended up playing softly for over an hour before putting her flute on its stand and sinking into the lush feather bed to drift off into a deep sleep.

•    •    •    •

Before Lili knew it, the alarm clock was blaring a German advertisement jingle to wake her up, with a lady’s voice singing, Massenweise kleine Preise (massive small prices)! Lili sprang out of bed, swiftly gathered up her toiletries and went down the hall to hit the shower. It didn’t bother her that the shower was not inside her flat, since she was the only one who used this bath. What did bother her was the lack of hot water. Back home, she was used to taking superlong hot showers. Here the hot water lasted only briefly. She’d learned to time it exactly right. Jump in, lather up from head to toe and rinse. Two minutes was all she had before the water temperature dropped to subzero. Today she purposely took a little longer than normal so the cold water would give her a jolt, to be sure she was good and awake to start this new and exciting day.

She brushed her teeth, dried her hair and threw on her jeans and a sweatshirt. She was ready, with enough time left to have a cup of tea. By the time Franz showed up in his little Smart car, she was waiting for him in front of the building, her flute case slung over her shoulder.

Lili smiled when she opened the car door to get in. Franz looked like Herman Munster crammed into the little car. His knees were almost at his chin and he was obviously going to have a hard time working the clutch and gas. But here in Germany, space was scarce and the Smart car was perfect for getting around.

Franz maneuvered the tiny vehicle easily through the maze of narrow cobblestone streets and they were pulling into the parking lot of the Bahnhof in no time flat. They parked way in the back, where there were no meters.

As they got out of the car, Lili asked, Hey, where is Bertha? Are we meeting her here?

Franz had a terrible time unraveling himself from behind the wheel, due to his cramped quarters. While he was tediously scooting himself out, he grunted, She’s in the back.

Surprised, Lili examined the huge black leather case crammed into the car’s tiny storage area. The best she could figure, it was an instrument of some type but she couldn’t quite tell what it was. Finally freed from the car, Franz opened the hatchback, pulled out the large case and effortlessly slung it over his shoulder.

What is that thing? she queried.

Franz’s eyes twinkled. He smiled at her. You’ll see!

Okay, be that way! Lili grumbled.

As they marched to the main hall of the train station, Franz explained that he had a rail pass but Lili would need to buy a ticket. Since Lili had never worked a ticket machine before, she simply handed Franz her wallet. He fed a machine some Euros, pressed a blue button, then a red button, and the apparatus spat out two rail tickets. It occurred to Lili that he had purchased a round trip.

She carefully made sure to tuck the tickets into her wallet and put it back into her flute bag. Klaus’s now familiar voice bellowed at them from the platform nearby. Hey, guys! Over here! When she looked up, Klaus and a girl were approaching. They were holding hands and Lili immediately felt a little twinge shoot through her. Nevertheless, Klaus hugged Lili to greet her.

Guten Morgen! he beamed. Everybody echoed his greeting, including the girl. Klaus turned to his girlfriend and announced, This is Lili, the flutist I told you about with the bloody nose! Thinking nothing of his horrible introduction, he said to Lili, This is my girlfriend, Mechthild. We call her Meggie.

Meggie gave Klaus a disapproving look while she apologized to Lili, Never mind him! He can be like a bull in a china shop sometimes. She smiled warmly. Pleased to meet you Lili. Klaus speaks very fondly of you!

Lili couldn’t help but like the girl. She shook her hand and smiled while sizing her up. She was slender and about half a head taller than Lili. Her long, blond, out of control, kinky hair framed her angelic, alabaster face like an ornate Rococo picture frame. She had a colorful, stylish scarf wrapped around her neck, partially covering her jeans jacket, and wore dainty, dangling earrings that peeked through her wild hair every now and then. She carried a large instrument bag slung over her shoulders.

The train pulled in and Franz urged them to board it. Hey, guys, let’s go! They found an empty compartment and took their seats with Big Bertha placed in the middle. Lili confessed she’d never been on a train before and asked how long the ride would be to Frankfurt. They informed her it would take about half an hour and marveled over the fact that she’d never ridden a train, since public transportation was a part of daily life in Germany.

During the ride, they talked about this and that as if they were old friends. So, what’s your poison? Lili asked Meggie, gesturing toward her instrument bag.

Much to her surprise, Meggie replied, I play the flute too, and added, but I’m not as good as you are, according to Klaus. He raved about how cool you sounded at the audition. 

Yeah, Lili replied sheepishly, and I sport a cool cough and nosebleed too! They all laughed. Lili was surprised to be laughing right along with them. She felt completely at ease with her new German friends. She belonged. It felt good.

Meggie dug a vast amount of sheet music from her bag. Let’s go over what we’ll play today! she requested. She really had a lot of music in her bag, which explained why it was so big and bulky.

You and your freaking sheet music. Let’s just play by ear! Franz groaned.

No, we have to do it right! Meggie insisted and bopped him on the head with a music book.

Klaus interrupted her. Megs, there’s plenty of time for that later, we’ve arrived! he announced. 

It seemed like the train ride had gone by in no time. As they were disembarking, Klaus complained, I’m hungry! Let’s go to Café Kranz and have breakfast! Ja? Since no one objected, they walked down a few narrow, winding streets and ended up at a little café with a black and white awning extending across its façade.

Bells attached to the door chimed when they entered. Once inside, they were engulfed in the heady aroma of freshly ground coffee and oven-fresh bread. They all wanted Kaffee (coffee) so they ordered two pots. Pulling a baguette from a wicker basket, Klaus ordered butter with blackberry and plum jams, then smiled at the group and paid.

My treat, he said.

Lili found herself munching on the most wonderful tasting bread and jam while she asked a battery of questions. So, what’s the plan for today? Where do we play? Can I shop at the flea market, too?

Meggie, perched on Big Bertha’s case, explained, We have to cross the flea market to get to the far end where we always play. So, yes, we can shop! She looked directly at Lili and ignored the boys, who were cringing and grimacing at the mere mention of the word shop.

We’ll meet up with you, Meggie promised them.

While the girls shop, Klaus said to Franz, rolling his eyes, we can visit my uncle Otto. Franz seemed to think this was an awesome idea.

After every last morsel of bread and every drop of coffee had been devoured, they parted ways with the agreement to meet back at the Eiserner Steg (Iron Post) near the riverbank in two hours.

As the girls walked off toward the flea market, Lili asked, Who is Uncle Otto?

Oh, answered Meggie, he’s Klaus’s uncle. He is a bit eccentric. He collects odd things and builds one-of-a-kind musical instruments. The guys love to go there and watch him tinker. He made Big Bertha, you know.

This made Lili even more curious about what Big Bertha could be and she asked impatiently, Why won’t anybody tell me what Big Bertha is?

Meggie thought hard for a minute, then shrugged her shoulders and said, It’s no use. I can’t come up with an accurate description. You simply have to experience it for yourself! She changed the subject, as if Big Bertha weren’t very important to her. Which brings me back to the question, what should we play today? What do you think about some Baroque pieces?

Lili mumbled carelessly, Yeah, sure. She was not particularly interested because her mind was still dwelling on Big Bertha. Darn that Big Bertha!

They reached the Main River, where there were all sorts of shops along the riverbank, tables and booths stretching out as far as the eye could see. Lili was impressed with what was being offered. Back in the States, one could find an occasional treasure amidst a lot of junk, but here it was all good stuff! Her eyes roamed the market and she could feel herself getting excited. Yes, this is what old stuff did to her.

Meggie gave her a curious glance and queried in an almost frightened whisper, Does all shopping make you shark-out, or only the old junk?

Lili shrugged her shoulders and explained defensively, It is not junk! It’s treasure! There is just something about the beauty and craftsmanship of antique things that intrigues me. Maybe it’s the mystery of what the piece may have been through in its lifetime. Lili stopped short. She could tell from the look Meggie gave her that she didn’t get it.

While Lili looked at the old stuff, Meggie gravitated toward the new. She found a stand that carried new urban wear and examined a t-shirt closely. She suggested to Lili, You go ahead, I’ll catch up to you. I think I’m going to buy this and it’ll take me a while to pay for it.

Lili was so caught up in her surroundings, she barely acknowledged that she’d heard. She was in her own little world as she roamed off, examining with a keen eye all the treasures on display. She came upon a booth that particularly drew her attention. The street vendor tending it was a friendly old man with bushy grey hair; heavy laugh lines etched his face. His tattered clothes looked like they’d seen better days and his old dog sat faithfully by his side. He smiled at Lili when he noticed she was eyeing him and waved at to her to come closer.

He coaxed, Everything is half price today, because it’s my dog’s birthday!

That made Lili chuckle. Does the birthday dog bite? she asked.

Oh, no! he replied earnestly, George loves people. 

She put out her hand to let George sniff it, then proceeded to pet the big mutt, stroking his long, shaggy, chestnut fur. Hi George! she greeted him. Despite his owner’s poor appearance, the dog was well kept. His fur was silky and shiny and he wore a red collar, complete with tags.

What’s your pleasure today? the vendor prompted.

She replied indecisively Oh, I don’t know... Her voice trailed off while she examined his goods. An old music stand, back in the corner of the booth, caught her fancy. She desperately needed one. She currently taped her music to the wall when she practiced at the flat. It’s perfect! she thought. It was totally cool and would serve a purpose too!

The foot and pole were black wrought iron and the top of the stand, where the sheet music would go, was made of old weathered wood that had been painted several times over. The turquoise paint was chipped just right to render a wonderful patina. The foot was a tripod with claw feet, which reminded her of the Romantic period. 

How much? she asked.

The vendor and George the dog came closer. Ten Euro should do it, he said, nodding his head as if it were a done deal.

Lili, who was a savvy price haggler, smiled. How ’bout five? she bartered, reminding him, You said everything is half price, because it’s George’s birthday!

Ten is already half off, the vendor countered.

Lili acted like she was walking away.

He called after her, Okay, fifteen! For that I’ll throw in this leather case! He held up an old burnished leather case, which intrigued Lili and definitely got her attention. Maybe she could use it to carry her flute, rather than the old black canvas bag she had slung over her shoulder?

Deal! she impulsively exclaimed, digging out her money and paying the old man on the spot. After he pocketed her money, Lili watched him disassemble the music stand into three pieces and wrap it in an old newspaper.

Meggie walked up from behind and breathed over her shoulder, I see you’ve made quite the find. Cool music stand! The vendor packed it in an old plastic bag and passed it over to Lili.

Lili handed Meggie the leather case. This came with it. Can you put it in your bag until we get home?

Sure, no problem, she replied and stuffed it into her tote. The stand will come in handy when we play today, she added happily.

They bid goodbye to the vendor and his dog and moved off to meet the guys at the Eiserner Steg, chatting about their purchases. Lili decided Meggie must really like clothes, because she’d bought two shirts, a skirt and a pair of shoes.

I can’t wait to show them to you, Meggie exclaimed. Lili, who wasn’t too keen on fashion, was grateful to be able to change the subject when she caught sight of Franz and Klaus. Look, the guys are over there! she shouted and waved.

They were already setting up the stage. Klaus called over teasingly, Silly girls, always late!

Franz tapped on his watch. He’s right, you’re ten minutes tardy, he scolded them. Meggie started to defend herself, but gave up immediately because she knew he was right. Lili pulled out her new music stand, removed the newspaper wrapping and set it up. Meggie put down her bag and started rummaging in it, pulling out all sorts of sheet music and setting it on the stand. Then she pulled out another stand, assembled it and set more music on it.

The guys groaned and made fun of her. You and your music, they heckled. 

Lili set her eyes on what she immediately knew to be Big Bertha. To her surprise, it was a harp with an electrical cord which plugged into a battery-operated amplifier. There were some controls on the side which looked a lot like the buttons on the side of an accordion.

Franz came over. He grinned sheepishly. Didn’t think I played the harp? he asked.

Lili thought it was kind of like an oxymoron for such a big, rough, tough, burly guy to play such a feminine instrument. One always imagines a nymph-like woman playing the harp, she mused, but didn’t share this with Franz. She merely chuckled and casually replied, Not in a million years! and smiled at him.

Franz showed her what the knobs and switches did. They are sort of like the controls on a keyboard synthesizer, he explained. They let the harp take on the tones of different instruments. Otto added the feature at my request. He also made it electric, so it amplifies, he added proudly.

Franz strapped the harp to his belly by pulling a strap, like a guitar strap, over his head. He dialed a knob or two, flicked a switch and then gracefully strummed across the strings with his sausage-like fingers. The sound was simply beautiful, like trumpets. Franz adjusted another knob and now the harp mimicked a cello’s deep baritone.

A little crowd started to gather. Klaus butted into Franz’s show–and-tell to remind Lili she’d better assemble her flute. The four of them discussed what they would play, deciding on a Suite by Chédeville. Klaus would play lead on the violin, Meggie and Lili would play second and third parts on their flutes and Franz would bring up the rear with the basso continuo in arpeggios on Big Bertha.

They tuned up. Passersby stopped and waited to listen, since it was obvious the young people would be providing free, open-air entertainment. However, Klaus set a tip jar on the cobblestones to point out that the entertainment was not meant to be entirely for free and the group formed a half circle around the jar. Klaus led with his bow. He tap, tap, tapped against the music stand to set tempo, then made a flicking motion to start them.

First they played Allemande, a slow movement, then Courant, a fast tempo piece. Next was Sarabande, slow and stately, finishing with an upbeat Gigue. It was as if they had performed together all their lives. They were totally in sync. The rhythm, tempo and tonality were excellent for a street performance.

People gathered from all around to listen, but only some put money into the tip jar. Others stood long enough to catch an earful and then quickly moved on. Some simply walked past, totally ignoring them. Lili decided these people must be bad human beings, since it was obvious they did not have music within their hearts.

For her, the whole experience of setting up on the street and playing was totally new and felt great. Back home, this was simply not done. Maybe it was even against the law!

They played for what seemed like forever and only quit because the streetlights came on and it was too dark to read the music. As they were packing up, a waiter came over from the pub across the street with a tray of four shot glasses, filled with liqueur. The pimply-faced waiter, clad in black pants and a white shirt, said his boss thanked them for playing across the street from his pub because their show had attracted many customers to his Gasthaus (Inn). It was packed with patrons who stood and listened in the cold and then needed food and drink to warm up. These drinks are on the house, compliments of the pubkeeper! he generously announced with a smile.

Lili had never drunk Schnapps before, but the cold had gotten the best of her. She was willing to try it in an effort to warm up and get some feeling back in her fingers and toes. She reached for the little shot glass presented on the round tray.

Prost! Klaus and Franz exclaimed, lifting their tiny glasses and clinking them together with those of the girls. Down the hatch it went!

Whoa! Lili thought her throat was on fire as she swallowed. Ugh! she shuddered, gasping for air, then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and promptly started to cough.

Oh, no! Not another nosebleed! Klaus teased.

For a split second, Lili froze. Not now! she thought.

Klaus laughed when he saw the shocked look on her face. Just kidding! he joked.

The pimply-faced waiter went back across the street and the four of them headed off to the train station. By now it was dark, very cold and starting to drizzle, so it felt good to enter the well-lit, dry train station. They caught the 20:15 train just as it was ready to pull out. Once on the train, Franz bounded ahead and found a compartment for them.

This one is empty. In here! he beckoned. Klaus and Meggie took one side and hunkered down, Lili and Franz took the other. Big Bertha was placed in the middle. Franz propped his feet on the harp case and got comfortable. They were all­ beat; the