Mustering up the Courage to Talk about the Future
Peter Playing the Guitar for Biene
On Sunday morning Mother, like always, lovingly prepared a sumptuous breakfast. Then on Biene’s request I played a selection of a few very simple classical guitar pieces composed by Carulli. As I was nervous and excited, I made quite a few mistakes. Going as far back as my early childhood years I had never suffered from stage fright. I had taken on challenging rôles in Christmas concerts and other major school events. But this was different. Biene was the audience. While she listened to my renditions with an understanding heart, she lovingly ignoring my mistakes. The frequent boners I committed bothered me all the more, since I often managed to play the tunes perfectly, when I had been alone. Then it was Biene’s turn to perform. I set up the microphone and the Grundig tape recorder to capture her voice. She recited in her soft, sweet voice the two poems she had written for me at Christmas. Although at the pinnacle of total bliss, I was unable to push away the nagging thought of something unspoken that needed to be said
This had so far been the very best get-together with Biene. Should we again with our hearts overflowing with wondrous feelings miss the golden opportunity for a good solid talk about our future. For the day was dragging on and Biene’s time to leave was rapidly approaching. Resolutely I invited Biene for a walk along the wintry trail behind the house. We were holding hands, as I began to talk.
Mother Waiting for Peter and Biene
In just a few months I would be traveling to Canada on the Ryndam, a ship of the Holland America Line. It would not mean permanent separation. I would simply go and check out to see if it was true, as my brother Gerry asserted, that I could become a teacher with only two or three years of university training. If it was indeed true, my next step would be to get admitted to the University of Alberta at Calgary with my German high school diploma (Abitur). If successful in fulfilling all entrance requirements I would devote all my energies to acquire a teaching certificate in the shortest possible time.
Church at Watzenborn-Steinberg (now Pohlheim)
And then … I paused for a moment noticing in Biene’s dreamy eyes the expression of sweet anticipation of words never spoken or written before, which she had been expecting from me, the slowpoke, for such a long time. “And then,” I continued almost choking with emotion, “I will ask you to come and be my wife.” Now she squeezed my hand and her face was beaming. Little did I know that with these words I fulfilled her secret wish, which at home in Velbert had been conceived in her heart on New Year’s Eve! So with all our hitherto hidden desires so plainly revealed with my promise to marry her we huddled a little closer together on our way back to the house. To be sure, this was not entirely due to the ice and snow and the wintry chill in the air.
The Peter and Gertrud Klopp Family 
really moving story, I’m happy you succeeded, regards from Hamburg, Mitza
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Thank you, Mitza! However, tough times are still ahead. Without revealing too much, let say, it was timid beginning on a very long road fraught with many potholes and detours.
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Well, who doesn’t have tough times in a relation?
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A beautiful story, Peter! Nice guitar music, too!
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Einfach schön..Wir kennen euch ja beide leider nicht persönlich -aber genauso hätten wir es uns bei euch vorstellen können-Aufregung pur vor dem Heiratsantrag und das ganz grosse Glück,als es”heraus” war und angenommen wurde!☺️☺️😀 Wir sind schon auf die Fortsetzung gespannt! Denn eine turbulente Zukunft lag ja vor euch.. Herzliche Grüsse! Edda
Von meinem iPhone gesendet
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Ja, da habt ihr beide den Nagel auf den Kopf getroffen. So viel habt ihr bereits erraten. Turbulente und erschütternde Zeiten liegen in der Tat noch vor uns. Vielen Dank auch für den lieben Kommentar!
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What a lovely engagement story!!! Thanks for sharing it, Peter!
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One should think that the story has reached its climax and that it would be smooth sailing from this point on…
Thank you, Ann, for following my blog with so much interest!
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I feel like I should say, “Congratulations!” and given you a hearty pat on the back, Peter. I knew it was coming at some point, but it’s still very exciting to read about. (Incidentally, your guitar playing for Biene made the perfect accompaniment to this post.)
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Not so quick with your congratulations, Bun! Consider ‘the unconventional engagement’ as the beginning of a long journey plagued by nearly insurmountable obstacles. Thank you, Bun, for the comment on the guitar play, which made my day on this Sunday morning!
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Wonderful! It sounds as though your tale has a lot of interesting twists and turns to take yet.
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Dear Peter.The picture from Biene and you is wonderful,your eyes are telling your story.Amazing also your guitarplaying,fantastic.Your dreams are becoming reality,how wonderful.Thanks for sharing your lifestory.Many greetings.I wish you and your family all the best.See you.
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Dear Jeannette, many thanks for your thoughtful comment, which is very much appreciated! Our love story could easily be entitled with the motto on your blog: Via est destinatum. Greetings to you and your lovely family from snowy Canada!
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Bin schon gespannt auf die Fortsetzung:-) liebe Grüße, Cornelia
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