Summer Of My Germin Soilder Essays - , Term Papers

Summer Of My Germin Soilder CN - Can you tell me the first time you met Anton. What was it like? PB - I first heard his name when some soldiers told my father that he was the only English speaking German. When I saw him he was different from the others. He did not look as strong or as tall as the others, but his eyes speckled with green. The first time I talked to him he was looking for a pocket pencil sharpener. We ended up talking. He told me about his family, their jobs and things like that. He also spoke about himself. He asked me to sell him a pin that looked like diamonds. Later I found out he would use the pen to sneak out of prison. I made a prayer just before he left. I prayed we would become friends, that he would become a doctor, and that he would go back to his home. only half of my prayer came true, we became friends. CN - Can you tell me how he escaped from prison? PB - He was planning to bribe a soldier with the pin that had fake diamonds. He told the guard his father would pay anyone who let him out of jail. The first payment being in diamonds. The guard believed him and helped him escape. CN - Why did you decide to hide a German Prisoner? PB - I hid him because he was a person. I liked him and he was different from what I had heard about Germans. I knew what I was doing was against the law. I was 12, and followed my instincts. Why should I not help someone who was in need. After all God made all men equal. One girl said God was on our side. I disagree with her comment, he was probably on all sides. CN - What were your feelings of the trial? PB - I thought that being sent to reform school was not fair towards me. I only helped a person, a friend. Hearing that he died was the worst punishment. Also that my father might never forgive me is hard to live with. I know I broke the law, but I did not kill anyone. I only helped him. In a way I got punished for helping another human being. CN - How were you treated after everyone found out? PB - In reform school I was called names like: 'Nazi' and 'Spy.' I had very few friends there. I'm not sure if I could even call them friends. Back home practically no one spoke to me. Pretty soon I was sent to live with my grandparents, and I'm still here. My dad never did forgive me and hardly speaks to me. My sister is still sweet and loves me, no matter what. CN - In your childhood was there anyone who influenced you to do the things you do and did? PB - Yes Ruth. Ruth was our house- keeper. She always tried to make me a better person then I was. And now that I think about it she was like a mother to me. CN - In what ways was she like a mother? PB - She visited me in the reform school, when my real mother did not. She protected me from my father once. He was going to hit me. She stood in front of me and would not let him hurt me. She got fired because of this. I admired her as a person and loved her. CN - Why did you admire her? PB - I admired her because she stood with dignity. She was black, it never stopped her from being strong. She thought a person was important no matter what status they had in life. On Saturday she wore her best dress, and if I would go to the store she would ask me to wear my nice dress. She did this so I would look presentable. Ruth acted this because she believed in holding her head high. Also races and culture never bothered her, a person was a person. When she met Anton she was kind to him and did not judge him. CN - How did she find out about him? PB