MikeWrites' Blog

Prosit!

Stabsgefreiter [Bundeswehr equivalent to a U.S. Army Specialist] Schilling and Specialist Anderson were making good progress along the road to friendship. Anderson had been temporarily assigned to Schilling's communications unit in order to take part in a small CPX (Command Post Exercise) as part of an interoperability mission. It also gave him a chance to earn the first-level Badge for Military Proficiency. The soldiers had shared a two-man room in Schilling's barracks and Anderson had participated in some of the daily routine of the commo unit, as well as getting the chance to read prepared scripts over the radio as part of the CPX.

The really fun part, though, had been the Thursday night visit to the local Bierfest. Work night or not, the tent was packed when they arrived. Typical Bierfest music was blaring from the speakers suspended from the tent's support beams and waitresses took care of their thirsty customers, carrying up to four huge mugs of beer at a time. Anderson wasn't much of a drinker, so the better part of his beer would have gone to waste, had not Schilling, his very helpful drinking buddy, come to the rescue. What he lacked in beer capacity, though, he made for up in eating ability. No fewer than three giant pretzels - with mustard, of course - and a couple of Bratwurst made their way to his spot at the table and then into his belly.

The two men had a very good time and made it back to the barracks without incident, although Schilling appeared to have exceeded his beer limit somewhat. The next morning, he helped Anderson pack up and invited him to visit him at his parents' house in Landsberg am Lech later that summer after his military service ended.

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This is for Round 2 Blogvillian Pop Up! January 3-4, 2022 - short Genre Fiction option.