Hannah Finds Her Roots – Chapter 1

Surprise Reconnection

Hannah had heard the story over and over as she grew up in the Schultz home so could almost repeat it word for word when asked. She was in her late teens now and had been given a ticket to Delhi to visit with the Singh family who after all these years of mutual visits between Germany and India were considered part of her extended family. She’d made this trip a few times in the past couple of years to visit with the children of the Singh family who she now treated as cousins. She felt comfortable with them as her skin was light brown as theirs unlike most of the white skin friends, she had in Munich she attended university with. She’d only recently learned about her original name given in the orphanage as Haima and wasn’t sure which one she liked best. The story had begun long ago according to her parents. Her imagination tried to visualize it as it was then and followed the imagined events as it had initially begun reported by her adoptive parents.

It all commenced when Baron Schultz had paused from replacing a tap washer in the kitchen to turn toward his cell phone chiming and vibrating on top of the kitchen deck. He was in an awkward position and didn’t want to answer so called his wife who was sitting at the deck reading a recipe book and occasionally glancing over to see what he was doing.

“Marei, could you get that call for me please?”

Mareike Schultz got up and came over to the other side of the deck where Baron’s cell phone was and pressed the accept button putting the cellphone on speaker so her husband could hear.

“May I know who is calling? You don’t seem to be in my husband’s contact list.”

There was a pause as the caller obviously was not expecting a female voice at the end of the line.

“I’m trying to reach Baron Schultz. This number was given to me at the Technical University of Munich by mutual friends. My name is Guntaj Singh, and we were together at the university through our master’s and PhD programs several years ago. That was a long time ago but I’m back in Germany on business and wanted to catch up with him again.”

The German spoken was accented with a dialect Mareike was not familiar with, but the name had cropped up in the early years of her marriage to Baron and she knew this must be the Indian friend Baron had hung out with during his bachelor years at the university and talked about occasionally.

“Just a minute Guntaj, I hope I’m getting your name pronounced correctly. I’ll go fetch my husband. I’m Mareike his wife and hope I can get to meet you while you’re here in Germany as Baron often speaks about you and wonders what you’re doing now.”

Baron hastily finished the last few turns on the tap and reached for the phone smiling. It was good to hear Guntaj’s voice again though his German seemed to have deteriorated a little in all the years they’d not been in contact.

“Hello old friend it’s good to hear from you after all these years. When you returned to India on completion of your PhD we were in contact while you were in Mumbai on your return. Then for some reason you disappeared and the number I had didn’t work anymore. What happened?”

Guntaj laughed.

“Good to hear from you Baron. I miss our days together at the university and am here with my wife Katiya.”

“Well, we have a lot to catch up on Guntaj and I hope you’re intending to spend some time with us while you’re here. You’ll have to explain why you cut off communication with me for so long. Would you like to spend some time with us at our home. You can stay with us if that’s convenient for you.

Guntaj laughed again and Baron remembered his friend was constantly laughing when they were together long ago. He’d never heard a word of criticism or negativity out of this man, and he had a happy disposition despite all the taunts he’d received over his Indian accent and mannerisms. Baron remembered getting into a brawl with someone at the university who was always trying to irritate his friend and how he’d given that fellow a good hiding. Guntaj remembered that action of his friend fondly.

“Baron I’m here with a team to look at your latest use of robotics in industry. India is forging ahead rapidly in broad based manufacturing and the name of the game in manufacturing is to be state of the art to cut costs and compete. We intend to give China a run for their money, so we scout around for the latest in technology from Europe and the USA. That’s why I’m here as leader of the team. The team will be fanning out across your main centers of innovation, and we’ll be looking at France while here in Europe too. I must report to the Indian government on what we find in new research and development which may be of interest to us to follow through. I listed myself for Munich or Munchen as I recall is more acceptable in Germany and that was so I could catch up with you. The rest of the team will reassemble here in two weeks, and we’ll sit together and look at what each has discovered to see if we have any interest in what you’re working on now in Germany.”

Baron laughed.

“So, you’re an industrial spy. Then I should be careful what I say to you when we meet.”

Both men laughed as they recalled the banter between them during their university years.

“Baron unfortunately I can’t stay at your place this time but if the invitation is open and I don’t have a team with me next time I’ll be glad to accept your kind offer. Now I have an open evening tomorrow as the team will be scattered around Germany at that time. Then the weekend is free if we can find time to meet any time then. I’d like to show my wife around to see some of the beauty spots in Germany. Unfortunately, she doesn’t speak German only English, French, and of course our own main languages of north India.”

Mareike indicated she’d like to say something, and Baron paused the conversation puzzled having forgotten it was on speaker and his wife could hear the conversation.

“Just a minute Guntaj, my wife would like to say something.”

Mareike took the phone off her husband and spoke.

“I’m looking forward to meeting you and your wife Guntaj. I hear she doesn’t speak German but does speak English. I do too. Would it be possible for me to take her around some of those places in Germany while you are doing your research during the day? I’m well overdue for holidays and would have no trouble getting time off for a short period of time. It would not be much fun for her to be by herself during the day.”

Guntaj was deeply moved. He was closely bonded to Baron as he remembered that occasion when Baron had attacked one of his own countrymen who’d been irritating Guntaj for some time, and it looked like Baron had chosen a wife who was equally as kind and accepting.

“That is so kind of you. She is excellent conversing in English and has a good knowledge of French. Let me talk with her and I’ll phone you back in a few minutes.”

Guntaj disconnected and Baron nodded in appreciation to his wife.

“That was genuinely nice of you to do that Mareike. Are you sure you can take time off to do this?”

Mareike smiled and nodded.

“I’m the boss at work and at home Baron. Have you forgotten that?”

Baron exploded in laughter.

“In your dreams Mareike my complement was not an invitation for you to try and sit on the top of the ladder at home. Remember a ladder is only safe if the person holding it at the bottom doesn’t decide to shake it.”

Both were laughing uncontrollably by now and trying to catch their breath. Baron’s phone chimed again and did a little dance as it vibrated on top of the deck where she’d placed it after the call was disconnected. Baron quickly picked it up knowing his friend would be returning the call. Guntaj spoke as soon as he heard the phone connect and Baron put it on speaker again so his wife could follow their conversation.

“Baron this is Guntaj again. If your wife is comfortable with English, my wife Katiya would like to accept her offer and wonders if she could speak with Mareike.”

Baron shouted as if his wife was at a distance.

“Mareike, can you come down from that ladder and talk with Katiya Singh?”

Mareike took the phone shooting eye daggers at her husband. She’d deal with him after the call had ended. She switched to English. She’d spent some time studying in London and Los Angeles so was quite comfortable switching between languages.

To be continued.

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