So Oscar let Viktor win.
As he passed me with a swab and some antiseptic for Christian, murmuring "That boy is always in the wars..come to think of it, we're all in one"
"Doc, you have an extraordinary mind"
"Thank you Rollie, but these are extraordinary times."
Willi, still dripping wet is pressing his fingers to his lips in a kiss and touching the small Laughing Swordfish emblem we have painted near the ladder. He does this regularly, especially after an attack. Totally supersticious. I would say hopelessly so, but in fact that adjective is quite the opposite.
Otto has just woken up after a twelve hour shift in the engine room, and is clambering through to the control room demanding to know what all the fuss is about.
Kuki is complaining that his stew and dumplings have been spilled all over the deck, and lunch will now be delayed until dinner. So Cox is sending two of our lordships from the forward torpedo compartment to help mop up.
Bruno is up, rousing his boys who are complaining like hell. Third Watch are resting, and it should be back to Christian's First Watch next up, but he has blood dripping off the end of his nose, and Oscar confirms that the cut is deeper than it first looked.
Kurt is going around checking and tightening the valves, and Muller trying to replace the bulb in it's cage, slips on his arse on the wet deck to a huge round of applause from everyone in the Control Room.
Reuben is bringing us back up to periscope depth, and calling for some apple juice. Apparently he took a mouthful of sea water after that last alarm when Willi dropped down the hatch.
Dieter and Lenz are arguing over one of Viktor's paperback novels in the foreends, so Joachim has to steam in and end it.
Liebowitz, one of the plane control hands starts humming the Marlene Dietrich song, and before long the whole control room is singing along.
"Underneath the lamp post, by the barracks gate....."
I turn to look at Oscar, now applying a bandage to Christian's forehead.
Extraordinary times indeed, Doc.
But another ordinary day on U-46.
LS
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