A Change of Pace as Tension Mounts (BALZ)

[Brag]

The heat of the Persian Gulf made Balz feel drowsy. Sprawled over silk cushions in his cabin, he drifted into the nether world of dreams and reality. When he woke up, he was in a U-boat. Amazed, he banged his fist on the officers’ nook table. “Eyepasch, come here,” he shouted.
The first WO came and clicked his heels. “Jawhol, Herr Kaleun?”
“Why aren’t you on the bridge?”
“I came down to see cookie”
“Which eye do you use to see him?”
“My good eye, Herr Kaleun.”
Balz smiled. “That’s very good. “What do you need Cookie for?”
Eyepasch shifted his weight to one foot. “So that he’ll bonk my head with his iron skillet.”
Balz scratched his head. “Huh?”
“When he hits my head, I see airplanes.”
Frowning, Balz said, “You’re supposed to see stars when someone hits you on the head.”
“I see airplanes, Herr Kaleun.”
“Ach, very good. Now, why are you wearing your eye patch over your good eye?”
“Because today is Saturday.”
Balz nodded with understanding. “Anyway how did you get into U-boats with only one good eye?”
Kapitan Elenaiba, the personnel officer sent me here.”
“And how did you mess up your eye?”
“In Hoch Schule I was going to pick my nose and missed, Herr Kaleun.”
Balz directed his gaze at Cookie. “Hit him over the head.”
Cookie slammed his heavy frying pan on Eyepasch’s head.
“Flugzeug gesichted,” Eyepash announced.