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#Post#: 536--------------------------------------------------
Re: Secret Origins: Dr. Hertz
DIR By: insert name
Date: August 9, 2017, 4:51 am
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Sutherland, Scottland, Summer 1954
It's the first time Hertz has been outside the US in what seems
like ages. Most of his time has been pretty busy in Fort
Detrick, Maryland, where the Biological Weapons Research Program
was established back in 1943. Maryland was nice in its way, but
it still didn't feel like home. Then again, perhaps it is
impossible for any place to feel like home when you never stop
working.
But, Richard had, for years, been bothering his old friend to
come visit him in England (and had made a point of visiting the
Hertzes in their home), and Rita certainly deserved a vacation
by now. Going back to England was hard, though. Richard had
always been a good friend, but... but he was also the man who
told Hertz when they gave up the search for his parents. Who
told him that there really wasn't any hope left he'd ever see
them again. It wasn't Richard's fault, but it made him hard to
be around. Still, in it's own strange way time had helped lessen
old pains.
So, today, up over the border in Scotland, Uncle Dick was
showing David, at the ripe age of ten, how to fish. Married life
had fattened Richard, made him plump and rosy and caused him to
huff as they hiked about the river. He marveled at how lean
Hertz had remained over it all.
"Now," Uncle Dick was saying, as he held out a wriggling
nightcrawler, "Watch closely. You want to make sure the hook
sinks into the little wriggler." He licks his lip as he focuses
on the task, "There she is! Now, you can always go out and buy
bait, but I never trust any worm I didn't scoop out of the dirt
myself. You can get them to crawl out by thumping on the
ground."
David stares at the worm, wriggling on the hook, caught
somewhere between fascination and disgust.
He moves on to showing David how to cast the line. Hertz feels
somewhat overstepped, but, frankly, he hasn't been fishing in so
long he needs the practice himself.
David looks back at him just the same, hoping for some
acknowledgement he's doing it right.
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Visual Reference:
HTML https://www.visitscotland.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/00038177-900x500.jpg
#Post#: 537--------------------------------------------------
Re: Secret Origins: Dr. Hertz
DIR By: PlebeianTyrant
Date: August 10, 2017, 1:31 pm
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Wallmand takes the cigarette out of his mouth with his right
hand and salutes David with a smile. His left hand was holding
the tangled line he'd managed to get caught on a submerged stick
on his first cast. Wally had never fished growing up. He was a
city boy in Germany and the only river for miles was polluted
and smelled like farts. Dick was the one who got him to throw
his first hook in a cold stream near Cambridge. Since then he'd
learned the ins and outs of the practice. Catching the fish was
exciting and the hikes were exhilarating, but the part that
Wally truly loved was that it was a sport he could drink a beer
or some wine while he did it. He'd fished a few times over the
years living in Maryland. Friends would invite him to fishing
trips out to the Potomac or the Monocacy, but in recent years
the summer heat and humidity was starting to get to him and work
was getting crazier with this whole 'Cold War' thing that he was
just too exhausted on the weekends.
This trip to the United Kingdom was a good decision. Sara was
making a fuss about how cold and breezy it was even in the
summer. Wally had told her that if she didn't want to go
outside, Uncle Dick had a whole Library of books she could read.
She always liked reading, so Wally assumes that's what she's up
to right now. Rita's probably drink wine and being funny with
Dick's wife. So, things were going pretty well... as soon as
this line got cut dammit all.
#Post#: 538--------------------------------------------------
Re: Secret Origins: Dr. Hertz
DIR By: insert name
Date: August 11, 2017, 1:18 pm
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"Feels like I'm teaching two people to fish," Richard chides.
"You're out of practice, Wally."
The gentle chiding of a friend is one thing. Wallmand's greater
concern is David's watchful eyes. David is a quiet child, but
observant, and it occurs to Wallmand that this may be the first
time he's seeing his father be bad at something.
"So," Richard says conversationally, "How are you two enjoying
Scotland?"
David, still somewhat nervous around Uncle Dick, hesitates
before answering. "It's very pretty."
#Post#: 539--------------------------------------------------
Re: Secret Origins: Dr. Hertz
DIR By: PlebeianTyrant
Date: August 11, 2017, 4:58 pm
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Wallmand chuckles softly. "Well, not all of us can lead a life
of leisure. Some of us stay busy." He prods Richard in the
paunch, "I can see you've been busy eating big breakfasts. Is
that why you married Elizabeth, for the cooking?"
#Post#: 540--------------------------------------------------
Re: Secret Origins: Dr. Hertz
DIR By: insert name
Date: August 12, 2017, 3:47 am
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Richard chuckles, "Married her for the Breakfast, stayed for the
pudding."
He casts out a line and stands on the shore, sinking into the
beauty of nature.
They stand there for awhile, thinking and taking in nature. The
soft sounds of distant thrushes, and the babbling of the river.
Just enjoying the quiet of the world, and focusing on their
fishing lines.
"When do the fish bite?" David asks after an hour. He's clearly
bored.
#Post#: 541--------------------------------------------------
Re: Secret Origins: Dr. Hertz
DIR By: PlebeianTyrant
Date: August 16, 2017, 7:34 am
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"When they are hungry." Wallmand answers. "You must never lose
sight of your lure. Do you see yours?"
#Post#: 542--------------------------------------------------
Re: Secret Origins: Dr. Hertz
DIR By: insert name
Date: August 17, 2017, 11:59 am
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David looks. Clearly he's lost track of it, but after Hertz
shows him how to tug on the line and look for its movement he
finds it again.
"I see it now," he says, proudly.
#Post#: 543--------------------------------------------------
Re: Secret Origins: Dr. Hertz
DIR By: PlebeianTyrant
Date: August 18, 2017, 6:37 am
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"Good, now don't be fooled by the current making it move. The
fish are smart than you think. If you jerk the rod around, they
will know something isn't right and won't bite." Wallmand
informs him. He glances over at Richard. "Did you see that the
Soviets put up that huge fence in Berlin? Covered it in barbed
wire. You'd think if they were the communist promised land
people would want to stay there."
#Post#: 544--------------------------------------------------
Re: Secret Origins: Dr. Hertz
DIR By: insert name
Date: August 19, 2017, 7:05 am
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David obeys focuses on his lure again. It won't last. Kid never
has been able to focus.
Richard chuckles, "Oh, but they have to keep the fascist element
out somehow. As though one could tell the difference. You know,
almost a third of a million people fled through West Berlin last
year?" he shakes his head, "West Berlin can't really handle
numbers like that, but they can't just send them away."
He shakes his head.
"Too many countries forced under one banner too quickly.
Militarization is their only hope of sorting this all out, and
we've just seen what happens when countries pour all their
spending into the military." He shakes his head, "I think you
and I will be kept in work a long time, Wally."
#Post#: 551--------------------------------------------------
Re: Secret Origins: Dr. Hertz
DIR By: PlebeianTyrant
Date: September 21, 2017, 5:38 am
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Wallmand's eyes rest on David for a moment. "My bank account
hopes so, but my soul doesn't." He takes a drag on a cigarette.
"So I hear Churchill is going to drop out next year. Who're you
getting behind?"
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