For the first three months and the last three months of his study-leave, Stefan Blatt was based at the University of the Saarland, in Saarbruecken. The accommodation provided for him was in the University's guest-house. Unusual for German universities was that in Saarbruecken it occupied a site entirely separate from the city. All faculties, departments and support-facilities were on a wooded hill on the city's outskirts.
After the second World War, this hill location had been exclusively reserved for the French garrison and the occupational administration of the Saarland until the early 1950ies. With the French occupation ending, the hillside and its French-built facilities were handed over to become the newly founded University of the Saarland.
The guest-house, Stefan stayed in, was surrounded by a park-like forest, a ten-minute stroll from the university-campus itself.
Stefan's stay in Saarbruecken involved some guest-lectures and seminar-work in the Education Faculty. For the primary purpose of his study-leave - the development of external study provisions -Saarbruecken had disadvantages. Situated on Germany's western-most border, it was not the most convenient location for Stefan. He was committed to attend conferences, visit study-centres, and give the occasional guest-lecture in other parts of West Germany. However, the studio-apartment so generously provided by the University became for him a congenial home.
When Stefan and Irmgard became lovers, he had an additional reason to stay in Saarbruecken. Shortly after arriving in early September, he had met Irmgard by chance. One night, Stefan had gone to a cinema in the city centre. Before going home, he dropped in a nearby café for a drink and late snack. Situated in a lane, the café was an almost hole-in-the-wall, elongated, softly lit room. The front was furnished with a bar-counter and stools. The back part, where food was prepared, had a corner-bench with a table and chairs.
As it was unoccupied, and Stefan wanted something to eat, he chose to sit there. The owner and only person serving was a friendly, attractive woman in her thirties. She made him welcome and, as there was little business at the front at the late hour, they chatted. A few days later, again after a film, Stefan dropped in once more. He liked the ambience of the locale and the company of its attractive and friendly owner.
On his second night, while he enjoyed his beer and delicious open sandwich at the corner-table, a tall, young woman walked in. There were only two customers in the front. She strolled to the back, greeted and hugged the owner, and sat-down at the table. She stretched out her hand, smiled at Stefan and said: -
"Hi, I am Irmgard."
Surprised by her spontaneous friendliness, Stefan stammered his greeting and name. Liesl, the owner, came quickly to his rescue. She told Irmgard that Stefan was an Australian 'Professor' visiting the University of the Saarland. She summarised for Irmgard, in a few sentences, what Stefan had told her in their conversation last week. To Stefan, it seemed extraordinary that he had so quickly become an acquaintance of these two attractive women. How had he breached - as a total stranger - the usual barrier?
Stefan forgot that in Germany and Austria, and probably other parts of Europe, inns and cafés had a table habitually occupied by local regulars: A Stammtisch. Non-regulars simply did not intrude to sit there. Stefan, however, had waltzed into the café and claimed a seat. And Liesl, the owner, had allowed it. She had liked his look, and their following conversation had confirmed her initial, favourable impression.
As Stefan had come back so quickly and sat down on 'his' table, Liesl welcomed him as one of her 'regulars'. And Irmgard assumed this was the case. It was, therefore, not necessarily Stefan's admittedly good looks that made Irmgard so immediately forthcoming. She had simply responded to him as one of Liesl's approved regular customers, whom she was likely - from then on - to meet again.
Irmgard was a strikingly attractive young woman. She was tall, with a beautifully proportioned figure. Her dark-brown hair, styled short, laughing eyes, high cheekbones, very kissable lips and a healthy complexion complemented a friendly openness. She was a lively talker and obviously enjoyed being flirted with. And with Stefan, she responded in kind from the moment they met.
He learned that she came to the café often. Irmgard worked in a nearby bank, between 4 pm and 10 pm, on the staff dealing with the accumulated clearing-tasks of the bank's day's business. She lived in a small village near Saarbruecken. Often, before driving home the fifteen kilometres, she came to Liesl's café for a chat, a drink and a late, small meal.
Irmgard was, Stefan guessed, like Liesl in her early thirties. She told him she was widowed. Her husband had died from brain-cancer five months earlier. She had an eleven-year-old son and shared her house with her mother. In turn, Stefan told her about his study-leave in Germany and how, he an Austrian, became an Australian academic. He also mentioned that he had been married without going into the details of his recent divorce.
So, the cards were almost all on the table. After an hour or so of enjoying each other's company, Irmgard and Stefan went their separate ways. There had been no mention of seeing each other again. Two evenings later, however, Stefan was back. He hoped to meet Irmgard again. And when Irmgard waltzed in, she greeted Stefan with a big smile before hugging Liesl. Looking over Liesl's shoulder, she grinned down at him: -
"Where were you yesterday? We missed you."
Stefan was encouraged by her words. It was, however, Irmgard that took the initiative. When Stefan told her of his interest in getting to know Saarbruecken's surroundings, she immediately offered to be his guide. Even though he had a car, she would pick him up in hers on Sunday morning for a day's excursion.
This settled, she told Stefan about where she lived and her life since her husband's death. Irmgard mentioned that she avoided the friendship-group of her late husband. She did not want to start any involvement with any males of this circle. Also, no males were working her shift at the bank. While not going into detail, Irmgard clearly wanted to let Stefan know that she was unattached. She also had a slightly jaundiced view about marriage: -
"Not for me! Not again! ... Unless I get stupid and fall in love. ... I quite like men, just not as husbands."
This time they left together. Stefan walked with her to a side lane, where she regularly parked her car. Leaning against her little Renault, he took Irmgard into his arms and kissed her. It came as no surprise to her and their kissing, standing there in the dark, promised Stefan more than just a maybe. With this having let him know, they parted both in high spirits.
As promised, Irmgard collected Stefan at the University's guest-house on Sunday morning. It was a beautiful autumn day, and they enjoyed their outing and new-found companionship. Over a lengthy, authentic French lunch in Saarlouis - originally one of Lois XIV's border fortresses - Stefan discovered that his guide was an unashamed epicurean. It promised much; Stefan had always loved women that enjoyed feasting!
