It was Christmas eve, 1944 and the signs of rebuilding were everywhere. It had only been a few short months since the allied forces had rolled into the city and liberated Paris from the Nazi's. Like any young soldier, I was lonely for the love of a beautiful young woman and Paris was full of ripe young females.
It had been months since I'd had a weekend pass. My buddies and I had decided to go out on the town tonight, but they had long since left with girls they had picked up in the bar. I, being the youngest at 19, was too shy and backwards for the "mating" game so I opted to sit here and down a few before I returned to my base.
I thought about my fellow soldiers who hadn't made it this far. I had been one of the lucky ones. Some of the young men that I had started in basic training with were no longer with us. I lifted my glass in memory of PFC Jones and Thompson and took a long sip of my beer. The fighting had been long and hard, but the people of France were so happy that we had arrived and were busy trying to get their lives back to normal.
"A penny for your thoughts soldier," I heard a voice say as I put my mug down. I looked up and an attractive older lady was standing by my table. I felt something stir inside as I looked at this well endowed lady with her hair pulled back, as was the fashion of that day.
"Not thinking anything," I said as my eyes scanned the body of this older woman standing next to me. Her image was striking! I stood up and pulled out a chair for her and she smiled at me as she sat down. "What's your pleasure," I asked her?
"I'll have what you're having," she said as she adjusted herself to the hard wooden chair. I walked to the bar and ordered her a beer and sat back down. "The name's Claire," she said, extending her hand to me.
"Robinson, Corporal Jeff Robinson," I said shaking her delicate hand. "So what brings you to Paris," I asked her?
"The Red Cross," she said.
"A nurse," I asked?
The laugh lines around her eyes grew more pronounced as she chuckled out loud. "Not exactly," she said. "Actually, I'm a physician."
"I'm sorry," I said, a bit embarrassed that I had made such an assumption. "You look way too young to be a doctor!" I tried to look innocent as I did my best to cover my tracks.
"It's ok," she laughed. "It happens all the time. I've been told by my friends that it's a man's game!"
"So what makes a woman doctor go to work for the Red Cross and leave the comfort of the states?"
The lady doctor appeared to be suddenly consumed by a sadness that I had not noticed a few minutes ago. She took a sip of her beer. "I came over here," she continued, "because my son had been wounded in battle and I had to find a way to see him. So, I thought the best way to do it was to volunteer for the Red Cross. Besides, everyone has to make sacrifices and it was the least I could do for my country!"
"I'm sorry," I said, once again realizing that I had taken one foot out and inserted the other one into my mouth. "How's he doing?"
"He didn't make it," she said, her voice quivering slightly. "He hung on for a while but he just couldn't get over the shock plus his injuries." A tear started to form in her blue eyes and made a small trickle down her cheek.
I motioned for the bartender to bring us another beer. I reached over and took a finger and wiped the tear from her cheek. She smiled a sad smile and I felt a slight tingle as she reached up and touched my hand. "I'm sorry ma'am," I said trying to smooth things over.
"Please call me Claire," she said.
"Ok Claire," I said lifting my mug to her. "So tell me a little about yourself Dr. Claire." I was finding myself mesmerized as I listened to this woman tell her life's story to me.
"Well, like I said, I'm a Doctor of course. I come from a small town in the boot-heel of Missouri." I listened intently as this woman went on and on about her life. It's not that I minded. In fact, I found myself enjoying sitting here listening to her tell about herself. Her blue eyes glowed in the soft light of the dimly lit bar. It seemed like I could almost see into her soul as she shared her life and thoughts with me. I found myself almost there with her as she described what her life had been like. She was a widow who had been married to a doctor but they'd just had one child. Claire described what it had been like as her family worked to make it through the great depression. I hung on her every word as she spoke clearly in a soft voice.
My eyes drifted down to the gentle movement of Claire's ruby red lips and I listened to the lady's every word. She seemed so open and uninhibited as she told me about what seemed to be her entire life. My eyes drank in her loveliness of her weathered face as we sat there nursing our beer. I looked down at my watch. She paused for a second, coming to the realization that she had hogged the entire conversation. "I'm sorry," she said taking the last drink of her beer. "I hope I haven't bored you too much?"
"Oh, my no!" I said. "It's just that the hour is getting late Dr. Claire." There was a softness and warmth about this special angel and I felt myself falling for her. "It has been the most enjoyable evening I've spent in a long time, but I really should be getting back to my base."
"You have to be back on Christmas Eve?" she asked.
"I don't have anywhere else to go tonight," I told her. "Besides, it's my home away from home."
"It's been a pleasure meeting you Corporal Robinson," she said as I walked behind her and pulled her chair out. She moved with style and grace that I had never noticed from another woman. I pulled her chair out and she stood up, turning around facing me. She leaned forward and gave me a gentle kiss on the cheek and squeezed my arm lightly. "It's nice to meet such a mannerly young gentleman."
I felt myself turn 10 shades of red as I felt her soft lips press against my unshaven cheek. Claire giggled when she saw my embarrassment. "Maybe I'll see you around soldier," she said winking at me. "I hope so," I told her, "but not on a professional basis," I teased, flashing my best grin at her.
"Of course!" she said smiling. Not being a man who would want to be owing to any person, I leaned forward and placed a kiss on her cheek. Her demeanor changed as she took my hand and held onto it for a long second. Now I could see her blush slightly through her thin layer of makeup.
"Bye soldier," she said as she walked away. I watched Claire's mature, rounded hips sway side to side as she walked toward the door. I wanted to call out for her to come back, but like I said earlier, I was backwards and I had come from a very strict upbringing. Claire paused at the door and turned around. She raised her hand to her lips and blew me a kiss. I pretended to catch it and put it next to my heart. Claire smiled as she walked out of the bar.
"You're such a schmuck," I said to myself as I watched this beautiful woman walk out onto the street. Oh well, another lost opportunity, I thought to myself as I downed the last of my beer.