There Were Three Bears

The stocky, earnest Red Army captain had been in Berlin only a week and it was something of a disappointment. He had heard tall tales of worldly Berlin and its women, but he had seen only weary Hausfrauen alien grubbing for food or fuel among the battered buildings.

And then the other side of Berlin presented itself in his small, bare office: a statuesque platinum blonde in a shining satin dress that crept a span above shapely bare knees when she sat beside his desk. She fluttered her long, blue-tinted eyelashes, and smiled:

"It is this way--we are reorganizing our Berlin circus. You see, I am an acrobat. But it is about our three bears. They were evacuated to us from the south and now, poor things, we have no way to feed them." Long, crimson-tipped fingers were spread in an appealing gesture of helplessness.

The captain hemmed & hawed: "A question of food--ah, that would be handled by the Food Division; this is the Cultural Division."

The blonde smiled again: "Exactly--the circus is a cultural institution. Would not the captain come to see the bears? They are fine bears, and they are quartered close to my own room. Perhaps a way could be found that such fine bears would not have to starve. Surely, Herr Hauptmann, you have a dining room here?"

The Red Army captain sputtered: "Yes, of course, but that would be impossible, oh, quite impossible." But the acrobat persisted.

Thus, as frequently happens in every well-regulated Army, an extraordinary order went through. Next day three bears came to dine on leftovers from the Kommandatura dining room. In Luisenstrasse, hungry Berliners gaped at the scene. Next day came a more extraordinary order: food was to be taken to the bears at their quarters, close by the acrobat's own.

After three days, as frequently happens in every well-regulated Army, a general heard about the orders. He put a stop to the feeding. He severely reprimanded the earnest captain. Into outer darkness went the bears and the blonde.

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