“They were not Germans?” Kristl asked
“What?” Henry said. “Who? The English? Germans? Germans! That was a
deliberate joke wasn’t it.”
“Well, they burned all those people in that church.. Didn’t something
like that happen in the Second World War. Although, maybe it would be
safe to say those were Nazis… not Germans. But that church thing? Did
that happen? ”
“Well, the point is: it could have. Cause they were the enemy. That is
it. Symbolism.”
“Ah.” Kristl said, “So they were Germans, but with an English accent.”
“Sounded English to me. British English. Stuck up English.” Henry said.
” Sah..” Kristl shouted suddenly, making Henry jump.
“Stop mucking about, what has that a country to do with anything? It is
America against the Brits.” Henry said, “With some French help.”
“Just reminds me of my now dead granddad. Fathers side.” Kristl said.
“What of him?”
“Well, he saw this movie, back when he still lived.”
“I would think so. It works better while being alive.”
“Huh?”
“Being dead spoils the experience.”
“Duh.” Kristl pouted her lips,” Anyway. He said the movie gave him
tears. You see he was always busy with those little tin soldiers and
uniforms and such. And he said he liked the uniforms in the movies. And
the soldiers. And the shooting. So beautiful. That is what he said.”
“He sounded a bit feeble in the brain department..”
“He might have been. He was in his eighties at the time. He died at
ninety one.”
“So your granddad liked the movie for the uniforms.”
“He gave me this tin soldier. See. I still got it.. I thought I take it
with me and show you.” Kristl held up a tin soldier with colors that
was neither the blue of the Continental army nor the red of the British
one. It was green with red.
“So what uniform is this?”
“Brunswick.”
“German?”
“Yes, but there was no Germany back then. All kind of small and big
states. Some were allied to Britain. Like Hessia and Hanover.”
“So the Germans were with the English?”
Well, there were Germans fighting for the Americans to. In the French
army that helped out the Americans. And there was a whole regiment made
up from German colonists.” Kristl stared at the tin soldier.
“Ok?”
“Well, he said. It would have been a nice movie without Mel Gibson
standing in the way. If they had just kept out the action bits. Like
the silly fights. And the dumb warfare.That is what he said.”
“What? Without Mel there is no movie. What is a movie without action, a
hero and a good bad guy?”
“A shorter movie?” Kristl said cheerfully.
“And a boring movie too. Except for crazy old men who play with tin
soldiers.”
“Well. I thought they could have made two movies out of it and please
both sides.It is long enough for it.”
“Nope. I don’t think so.” Henry shook his head, “It would be a short
nonsensical action movie and a boring historical one. They go together.”
“It was just a thought.” Kristl said.
Merit Coba 
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