030439 May 05


Posted by Moore on May 06, 2003 at 05:15:01:

Rachgee doesn't have any pictures posted on the Internet. A women that comes close can be found at: www.kellykole.com/shopping/photos/head_1.shtml
Rachgee's look is a bit softer.

Rachgee waited for John to return. She prayed he would come back safe and sound.

Rachgee was the only child of Gresca and Brunon Zipowitz. Her parents ran a nightclub in Chojnice, Poland. Rachgee grew up around the kitchen and food was an important part of her life while she grew older. No one was surprised when she wanted to be a chief. Rachgee investigated cooking school,. and decided on the Culinary Institute of America in New York State, USA.

Her English wasn't good when she first arrived but she made friends easily. Rachgee was homesick at first, but loved the school and the people. She met Tim in her sophomore year. He was a rancher' son from Texas. Tim was long, leggy, and always hungry. She gave him her virginity on his birthday. Tim learned enough Polish to ask Rachgee's father for her hand in marriage before Tim proposed to her. Even Gresca approved.

Brunon had a fatal heart attack in the last month of Rachgee's junior year. She returned home immediately, comforted her mother, and took over the kitchen. Tim planed to join her across the pond, but the war changed everything.

NATO forces swept east through Poland from bases in Germany, but were stopped in Warsaw. The Soviets counter attacked, even used small nuclear weapons, and pushed the line back to the Oder River. In the spring of 2004, NATO' spring offensive had pushed the Soviets back to Vistula River. The US XI Corps settled into the Cztuchow/Chojnice area to plant crops and distill methanol.

Rachgee and Gresca survived better then most. They cooked for one side, then the other. The soldiers on both sides grew more brutal to the civilians of Chojnice as the war ground on, and more was lost on both sides. As civilization was strangled by war, plague, and lack of fuel, brutality became a way of life. Military units were able to control crops and other natural or human resources, so they fared better then the weak. But even many military units lost their internal command structure, and mutinied, spawning bands of well armed marauders. Raping, pillaging, and looting became common. Rachgee and Gresca were spared the common horrors of abuse, murder, or famine. Rachgee's cooking was in high demand by the upper echelon officers. The US officers, then the Soviet officers, sheltered them, and turned the nightclub into an officer's lounge.

When the US XI Corps entered Chojnice in the spring of 2004, they were placed under the command of the 3rd Germany Army. All civilians were ordered to be rounded up. Rachgee and Gresca were moved into an old farmhouse northwest of the city. Twelve other women were placed there. A guard was assigned to watch them. The women worked with the winter wheat crop twelve hours a day. Rachgee watched her Mom weaken after long hours in the fields. And Rachgee decided to do whatever it took to keep them safe.

Rachgee hoped to cook a meal to impress the German commanders, but she prayed she would have the courage to do whatever to took to impress them if they wanted more. Rachgee flirted with the guard at the farmhouse to no avail, but got a chance when it was her turn to fetch water. Lake Charzykowskie was two km from the fields. If she ran fast, she would have extra time to get the ingredients she needed.

Rachgee had gathered wild herbs and what vegetables she could from the fields, primarily cabbage. Cabbage is a staple in Polish cooking. She planned to make bigos or kiszka kaszana. Both had international appeal, rather then being ethnic Polish meals. Bigos is stew, made with cabbage, meat and sometimes mushrooms. Kiszka kaszana is blood sausage. Rachgee still needed meat for either dish. Even Polish salads often contain meat.

Rachgee raced into Chojnice with an empty bucket and a desperate need to help her mom. God smiled on her. After a few minutes of searching for a tin of meat in the ruins of some houses, she remembered a butcher shop around the next corner. As she made her way around the ruined urban street corner, she came across an argument. One side was in English - a calm male's voice saying "I don't want the wheelbarrow, just the copper wire." The other speaker was yelling in Polish "Don't take my wheelbarrow, just the copper wire is for trading!"

She saw a US soldier with a 1000 kg two wheeled trailer, the kind usually towed behind a vehicle, that was loaded with stuff. An older man in civilian clothes with a wheelbarrow filled with salvaged copper wire faced off with the soldier. Rachgee got closer, using her precious time to try to resolve the dispute. She noticed on the trailer, piled on crates and boxes, were several freshly butchered chickens. The argument was taking place right in front of the butcher shop. Rachgee asked first in English, then in Polish if she could help. She charmingly help the two come to a happy resolution. The older man got paid a chicken for the copper wire. Rachgee was surprised the soldier didn't just take the wire and shove the older man away. The older man wouldn't have been able to stop the armed solider. Rachgee liked the solider and seized her opportunity.

"I'm Rachgee." She beamed at him with warm blue eyes. "Do you need a translator? I'll help you with your trading for an hour in if pay me one whole chicken."
The soldier introduced himself. "I'm John. Yes. OK"

She helped him trade by translating Polish. He bought her freedom that very day with a bribe of crate of hand grenades for the farmhouse guard, ignoring her outrage that she had to be bought. Rachgee took over the trading. John tugged the trailer around. Rachgee has a natural grace and charisma. Both the Poles and the Americans like her. He bought Gresca's freedom within the week. Gresca cooked in the mostly intact three bedroom house they shared. They sold Gresca's cooked dishes in addition to the trading. No center marketplace was set up this early in the occupation. They had to travel to trade.

For example: they may start with some food Gresca made, lets call it A. They wanted a camp stove, lets call it G. They would trade A for B, then trade B for two Cs, C for D, trade D and one of the Cs for four Es, two Es for one F, one F to finally get G. They would end up with two Es and the G - camp stove. At each stage Rachgee would talk to the people, civilians or military, and find out what they wanted. She loves talking to people. Rachgee and John never screwed anyone over. They always dealt fairly, and were widely respected. Both sides often ended up better off. Rachgee helped the farmers get hard to find parts and the machinists to get good food. John made Rachgee his business partner. She got half the profit. Rachgee gave most of her share to her Church in offerings of food for the unlucky, unskilled, destitute wretches.

They added other people to their business. Hawk and Eagle were carefully chosen as guards to protect the increasing merchandise on the trailer and at the house. Others just joined. Rachgee fell in love with Poochinie at first sight. Poochinie is a three legged German Shepherd trained to work with the German MPs. He lost a leg to small arms fire, but adapted well to life as a tripod. Unfortunately, Poochinie only answered commands that were given to him in German, and neither Rachgee or John spoke German. Poochinie's German handler had died from infection from his wounds from the same encounter that cost Poochinie his leg. Rachgee thought Poochinie looked hungry so she fed him. After eating, Poochinie jumped in the back of the trailer, and never really left. He was a good guard for Rachgee, although he was a terrible bed hog.

But the core of the trading business was Rachgee and John. John seemed honest and nice to Rachgee. (Although he said he was just being a good businessman.) They became closer. "I love you" she whispered as she lay in his arms. She felt a little guilty about Tim, but felt better after she confessed at Church. They became lovers. Rachgee can be very shy about sex. Even talking about it with John still makes her blush.

On June 5th, she had something to tell him. Rachgee was expecting a baby in March. He looked so happy. He grinned and held her tight.

The next morning it was apparent he had been up all night. "Let me tell you my favorite quote, my dear Rachgee" he said softly.
"We sleep safely in our beds, only because rough men stand guard in the night, ready to visit violence upon those who would do us harm." "Its from H.G. Wells." John told her even though it was sexist, he was the male and he was going to protect her, the babe, and Gresca. Her job was to grow the child in her womb. John told her he would need more assets then they could gain just by trading. He would need to do some risky missions to insure her safety, because she and her mom were Poles. John needed to make sure she would be with him if the US forces went on the move again. He didn't want to leave her behind. All Rachgee knew was that her man loves her, and he was happy with their family.

She likes him protecting her. Rachgee has always felt safe with him.

Mira was born March 20th, 2005. She was a large, loud baby with her mother's red hair.

Rachgee's favorite color is purple, she loves chocolate, and will do anything, ANYTHING, John asks her to if he can find her any more Oreo cookies. She is more of a cat person, despite her fondness for Poochinie.

Rachgee heard the LAV25s approach. She dared a look out the heavily curtained window and saw John and his men. The truck was loaded with the result of a successful mission. John sensed her, looked up, and grinned at her. Rachgee grinned back.