Franky Furbo. William Wharton

disappointed if I had captured him. He says his sergeant was a very hard man and I’m lucky he didn’t kill me. He only saved my life because he thought some officer might want to interrogate me. The Germans knew there was going to be an attack soon but didn’t know where it would be. I told him I’d been looking for a way to get captured since Palermo. It turned out we’d been in the same area several times in the battle up the Italian peninsula. We agree we’re both glad to be out of it.

      We’re also curious about what’s happening to us. We keep reassuring each other we aren’t crazy. Two people couldn’t be crazy about the same situation at the same time, could

      they? There’s only one thing to do and that’s wait to see what happens. He wants very badly to get some message to his wife, Riki, so she will know he is all right, because he knows the sergeant will report him dead or captured. I suggest he ask Franky when we see him again about the possibility of getting word to her.

      During the next days, both Wilhelm and I start getting out of bed and exercising. Franky has individual exercises for each of us to help us gain our strength. He also has different potions and medicines he gives us along with our food. We eat only vegetarian food and Wilhelm says he wants meat, so, at first, Franky brings him chicken, steaks, roasts – things like that. But Franky is a good cook and likes to eat. The way he prepares the vegetarian meals for us is so tasty, the meat Wilhelm’s eating begins to look like animal food.

      After about two weeks, Wilhelm shifts over to vegetarian food with us. Once in a while he’ll have a Wiener schnitzel, but the main part of his food is vegetables. Franky has all kinds of spices he adds to the vegetables, so it’s hard to tell them from meat sometimes.

      He says this is one thing from his fox background that has stayed – he really enjoys eating; but he can’t justify killing animals, especially because he can talk to them.

      We have many conversations about ourselves. It is pleasant sharing our ideas, our experiences. Franky does manage to get a message to Wilhelm’s wife, and even brings a letter to him after a few days, written in what Wilhelm recognizes as her handwriting. She says she is well and staying with her family in the country. She tells him his mother and sister are well, also. She was very surprised to find his letter in her mailbox, even without a stamp or a Wehrmacht seal, because how could Wilhelm know where she is, that she is staying with her mother?

      But Wilhelm is even more surprised. How could Franky deliver the letter and bring back an answer in only two days? It isn’t possible. Franky only wrinkles his nose, which I now begin to suspect is his way of smiling. I’m ready to believe anything, but Wilhelm has a harder time with believing. It’s not his way; he always wants to know things.

      Finally we’re both in such good condition, it isn’t necessary for us to stay in bed. I don’t know where our uniforms are. We are both wearing blue pajamas.

      One morning Franky comes in with clothes for us. They are not our uniforms; at the same time they aren’t regular clothes. There is a jacket, or jerkin, which slips over our heads, and trousers almost like knickerbockers, only tighter. There are heavy socks and light leather boots. There’s a wide leather belt to go over the shirt and to help hold up the trousers. He also has brought us light blue underwear, three pair each, the same color as our pajamas. I can’t help wondering where he gets these things, but I’m too embarrassed to ask. I see he no longer wears his white coat but is wearing the same kind of clothes himself.

      We put on the costumes. There is also a hat. The clothes are all the colors of the forest, different greens and browns. The hat is dark green, pointed front and back like the kind of hat we used to make from old newspapers at the orphanage. I must say, we look fine in our new costumes, a bit like Robin Hood’s forest rangers, but Wilhelm seems worried. Franky twitches his nose.

       ‘I know, Wilhelm. You are worried because you are out of uniform and it is against the German military laws for a soldier to wear any other clothes. But your other uniform was so dirty. When you leave, you may have it back. In the meantime, if you want, I can make it so you will be invisible to anybody but William or myself. Please don’t worry so much.’

       ‘Yes, Franky, but I feel so strange in these soft clothes, these soft boots. What kind of uniform is this? It’s somewhat like Bavarian clothes but much softer. What is this?’

       ‘Let’s just say it is a peace uniform, Wilhelm, that, for a while anyway, we three are in an army for peace.’

      Franky wrinkles his nose again. I smile, then laugh, and Wilhelm joins us. I smile at Wilhelm. It seems a great idea to me. I would definitely not be happy putting on my old dirty olive drabs and going out to war again. Wilhelm looks down at himself in his peace costume.

       ‘Well, it’s better than being dead, I must say. I was tired and scared by the war, anyway. I’m proud to be a member of our peace army. Can you really make us invisible?’

       ‘If you want.’

       ‘But we will be able to see each other?’

       ‘Oh yes. You won’t feel a thing. We won’t know we’re invisible unless somebody else tries to see us.’

       ‘OK, let’s be invisible. I’m ready.’

      Wilhelm rises and stands to attention. I stand up, too, just to be sociable. Franky wiggles his nose and laughs.

       ‘OK, you’re invisible, both of you. I am too.’

      Wilhelm looks down at himself.

       ‘How do I know I’m invisible? I can see myself.’

       ‘OK, if you want to be invisible to yourself, fine.’

      Franky waves his hand as if he’s brushing away a fly. I think he’s failed for once, because Wilhelm is still standing there. Then I watch Wilhelm. His face is pale. He’s holding out his hands, touching them together; they’re shaking. He looks down at his legs.

       ‘Where am I? I’m gone. You did it. I’m invisible!’

       ‘Only to yourself. We see him, don’t we, William?’

      ‘That’s right. Are you sure you can’t see yourself, Wilhelm? You’re right there.’

       ‘Right where? I’m nowhere, I’m nothing! Mr Furbo, Gott in Himmel, make me come back, make me visible again.’

       ‘Do you want to be visible to everybody, just to the three of us or only to yourself?’