The widow Edda Heidelbeere ran the Alpendorf Lodge for over twenty years and some of the locals swore she only had one expression on her face the entire time. Her husband Dagoberto used to provide the musical entertainment but passed away fourteen years ago. Their son Jarvis followed in his father's footsteps and was on the small stage warbling out a tune. On the dance floor, George Gude was mopping the floor with his wife Marilyn. Dagoberto's handicapped brother Gottfried, the groundskeeper for the Alpendorf, was standing near the kitchen watching them, waiting for Edda to return from the doctor's table.
"You are the doctor. Examine them," Edda said dryly.
"I don't want my salad to get cold," Dr. Bramley mumbled.
George and Marilyn had made it their New Year's resolution to dance at the Alpendorf Tavern every Sunday night so they would lose weight. The trouble was they could not resist the chocolate cherry cake and had a weakness for the Pilsner as well. As a matter of fact, on many occasions they were in no shape to drive home so Edda would put them up in the main lodge or in one of the six surrounding cabins.
The Gude's lived in an apartment above their business, "The Apple Of Your Eye", which sold used home furnishings that often had a dubious past. They took joy in finding treasures in the garbage. They would drive thirty miles to the city and troll the alleys the night before the garbage trucks were due. For example, if they found bricks and slabs of gorgeous marble on a side street where a new bank was being built, they convinced themselves that if it was in the alley, it was garbage and they could load it into their truck.
"Should I prepare a room for them or offer to take them somewhere in the limo?" Gottfried asked Edda.
"What are you talking about? They don't look so bad tonight," Edda looked at them harder.
"They will. That siren, it was the fire engine. The chief is on his way over to tell them their place is burnt to the ground," Gottfried limped back into his office.
~ To Be Continued ~
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