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“Don’t ‘mein Führer’ me, Rosenberg,” Halstead shot back, the sleep deprivation of three full days and nights of layout and copy preparation finally wearing through the veneer of tolerance he always maintained in the presence of men, like Rosenberg, whom he detested. “We are here, I am here, to unite Germany, not divide Germany. You know the party principles, which do not include Jew-baiting. Write your article with that in mind, and have the final draft on my desk tomorrow morning.” Halstead rose from his desk and reached for his coat on the neighboring rack. “Where are you going, mein Führer? We’re not finished—” “For all intents and purposes, we are.” Halstead flipped up his collar as Heinrich Hoffman, “Photo Editor,” appeared in the rotating drum that separated the converted dark room from the rest of the newspaper’s office space. “The layouts are done, the photos are ready, and all of the copy is written save for your piece on the threat of Communism, written from the perspective of a man of Baltic German stock whose homeland of Estonia has successfully withstood a brutal Bolshevik invasion. Have it on my desk tomorrow morning, with no mention of Jews.” Halstead spun around to Hoffman, who approached with a single large print in hand. “Heinrich, are you a beer drinker, my friend?” Heinrich’s hunched back was bobbing even before he replied, “I am Bavarian, am I not, mein Führer?” At the same time, he handed the photograph of the dazzling array of King Tutankhamen’s treasures to the Editor-in-Chief of the New Times. Halstead set the photograph on his desk and handed the photographer his coat. “Good, then join me for some beer on the Theresienwiese. It has been a few years since my last Oktoberfest.” “And what of your own copy, mein Führer?” Rosenberg sneered as he tapped his desk with his pencil. Halstead followed Hoffman towards the door. “I’ve already written my pieces, and now I’m going to get drunk. Good night, Rosenberg.” Halstead followed his limping photo editor out the door and down to street level to join the surging and boisterous crowd. |