"I always work the Sunday shift," my mother tends to say when I ask her which days she is working that week. She is an older lady now and to keep occupied, takes care of an even older lady a few days a week. She is good at it, having worked as a nurse in Berlin in the late 50's and early 60's.
Living in the Eastern part of Berlin, she took the tram to the Western part whenever she was working.
Which is exactly what she did 50 years ago on August 13th, 1961, very early in the morning. She had, like so often, the Sunday shift.
Little did she know, that there would be no getting back that day, or any time later because by the time most Berliners had woken up, there was a huge barrier right through their city.
When husband and I took daughter to Berlin last weekend, exactly 50 years after the Wall was errected, it hit me.
I have to be very, very thankful for that particular Sunday shift.
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