Big Bother: Day 171 (15 January 1915)

It’s Day 171 of the war, and Patrick Fowler has failed his task of not getting separated from his regiment, so he’s entering the Big Bother farmhouse looking to hide from the occupying Germans.

Just then, he spies a French farmer’s wife and says, “Hi! Great to meet ya! Listen. I’ve been cut off from my regiment and lived in the forest for five months, and we’re behind German lines. Do you think you could help me?”

The farmer’s wife replies, “Well, of course. You can stay here.”

“Oh, thanks! That’s grand!” says Fowler as he takes off his hat.

Next to arrive is sixteen other housemates: a squadron of German soldiers. Poor Fowler proceeds to hide in the wardrobe.

As one soldier comes in, the farmer’s wife fibs, “Non, non, monsieur. Not in zere. We have all ze bedrooms.”

“Shut up, French peasant woman,” says the German sternly. “You’re under German rule now. Ve take vhichever bedrooms ve like.”

Now, Patrick’s task is not to get found. As he rightfully says, “I just feel like I’m not really getting’ along with my new housemates, mainly because they’re German soldiers. If they catch me, they’ll kill me. So, I’ve taken to hiding in this wardrobe…along with a few dozen moths. Hopefully, the Germans won’t stay around too long. And if you guys want to leave, that’s fine too.”