Guten Abend,” he began politely.

I wished him a “Guten Abend.”

Privately I wished him many other things.

“Are you—er—a traveller?” he began slowly.

Nein, I am only going as far as Gadebusch.”

“Where is your home?”

“In Alt Pokrent,” I answered promptly.

Then he fired questions at me with bewildering rapidity.

“Work there?”

Ja.