And He Didn't Even Say, "Goddag..."

 As I waited for my tank to fill, I glanced over at the Dodge parked in front of the store. That's when I noticed the license plate with the word "ODENSE" on it. 

Not many people know what that word means.

There's a city on the Danish island of Fyn called Odense. It's most famous for it being the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, beloved author and spinner of yarns. I lived in that town for four months back in the mid 1980s. It's a beautiful city with incredibly nice people (as long as you're not talking religion...). 

On the day I filled my tank and saw the car, I happened to be wearing my Dannebrog, or Danish Flag t-shirt. That, and the fact I have a DK sticker on my car--I thought would allow the owner of the car with the license plate of Denmark's third-largest city, would see me, the shirt, the sticker, and if not say "hi," at least acknowledge another lover of the country.

I was Dansk-decked out for just such and occasion.

As the gasoline continued to flow into Donk, the Subaru, I saw the owner of the silver car emerge from the store. I tried catching his attention in as non-a-creepy-way as possible. He looked over as he opened the door, then...

He climbed inside and drove away.

No big deal, really.

Still, it would have been fun to at least say, "Goddag," or give the ol' lifted chin greeting, signifying we both understood something communicated non-verbally. Heck, for all I know, the car might belong to his dad, or mom, or sister, or someone else who would understand the significance of all that Danish Dynamite emanating from across the parking lot. The driver might not know much about Denmark at all.

Yeah...I think I'll go with that.

Teisevsvej 23...A Place Where I Used To Live

 In the summer of 1985 I got on a train in a suburb outside of Copenhagen (København...) and traveled west. The train crossed the island of Zealand (Sjælland...) until we came to the North Sea. They disconnected the engine and pushed the train onto a ferry.

Very cool.

I forget how long it took for the huge ship to travel to yet another Danish island, but when the ferry stopped, the train disembarked on Funen (Fyn...). From there, the train continued west until I reached the amazing city of Odense, Denmark, the small Scandinavian country's third largest city.

I got off the train and met one of the most interesting people I've ever met, Daren. At the time I was a LDS missionary. Missionaries are assigned a companion and Daren was mine. Last week I got a text message from Daren. He sent me a picture, a picture of a house on a little street just north and a little east of the city center. 

It's where we used to live.

It's been a long time since I left that house, once again leaving by train. Before I saw the picture, I had no idea of what the house looked like, but seeing it now, I remember. I remember our entry was on the side of the house. Once inside, we went downstairs. Our apartment was in the basement. When I arrived, the place was a pit. Daren would agree. Thankfully, some of the members of the local congregation came over and patched holes in the walls and painted. 

I only lived at that address for four months. Not long, but, a life can change in four months. I'm not saying living in that house changed my life entirely, but I did make a life-long friend, several actually. I fell in love with Odense (birthplace of Hans Christian Anderson...). That structure is where we returned after insanely difficult days, after the highest highs and the lowest lows. It offered shelter from storms, from hot summer days, from insults and bullies, from dejection. It's where we ate most of our meals (not a lot of member meals for us...), and got up early to do it all again. 

I'm glad Daren was there when I arrived. Even though we only spent two months together, I felt like he was a big brother for me--I still feel that way. I've loved seeing pictures of his adventures as his family discovers the magical land the locals call Danmark, and seeing Daren re-discover the land that's stolen our hearts.

It's just a house, one of millions in the small country, a place where I used to live. I'm glad he sent the picture...I nice gesture he didn't need to do. Then again, if you know Daren, it's not surprising at all.

May 4th...It Means Something Else To The Danes

While many in the world are celebrating all things Geek--I myself am currently wearing my only StarWars shirt and the only piece of Geek clothing I own--in a small country atop Europe looks upon May 4th under a different light.

May 4th is a day of freedom.

The Denmark.DK Instagram account (Denmark.DK) posted two pictures about the significance of May 4th for their country. Today marks the 75th anniversary of the German withdrawal from Denmark.

Back in 1986 I was told a story from someone who lived through those years of Nazi Occupation. 

And I remember the story she told me of the day the Germans left.

Jytta Svendsen was a teenager living in Odense, Denmark on 5/4/45. The Germans required all citizens of the city to line up along the main road through the center of town to watch their captors leave. As Jytta stood with the others the Germans opened fire on the people lining the street. The woman next to Jytta was hit and she dropped. Jytta ran and hid inside a drug store. She never knew what happened to the woman next to her. Just remembering her tell the story brings back the horror of her story, terrible times of history that she lived through, that she survived.

Jytta passed away, years after her amazing husband Svend left us, in the summer of 2007. I was unable to attend her funeral since it fell on the same day as my mother's. As the years pass, fewer and fewer of those who remember the dark days and the events exist only in histories.

Today Danes put up candles in their windows, the flame representing freedom from tyranny and the start of a new chapter in their millennia-long history. Sure, it's fun to put on Geeky clothes and watch your favorite Star Wars film or sharing a funny meme. But, in a small European country the heat from a simple candle warms the world and gives us all hope.

A Trip/Surf Down Memory Lane...Happy Birthday Daren!

Tonight, I was looking for a postcard I received once...if I find it I'll try and post it tomorrow. And if I don't find it, I won't (if I find it, you'll understand why...).

But, in searching for this item from over thirty years ago, I came across something else, something timely. You see, it's my friend Daren's birthday today. He and I met in the fall of 1985 in the town of Odense, Denmark, birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen. We were both LDS missionaries together in that amazing country.

Daren has always been a colorful character, at least, as long as I've known him. Today's Daren's birthday. Happy birthday, brother! Before I met Daren, he had gone to the local newspaper in Odense to see if they wanted to run a story on him. Turns out, they did.

The story basically explains how a young man from California could--if he chose--be a professional surfer at home in the United States. But, he was at that time not pursuing a career as a professional surfer, but was instead giving his life to God.

Great headline!

Mostly, because it's true.

Thanks to Google Translate, if you want you can see what's said about Daren--it's a good story. If you don't want to do that, it basically explains what the missionaries were doing and why. Daren was one cool dude thirty-five years ago, and he's only improved with age. Tilykke med dagen, du! Ha' det rigtig godt!