Читать книгу Westward. Encounters with Swiss American Women онлайн

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Then Margot switches to another chapter in her life story, “and a very important one.” In 1939, her future husband, Dr. Gustav Durrer, a dentist from Luzern, was attending advanced dental courses in America when the war broke out and and he could not return to Switzerland. While working in a dental clinic in New York, he received an “invitation” to serve in the American Army. He obtained his American citizenship and after the war established a practice in New York City.

When Margot returned home after her residency in St. Gallen, she accompanied her stepmother for an appointment with this “wonderful new dentist” that her parents had been praising. “Gusti Durrer really looked so handsome in his white dental jacket and generous smile, but I soon sized him up as the happy bachelor approaching the 40’s and thinking, why marry one when I can have many women around? But I really fell for him. Our friendship grew slowly. He invited me to the Swiss Society Ball, and for theatre or concerts. He was a loving and charming escort, but never gave a hint of wanting to share our lives together. Then once, after seven years of dating, he casually remarked: ‘Why don’t we go on vacation once together?’ For me it was quite clear: not without a ring on my finger. That was a cutting moment of decision for the engrained bachelor. Plans were made. We went to Tiffany to buy that wedding ring, but the salesperson was so busy with another customer that Gusti lost his patience; we walked out and went to a friend of his who was a goldsmith. Finally we were married and started a happy vacation that lasted a lifetime.”