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KURT BLORSTAD and his father, TRYGVE, are in Norway celebrating the elder’s 70th birthday. As they visit landmarks from Trygve’s childhood, Trygve reveals that he has carried around a secret for years.
Trygve begins his narration with the day he (age seven), his brothers THORALF (eight) and ODD (three), and his mother PAULINE go to live with his maternal grandmother in a small town outside of Vanse, Norway. Although Trygve was born in Brooklyn, New York, his family moved back to Norway to live with his father, OLAF’s, parents during the Great Depression. In 1935, Olaf returns to America to prepare things for Trygve and the rest of the family to join him. Soon after arriving at their grandmother’s house, Pauline informs the boys that she is pregnant and his sister, THELMA, is born.
While living with his grandmother, Trygve helps with household chores, works on his uncle TARALD’s farm, and attends the school in town. On Trygve’s tenth birthday, he catches the eye of MR. ELLENES, the owner of a local shop–he soon begins working for Mr. Ellenes after school.
One day while in the shop, Trygve’s teacher MR. DUNGVOLD comes in and tells them that the Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, has invaded Poland. Mr. Dungvold fears that under Hitler’s leadership the Nazis will soon move into Norway.
As life for Trygve continues in Norway, his father prepares for their arrival and finally in 1940 they have enough money to reunite in America. Just as plans were being made for the trip, the war comes to Trygve’s doorstep.
Trygve describes life living under German occupation–new identification papers, curfews, limited resources, prisoners brought in to do manual labor, and most notably, the cancellation of their voyage. As all of this is going on, Trygve is asked to serve as a lookout during secret meetings local business owners have at Mr. Ellenes’ shop.
Trygve takes another job at the local nursery and one day Tore, his co-worker, is captured by the Germans for spying. MR. JAKOBSEN, an attendee at the secret meetings, reveals that Tore used to work for him as a coast watcher and asks Trygve to take his place. Now 15, Trygve accepts without hesitation–having seen firsthand how cruel the Nazis were, he wants to do his part to get them out of his country. He uses the location of his grandmother’s house to view and report on German operations on the coast and airport.
When the war ends in 1945 with Germany’s surrender, Trygve (age 16) and Thoralf (age 17) join their father in America by virtue of their American citizenship. It would be another two years before Pauline, Odd, and Thelma can join them. When they do, the reunion is joyful and a new chapter begins for the family.
The story ends with Trygve reflecting on the danger he put his family in and Kurt realizing that the sacrifices of his family will stay with him forever.
