Excerpt from EMPTY CHAIRS:

     I had been in America for several months now and homesickness held me in its grip.  I missed the familiarity of friends and acquaintances.  I missed chatting with them where and when we met.  I had met people here, but I could never ask them, "Remember how much fun we had in school? Do you know where Maria is? Did she marry Hans? Is your brother still in Russia?"

     We had no recall of each others' past because we had not shared it.  Only Kenny had been with my family, only he had seen where and how we lived.

     Now I recalled how Mama in desperation had pleaded,  "Anneliese, you are not listening, and you don't envision what you will have to cope with .... "

Another excerpt from EMPTY CHAIRS:

     When Agnes came, frustrated, I cried out, 'When will I ever learn English and understand what's going on?'

     "Annelee, you will understand English when you dream in English," Agnes assured me.  "Don't worry so much, you understand more each day."

     Several weeks later, it was after midnight, and Kenny and I were sound asleep.  Suddenly, I sat up and shook Kenny.  "Kenny!  Kenny! Wake up!"

     Kenny was startled.  "What is it, Annelee?  Are you sick?"

     "No, no, Kenny.  I just dreamt in English!" I shouted.  "I just dreamt in English!"

     "That's nice," Kenny mumbled.  "That's nice.  Now let's go back to sleep."

     The next morning I complained, "You don't even care if I ever learn English."

     "Annelee, please understand,"  Kenny pleased.  "I slept so soundly.  I dream in English every night."