Summary

Part 3, Section 2 begins from Benita’s perspective in her hometown of Fruhlinghausen in December, 1950. Benita has now been living at home for three months. Most of Benita’s family is gone now, only two sisters Lotte and Gertrud remained in the town. Benita returns home one day and Lotte begins to pester her with questions about getting a job of her own. Benita had been trying to get a job but kept striking out. She agrees to try to apply to a grocery store the next day. Martin is at boarding school, and had recently written Benita asking if he could spend Christmas holidays with a friend. Benita agreed, knowing what he would come home to would be depressing for both of them.

The next day Benita applies to work at a local grocery store, and realizes she knows the woman Trude in...