Dieter Eric Willert

I remember one night in Chicago when Dieter and I were very very young. Dieter and I were throwing water balloons out of his second floor apartment window onto cars driving along Armitage ave. I rememebr how the excitement of hitting a car turned to terror when one of the cars screached to a stop and the biggest maddest guy we had ever seen jumped out and turned for the door to the stairway coming up to Dieters place. Dieter and I ran for the upstairs door and stairway down trying to beat the guy to the lower door. I remember making it about halfway down the steps and freezing in fear. I was terrifed that we would meet the guy head on as he came thru the botton door. Dieter lept from about halfway down the steps and hit that lower door's lock just seconds before the guy pushed on the door from the outside. Ill never forget the grin on Dieters face as he crouched down at the door motioning for me to be quiet. He had that cocky grin on his face that only a young boy can have when he knows hes just saved himself and a friend from a butt kicking. He did that for me more than once back then. Dieter was my best friend in those early years in Chicago, and ill never forget him. Joe Richardson