EUGENIA

Eugenia Corais—known as Jenny—is a brilliant intellectual who aspires to transform her Columbia University activism into a media crusade. After she crosses paths with Dietrich Neuendorf, a charismatic, unyielding German human rights attorney haunted by his secret family past, they quickly fall in love.

Meanwhile, eight thousand miles away, in Southern Africa, Rhodesian white settlers break away from the British Commonwealth and are surrounded by hostile Africans demanding immediate independence. The UN imposes an embargo on the former colony, while the hardline Rhodesian regime declares a state of emergency. As violence in the country intensifies, Dietrich is offered a job there to investigate civil rights violations, and a few weeks later, Jenny flies to Africa to join him. Together, they begin a dangerous journey in a tumultuous country on the brink of war.

When Jenny meets an armaments contractor, an unscrupulous man of immense power and oppressive colonial military background, she will encounter a shadow government operating behind the mainstream political smokescreen. She will also discover a dark side she never knew existed – her own.

Jenny’s personal saga unfolds on a historical canvas that spans from cabaret Berlin and wartime Europe to the American Civil Rights era, the anti-Vietnam War protests, and the explosive final days of colonial Africa. EUGENIA: Destiny and Choice charts a quest for human awareness and social conscience in a political dystopia. The epic narrative follows three compelling characters tested by love and promiscuity, moral conflicts and momentous circumstances.

“War is a losing cause for the common folks. The only winners are the industries that benefit from wars, the lobbyists who sponsor them, and the politicians who never see the battlefield. If you love your country you have the chance to prove it here on this campus. Study! Get your degree and you have the strongest armor to serve yourself, your family, your country, and the entire world.”

His voice was drowned out by a cheering frenzy and prolonged applause before he concluded.

“President Kennedy in his inaugural speech, back in 1961, uttered the famous challenge, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.’ To this I have a rebuttal: I should not only ask myself what I can do for my country, but what my country can do for me as well. Responsibility must be shared, and commitment goes both ways. Unconditional allegiance is for serfs only! Dear friends, learn how to be free citizens of the world, not subjects of the state! Thank you all.”

Students, parents, and faculty members stood on chairs and applauded as the meeting ended. Dietrich left the room but the crowd was still cheering. The atmosphere was electrifying. The audience chanted rhythmically, “Blue Ice, Blue Ice.”

“Austro-Germany is apparently a breeding ground for charismatic demagogues who cause mass hysteria,” Trudy Ann commented.

Jenny lost her temper. “Excuse me? Say another word about Dietrich, and you’ll be looking for a new place to sleep.” She walked away, pushing through the crowd.

“Oh my, Jenny likes the German guy!” Trudy Ann said with a smile.

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“We’re homosexuals, members of the Mattachine Society. We’re of legal age and we would like to be served, like everyone else here,” he said, gesturing to the remaining patrons. Emboldened by the owner’s instructions, the bartender responded, “I’m sorry. No service, gentlemen. Please leave; otherwise …”

“Otherwise what? You’ll call Betty Badge to arrest us?”

A few of the patrons laughed. The barman looked at his boss and wiped the bar with his towel. The owner crossed his arms and glared at the men. Most of the other customers watched the scene closely. No one noticed the musicians preparing their instruments on stage. Dietrich stood up and walked toward the man at the end of the bar.

“Do you have a minute?”

“Who are you?” the owner asked.

“Dietrich Neuendorf. I’m a civil liberties attorney.”

He leaned in so only the owner could hear him.

What you’re doing is in violation of civil rights. It’s discrimination.”

The man turned red but stayed calm. “Listen, sir, I can have a problem with the Department of Morals if these guys are found here. Please sit down; let’s drop it.”

“Let’s not.”

“What the hell do you want?”

“I want you to do the right thing, to serve them as you have served the rest of these people.”

“Why do you care? Are you a faggot?”

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She could sense the brute force of the animal instinct in him. She felt whorish for what she was doing and the idea aroused her. She pulled her dress off her shoulder and partially revealed her breasts.

Henderson’s eyes widened; he needed no further invitation.

The scent of the whiskey on him drove her crazy. Her blood ran quicker, making her light-headed. He grabbed her and kissed her hard. His lips electrified her. Moved by an unexplained desire, she raised her hand and slapped his face. The stroke drove him even wilder and made her wet. He ripped her dress down brutally. She wore nothing beneath it. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her against his muscular body, kissing her hard.

She had never allowed anyone to treat her this way. She bit his lips in return; she wanted to hurt him, but the pain excited him more. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he groaned. His hands moved to her thighs. She moaned and bent her knees, taking him to the carpet with her.

She returned to North Avenue in the early hours of the morning. She fell on the bed facedown into her pillow and kicked off her pumps. Within moments she was asleep.

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Henderson was about to say something but Dietrich continued, “Sir, I have a piece of advice for you.”

“Advice for me? You want to give me advice?”

There was an irony in the tone of his voice; his eyes took a mocking glimpse.

Dietrich said, “I look big, because the mirror I look into is small. Enjoy the rest of the evening, sir!”

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