Mrs. Martin & Mr. Blohm Series – Episode Five:
It’s Time to Go for It

Regina calls Stephan, her best gay friend, to get advice: Should she stay in Munich and take the Tommy Hilfiger job, or accept the much more attractive La Perla offer — which would mean moving to Hamburg, breaking with her old life, and consequently with Paul, her boyfriend of four years?

Stephan : “You don’t sound too good. What’s up, Spatzl?”
(Spatzl is the Bavarian cozy name for a little sparrow. For Stephan, Regina was always his sparrow, even though she liked to pretend she was Lady Cool.)

Regina :“Ach Stephan, I have such a difficult decision to make. I have a great new job offer. Besides the Tommy Hilfiger one, I also received an offer from La Perla — for so much more money. They would pay for the move, provide a business apartment for three months until I find my own place, plus commission, bonuses, and the Mercedes company car I always had at Hugo Boss and Puma. But for that, I would have to move to Hamburg, unfortunately.”

Stephan: “Why unfortunately? You were born there. Maybe it’s good to go back to your roots. Finally, you can get rid of Paul, discover a new city, meet new people. It couldn’t be better in my opinion. And on top of it, everything is paid. Go for it immediately, Spatzl. It’s meant to be — somebody is watching over you! Finally your life will get some new energy, a fresh breeze. That’s exactly what you need.”

Regina (answering strongly): “It’s not that easy, Stephan… and you know that!”

Stephan: “It is exactly that easy, Spatzl. Don’t make it complicated.”

Regina: “That’s exactly what Paul said too — that I make things complicated. But I don’t! I just don’t want to move to Hamburg — to the North! You know how much I love the South. And what about my friends?”

Stephan: “As you know, Spatzl, real friends will stay with you wherever you are. And considering that you always wanted to move to Miami — 8,043 km away — the 613 km to Hamburg sounds like nothing, right?”

Regina: “Yes, but that comparison isn’t the right one. You’re comparing apples with oranges! And I would always prefer the orange — Florida is full of them. Even the license plate has oranges on it! I love Miami. I need to think this over very carefully, Stephan. This is a life decision, something I can’t just make in one day.”

Stephan raises his voice — not at Regina, but out of frustration.

Stephan: “Papperlapapp, Spatzl! What are you talking about? You want to be a realist, yet you dream about Pretty Woman and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. There’s nothing to think about. This is your chance to set yourself free. As I always say: Where there is a will, there is a way. And where there is no will, there are excuses!”

Regina’s voice grows quiet and calm.

Regina: “Yes, you are so right, Stephan. I’m just afraid of drowning — being alone in stormy, rainy, and cold Hamburg. I love Munich, Stephan… and I love Miami. Hamburg is so different from what I could imagine for myself.”

Stephan softens his tone again.

Stephan: “Spatzl, I feel it so deeply — I love you from the bottom of my heart. I know if you change something, your life will change. And maybe your Italian love is waiting for you in Hamburg. Who knows? If you don’t try, you’ll never know. Fact is, you’re done with Munich. You’ve lived here more than 15 years. It’s time to change. Think about your wedding dress, still sealed in that box under your bed for the past four years, waiting to be worn for the man who loves you more than himself — and you, him.”

Regina (now in tears): “Yes, you’re right,” she repeated. “But keep in mind, I also have a great offer here from Tommy Hilfiger. I like the brand, and it’s women’s clothing. La Perla is only lingerie, even though they offered me the Prêt-à-Porter launch. But it’s only a launch — not proven if it will work. So, in a way, I’m already changing my position by staying in Munich. Do I really need to move to Hamburg to change something fundamental? I’m not so sure.”

Stephan (trying to be diplomatic): “If you want to achieve something big, you need to take big steps. And you want the whole cake, right? There’s a saying: big goals are easier to hit than small ones.”

Regina laughs. That’s what she loves about Stephan — always straightforward, with sayings that stick in her mind.

Regina:  “Okay, Stephan. I’ll think about it. I send you my deepest hug.”

Stephan smiles. He knows his Spatzl — at least she’s listening.

Stephan: “Likewise, Spatzl. And remember, I’ll always be your friend for life — no matter what you decide. Keep that in mind.”

But Regina still felt she needed another opinion. So she calls Elena, her best female friend in Munich. Elena is the conservative type — very different from Regina. Dreams aren’t exciting for Elena, though she admires her friend who always dares to believe in them.

Elena: “What’s wrong? You don’t sound good.”

Regina (already tired of repeating the story): “This is the third time today I’m explaining it. I got another job offer — La Perla’s Prêt-à-Porter and lingerie, overseeing the whole German market. Amazing salary, plus everything is covered. The only catch: I’d have to move to Hamburg. They’d even pay for the move and a furnished apartment for three months. Unbelievable. You remember I told you I bumped into Henry in the garage and had lunch with him? Well, now here we are. Honestly, I already regret that lunch! So tell me, what should I do?”

Elena (without hesitation): “I would never move to Hamburg if I were you. You love the South. Your dream is Miami. Why move North now? It doesn’t make sense. You don’t know anyone there, and you hate cold, rainy weather. I can’t see you in Hamburg at all.”

Regina feels immediately understood.

Regina: “Yes, you’re right,” she answered, realizing she had told Stephan the same thing but received such a different response. “Why am I even considering Hamburg? My dream is Miami. Moving further away from that dream makes no sense — even if the offer is lucrative. And honestly, I’m not passionate about lingerie. La Perla is known for it, yes, but introducing their women’s collection in Germany would be a huge challenge. I’m afraid of it. I already have the Tommy Hilfiger contract in front of me — though I haven’t signed it yet. I even asked Paul for advice.”

Elena (curious): “That’s exactly what I wanted to ask — what does Paul think about all this?”

Regina (disappointed): “Paul just said: Wow, congratulations. Hamburg is a nice city. Can you believe that? So typical of Paul. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if it would even be good for our relationship. Maybe he’ll realize what he’s missing once I’m gone — that a weekend relationship isn’t enough.”

Elena (hesitant): “By being apart?”

Regina: “Yes, that’s exactly it. With his reaction, it felt like it doesn’t matter to him whether I’m in Munich or Hamburg. He didn’t say: No, I don’t want you to move. I want you here with me. For Paul, there’s no difference. And you’re right — that’s not how serious relationships work. Still, maybe moving to Hamburg would make it easier for me to separate from him. Almost like… a soft exit.”

Elena is shocked. Regina has always been a black-and-white person, never sneaky or indirect. Hearing her talk about a “soft exit” feels completely out of character.

Elena: “Oh je, Regina. More and more questions. I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes right now. And honestly, I don’t like this talk about a soft exit. That’s not you, Regina! I just think it’s too much for you.”

Regina (snapping awake): “Too much for me? You know me. There’s nothing too much for me when I really want something.”

Elena: “I’m not sure what to say anymore.”

Flashback: The Au Pair Year in San Francisco 1991

Memories began to resurface. Regina had always been a woman unafraid of decisions. For her, choices were made out of love — whether for a person, a dream, or even just the hunger for change. And sometimes, decisions came when the suffering of staying the same grew too heavy to bear.

She remembered 1991. At 21 years old, she had a steady job in Munich’s most exclusive retail store, a car, and a small apartment. But her English was poor — only two basic school courses. Every time she couldn’t communicate with English-speaking customers, frustration ate at her. The suffering was big enough that she knew she had to act. So she quit her job, gave up her apartment, sold her car, and booked a one-year stay in the United States to finally learn English.

Upbringings – Two Worlds

Her parents didn’t support her. They couldn’t understand why it had to be the US — why not the UK, closer and cheaper? They even tried to pressure her with money: If you go to the US, don’t expect support from us. But Regina had already decided. Sunny California with the Golden Gate Bridge pulled her heart far more than grey, rainy London ever could.

Her parents were always very strict. Even though Regina was an only child, they didn’t spoil her — quite the opposite. The marriage of her parents was far from ideal; she could feel the tension between them in many ways, and fights were a daily occurrence.

Her father, who was a sales manager at Unilever, had always wanted a boy and was very open about it. That’s why he raised Regina more like a son. For example, he insisted she learn skiing. He himself was an excellent skier, and living in Munich, it was natural to spend weekends in the mountains. When Regina was six years old, he simply decided: My daughter has to learn skiing. But not with a teacher — we’ll save that money. I’ll teach you myself, and you’ll learn the right way, strong enough to compete with the boys.

He handed her skis, boots, and poles, and said: “We’re going up the mountain. Not the baby hill — the real slope. You will learn properly from the beginning.”

Arriving at the blue slope with the lift, he looked at her and said, “Let’s go, just follow me.” Of course, little Regina was afraid — but she had no choice but to follow her father as best she could. When she fell and cried, her father didn’t comfort her with soft words. He picked her up, put the poles back in her hands, brushed the snow from her glasses, and said firmly: “Don’t cry. Tears won’t bring you down this hill. We still have a long way to go before we reach the village.”

It took her only one day to learn how to ski— and by the end, she was far more advanced than most girls her age. Today Regina realizes that, in the end, it was that good her father didn’t treat her like other little girls. It made her more confident, less afraid of trying new things, and certain that no boy could ever intimidate her — because she could always keep up.

Her mother, who had been a secretary at IBM back in Hamburg before Regina was born, quit her job after giving birth. She was the complete opposite of her husband. She tried to protect Regina wherever she could, which is why Regina naturally bonded more with her. But her mother also had a controlling side — not wanting Regina to make mistakes, perhaps because Regina was her overriding purpose in life. Deep down, she may have feared that if Regina became too independent, one day she wouldn’t need her anymore.

Her father, instead, constantly challenged her. No wonder Regina didn’t like him much and often felt relieved when he was away on business trips. Another example was mushroom picking. Her father loved fresh mushrooms, especially when you didn’t have to buy them but could harvest them yourself in the forest during September and October. He was also a very good cook and would transform the mushrooms into delicious gourmet meals.

To get the best harvest, they had to be out at 6 a.m., when it was still half-dark. He would hand her a basket and say: “Whoever finds the most mushrooms wins. We’ll meet in two hours — look at your watch, when the hand is at 8, we’ll meet at that tree over there.”

Regina hardly understood her first wristwatch — a Mickey Mouse watch she had begged for only because of the Mickey character on its face, her “best friend” at the time, not because she cared about the time. That in itself was already a challenge. And to make it harder, to her, every tree in the forest looked the same. But she found ways to mark and remember the meeting spot — noticing, for example, that one tree was slimmer and had browner leaves than the rest.

She wasn’t afraid of wandering alone through the forest at just six years old. She was too busy searching for mushrooms, making sure she would find that particular tree again, and glancing nervously at her Mickey Mouse watch to be back on time. Sometimes she even managed to return with a fuller basket than her father — and she could feel how proud he was of her.

Because of those mushroom adventures, Regina developed an exceptional sense of orientation — even to this day. The downside: she grew to dislike watches, because they always felt like pressure. And who likes pressure? Until today, Regina refuses to wear a watch.

These little childhood stories show that Regina grew up with the mindset that there were no limits. Even if her father’s motives came from ego or saving money rather than nurturing, the result was that Regina stopped being afraid, even as a small girl. She learned quickly that independence was the way forward — not to rely on anyone, especially not her parents, because their way of life didn’t fit the vision she had for her own. That is why, on her 18th birthday, she moved out — finally independent, or so she thought.

Mr. Blohm’s childhood was totally different. He was the fourth child — and finally the long-awaited only son after three much older sisters. His father had always wanted a boy, and life brought a surprise: his mother, at almost 40, became pregnant.

Unlike Regina’s parents, Mr. Blohm’s parents had a solid marriage. Of course, they had conflicts, but never the kind that would have made them consider separation. The bond Mr. Blohm had with his father was magical. His father, a doctor, introduced him to golf at the early age of nine. He didn’t want his son risking injuries in soccer like the other boys and instead put a golf club in his hands.

In 1969, golf was hardly popular in Germany. Yet Claus seemed to have a natural talent and, more importantly, the passion for it. He soon became an amateur golfer at his home club in Falkenstein, Hamburg. By the age of 26, in 1986, he even managed to win the European Cup of Champion Golf. He was adored not only by his father but also by his mother and many friends.

His sisters, however, weren’t so enthusiastic — jealousy often got in the way, since Claus was treated like a little prince in the family. He had his own battles to fight there.

The conclusion of these two very different childhood stories — of Mrs. Martin and Mr. Blohm — is simple: everyone has their own past, both light and shadow, yin and yang.

2004 – Present Day

And we hope you are still curious to know how this story continues:

Will Mrs. Martin, now 34, move to Hamburg or stay in Munich with her current boyfriend?

And will Mr. Blohm, now 44, living with his sister Gabi after his divorce — who is 15 years older — ever move out and have his own condo again? For now, he felt so nestled by his sister, who prepared the best meals, washed his clothes, and made sure he felt at home after all he had gone through.

There was also his beloved brother-in-law, also named Claus — a doctor like Mr. Blohm’s father had been, and a true wine connoisseur — who often opened the finest Italian red wines and shared all his knowledge with him. Through these evenings, Mr. Blohm began to dive deeper into the world of wine than he ever could have expected.

And yes, Claus — as you can see — is indeed a popular northern German name, derived from Nikolaus, meaning “the victor of the people,” symbolizing the groundedness and reliability we are all looking for.

Keep following along and make sure to stock up with some SYLTBAR cases, this story is just getting started.