Wani was a Bar Whore who worked at the Bar Fiore during my stay at Kagnew Station. She was probably in her early to mid 30's at that time, skinny, light skinned and not particularly good looking.

She lived in a second floor apartment, above a shop on Queen Elizabeth Boulevard, going towards the Airport about a mile from the Bar Fiore. This apartment was the scene for many of the adventures of the "A" Trick "Gross Guys" and their cohorts in late 1967 and early 1968. It was Gross (Fat) Mike Powers' favorite after hour's haunt and he was a dynamic force within our group of miscreants during this time period.

Her apartment consisted of 1 bedroom, a small kitchen and dining area and a large living room with a balcony overlooking Queen Elizabeth Boulevard. The bathroom was larger than the kitchen and had an old fashion claw foot tub but with no water outlets near it (the water for the tub was brought from the kitchen to the bathroom in buckets).

The bedroom was small and Wani had a single bed, which seemed to be only slightly larger than our bunks at the barracks, but I'm sure that it was a standard single bed. Above the bed, on the wall, there was a tapestry, an African Savanna scene with a pride of Lions on it. A small nightstand with a small lamp was situated next to the bed. Across from the bed there was a dresser with a mirror and a chest of drawers with the obligatory Haile Salassie tapestry above it.

In the living room there was a large sofa, several chairs, tables with lamps, a large coffee table and a record player (Wani only had a few record albums-one being Johnny Horton's "Greatest Hits", which we listened to and sang with very often). The stucco walls were adorned with tapestries and framed lithographs.

Wani would allow us to store our Class 6 Liquor purchases at her apartment and would usually keep an amply supply of warm Mellotti Beer on hand, for sale, to those of us who wanted something less than hard liquor. She, on several occasions, served us some of the best Zigne (Wat) that I had eaten during my stay in Asmara. Wani kept track of our trick schedule and knew when we (A Trick) were on break and ready to party. She always made sure that there were several other young ladies available (for a price) to share the night's revelry!

Many great stories that I have recently heard (yet remain unwritten) come from our time spent at Wani's place. The story about the "Goat from the Bosch", which was purchased to provide us with a great Zigne dinner. Wilk's (Jerry Wilkinson) throwing of the Ethie Solider off of Wani's balcony. My encouraging a Bar Whore to pour whiskey into (snoring-mouth wide open-head tilted back) Harvey Nichols' mouth (Harvey claims I almost killed him). The shopkeeper downstairs coming to complain that we were urinating on his customers from the balcony. Fat Mike Powers and 2 women in Wani's single bed.

The list goes on and on! Great times and great memories shared by old friends!