European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 21, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Rooen Besta a waiter in Pitsen Czechoslovakia is the son of an a Jeriean Soldier who served in Europe during world War  waiter a child of world War ii liberation Story and photo by Randy Pruitt staff writer after world War ii Many american of a soldiers left behind living reminders that \ they were in Europe. A a \ they left their children. It Isnit hard to spot Robert Besta As of of them. Standing a head above his countrymen at six foot four inches and wearing an afro hairstyle he s one of Only three Blacks in Pilsen a City of 250,000 in Western  Besta s life Story lacks the pathos of most wartime romances when a child is born out of Wedlock. I is not the Ali too familiar Saga of a disappearing father Mother condemned forever by society a tormented. Childhood. Nor does it culminate in a twisted lonely search for a missing piece of life s Bony Puzzle. Robert Bestas Story is quite the opposite. His full name tells a lot. He carries the first name it his american father Robert Rawlings and the last name of his czech Mother Maria Besta. Quot my father was Here during the liberation a a he a from the dining room of the Pilsen hotel where he is head waiter. A his parents met at Val Cha a town now a part of Pilsen. The couple dated from May to october or november in 1945 Desta was born May 11, 194g. A my father did t know he had a son until he returned to the  a Besta says in English a language he rarely uses in his work. Besta says that although his parents never saw each other again their love never died. Quot my father tend to get my Mother to come to the stars and stripes Page 13 America but she did no to want to leave Czechoslovakia Quot he explains. But the two who eventually married other people wrote each other faithfully about six times a year. Maria Besta kept Rawlings informed of How their son was growing and sent him photographs. Rawlings penned letters about America and his life As a in Motorman in the Chicago subway. Rawlings never forgot birthdays or Christmas. Quot when i turned 14 i started writing him Quot Besta says. Over a time a special father son relationship  Bestas Mother kept telling him Quot one a. Day you will see your  her words echoed True in 1968, shortly before the Warsaw pact forces invaded Czechoslovakia. Rawlings sent his son the Money to buy a plane ticket to America of Besta says he will never forget arriving at the Airport in Chicago. He first spotted his cousins with whom he had also been corresponding next he recognized his grandmother. Quot she told me to a look Over therein Quot Quot i saw a Young Man and i wondered who is that and then i realized it was my  his father was 48 years old at the time. Quot i was looking for an old  Besta says a Grin spreading across his face Besta stayed with Rawlings and his wife who had children from a previous marriage Robert Rawlings showed his son the town introducing him to his friends together the pair shared dunks in taverns took in museums and rooted for the Chicago White sox Quot Chicago is All worlds in one Quot Besta says Rawlings had reason to be particularly proud of Besta. Quot i was his Only son Quot Besta says quietly. Besta s Mother had a daughter from a previous marriage and a son from her last manage. Besta who served an obligatory tour in the czech army admits he a had to deaf with some racial discrimination in Czechoslovakia. Quot sometimes people called me names Quot he says Quot most thought i was from  he recalls his Mother telling him you Musl be a Little bit better than the others it was her Way of telling him to always do his Best he a tried to follow her advice. The father of three children has worked 24 years As a waiter 12 of them in the Pilsen hotel. In addition to English he also Speaks russian life in Czechoslovakia has t been bad he says Quot you live Here 40 years you like in i think it wifi be better now with Freedom Quot he says although Besta s father died in 1973 of cancer he visited the . Again in 1980 he stayed with his grandmother Carmla Rawlings who will be 91 ibis year. Quot Quot i still write to my grandmother Quot he says Quot last time f sent her congratulations on Mother s Day Quot Besta s Mother died in 1975 of cancer Besta Hopes to see More americans  at his tables now i Fiat the Borders Are open in West Bohemia it s Well known that the czechs have a special regard for Arnonoff is a log Back to world War ii to Testa it s More of a Hanslip