Summer in Edinburg I

CHAPTER 13

In the beginning of the summer of 1924 we rented another summer house, this time in Edinburg I (later Avoti). It was situated on Line 1, right behind the red-brick church that stood (and still stands) between Bulduri and Avoti. It was a two-storey house: we were a large family and Aunt Tsilya with the children came down from Libau as well. The summer of 1924 was very special for me; it was connected with all sorts of experiences and feelings and it was yet another step in the development of my inner self.

Our summer house was one of many in the vicinity and there were quite a lot of children there. I don't know why but it took us a little while to get acquainted with them. There was a girl in one of the nearby summer houses that was about my height, she had short blond hair and an air of self-confidence about her. I felt that she was something of a leader. However, I was surprised not by her self-confident expression, but by something entirely different: I noticed one morning that the girl (whose name I do not remember) was cleaning her room, airing out her bed linen, etc. , while singing something. I thought that she was my age, but I have never ever cleaned my own room! So, I made a firm decision: I shall do the same. By that time Aunt Tsilya and her children went back (or moved somewhere else) and Mother allowed me to move to a small room near the back entrance. I therefore declared that I shall clean the room and wash the floor by myself. I did all that and it seems that since then I had developed an emotion that is sometimes called a "healthy envy": I wanted to be able to do well something that I saw done by someone else. Incidentally, it later transpired that the girl was three years' older than I was. When I found out that I began to regard her as an "authority" and was ready to take orders from her.

Another important memory is connected with this girl. I heard that she organized some of the children and was planning to stage an "amateur production" of the tale "The Frog Princess". These children spoke German and since we spoke Russian this must have been the reason why I had not been included in the "cast". I was very much interested in this project and felt a little bit disappointed that I will not be in it. However, because the children involved were all older, I would not have dreamed of asking to be included as one of the "actors". One day this "girl leader" came up to me and said: "If you can learn your part in one day, you can play the Frog Princess!" She handed me a notebook completely filled with the text of my part, all in German (which I did not know too well as I had studied German for only six months), but I said right away: "I will learn it!" The next morning I sat down on the steps of the back entrance with that notebook and started learning my part page by page. By night-time I knew it by heart. When all the children learned about this they were very happy, it seems that no-one there managed to cope with this part. I started rehearsing my part, waiting impatiently for the day of the "premiere". Our "girl leader" started making the "costumes" and I found that I could use my orange dress in which I had appeared as the Sun in a play at Aunt Sonya's place. I did receive a new crown though.

At last the day we were all waiting for arrived. A rope was tied between two trees and we put up a "curtain". We even had some props. I was told to let my hair down and since by that time I had long wavy hair I looked altogether very impressive. The whole play went without a hitch and I really knew my part well. Everyone was very happy. The only drawback was that we did not get a large audience. Many of the adults were busy and could not come and my parents could not be there too. I was very upset by that, but I was very proud of having learned my part and having performed it so well. Our "director", the "leader girl" told me so. I was very proud of having been praised….

I also remember that during that summer I wanted very much to work in the garden and Mother arranged it with some gardener nearby that I will come every day to work in his garden. I do not remember what exactly I did there: pruned radishes or other vegetables, planted flowers, watered something or other, but I did work there.

Towards the end of that summer, when school was getting close, Mother said that I should do some studying because I shall have to sit for examinations (one had to sit for examinations in all the subjects then even for getting into 3rd grade). This is how Freulein Zieff appeared on the horizon. I think she came from Libau. She had thick wavy hair tied in a bun at the back of her head and a smallish face and she spoke German better than Russian. She arrived at the end of summer and lived in our house. I found out that she and Mother had been friends for many years. She taught me Russian and I did lots of dictations. Since I did well in my lessons Freulein Zieff did not have any trouble with me.

I did not know what kind of school I shall be attending and I did not think much about those examinations. Mother registered me in my new school and I happily spent the last part of summer with all the kids around. A totally new period in my life was to start in autumn.

Next Volume >>>