CHAPTER 12

I am now going back to the very first day after my release from prison. I went to see my friends, of course, and I went to school. It was examination time for those who had not received the better marks. In addition, Lyuba Fishberg, Hanze Slovin and Lyalya Vinograd, who were, like me, exempt from sitting for final exams because of their good marks, were doing their Latin exam. It so happened that our teacher, Mr. Lifshits, suggested to those who studied English during the year (our class, for example) to attend a special Latin class. The mark in Latin in one's high-school diploma provided for a better chance to get into certain university faculties, such as Medicine, Pharmacy and, I think, Law. I was supposed to do the external Latin exam together with my three friends, but because of my imprisonment I missed it. They passed it and I was left without my mark in Latin.

The school year ended and our family moved to Jaundubulti for the summer. Mother set up a "pension" once again and I went to work as a governess. I also started studying to prepare for the university entrance examinations. I used to get up at 6 o'clock in the morning and study Physics. My studies did not last long though because when applying to sit for entrance examinations one had to supply a personal health report and when I went to the university clinic for the medical examination they found something in my left lung. Thus, the way to the university was closed to me that autumn. However, I did not feel very bad about it. Maybe I really was not feeling that well but did not realize it at the time.

I went on with my work as a governess. I worked for two families since now I had enough time. I looked after the children of Mr. Bergman, the teacher. Two of them: Mika and Sasha, are alive, while the youngest one, Danechka, perished. I also looked after Ita an Marik Kramer. Ita was a lovely 7 years'-old girl and Marik was a bad-tempered 2 years'-old. In addition I went back to my Young Pioneers' activities: many of my young Pioneer members lived during the summer in a children colony organized by a charity organization and we held out meetings in the garden of that colony. It was meant to look as if I and a few others came to visit the children. I was now nearly 18 and was earning money. It was assumed that I shall find a job in autumn since so far everything was nice and quiet. Only a single important event took place that summer.

After my arrest I decided that now I have to become a real Komsomol member. One day I met Boya Berkovich at the theatre and during the intermission I told him about my decision. Having ascertained that I was very determined in my decision he passed on to me the details of the secret meeting place of the Komsomol group and I became its member. I felt very happy because now I really felt who I was.

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