Page 154 - LEIBY

154 Leiby – Border Smuggler

on the window, looking out at the fields and villages that flew
past. “The first time I’ve taken such a large group, and so far it’s
going smoothly,” he reflected.

“In another two stops, we’re getting off,” he notified Dovid. The
two walked through the carriages and informed the refugees
that it was time to get ready to alight. When they got off the
train, they found themselves on a small, quiet platform. There
was no way that they could mingle with the crowds and attempt
to attract as little attention as possible, as they had always done
with the smaller groups.

Local policemen immediately surrounded the group. “Papers,”
they demanded.

Dovid handed them the Red Cross certificates and continued
the masquerade that he had begun at the border. In Greek, made
up of lashon hakodesh and hand motions, he explained to the
policemen that he was taking the group of Greek expats back to
Greece, and that they would stay overnight in the city in a hotel
where they had already reserved rooms. The policemen looked
at the group and deliberated what to do; on the one hand, the
motley-looking group certainly aroused suspicions, but on the
other hand, they lacked the means to do anything about them
anyway. The local jail didn’t have nearly enough room to house
this number of prisoners and to send them back over the border
to Poland seemed to be far too complicated an operation for
two local policemen who only wanted to end their shift without
any dramas.

With no other choice, they allowed the group to go on their
way. Dovid thanked them with a nod and urged the refugees to
hurry, before the policemen would change their minds.

After a long walk through the streets, they found themselves
standing in front of a handsome three-storied building. The
hotel manager, all smiles, was waiting for them at the entrance
and greeted them effusively, full of compassion for the poor
Greek refugees who were trying to find their way around a
strange place without knowing a word of the language. He had