Page 208 - LEIBY

208 Leiby – Border Smuggler

had they crossed the border? If only he knew, he would have
followed them and caught up with them, even getting as far as
the Hardoff Hotel if necessary. He knew that they were most
assuredly headed there.

The darkness was absolute. Leiby struck a match and tried
to find any sign that could possibly help him find the border
crossing. After hours of wandering about, he finally found a
familiar-looking path. The sun’s first rays were just beginning
to light up the sky when he spied the border crossing from afar,
and he ran towards it eagerly like a young child returning home
after a long day at school.

He reached the fence, where the Tatar soldier still stood on
guard. He remembered Leiby and didn’t even bother asking for
any ID.

“So, boy, did you find what you left behind?” he asked genially.

“It’s not important anymore, now I just want to catch up with
the group that crossed here after mine.”

The soldier looked at him quizzically. “No other group has been
here since your group left,” he informed Leiby.

This was truly strange. Where could Alexander’s last group be?
Why on earth had they not arrived at the border yet? And what
could possibly have happened to set them back for this long?
Haste was paramount; the border could be slammed closed any
day. There was no time for dawdling! Could they have crossed
somewhere else? But instructions were clear: to cross over only
at the official crossing points and to avoid any unnecessary risks.

“Tavarisch,” the soldier clapped Leiby on the shoulder and
offered him a cigarette that he had probably received from the
previous refugee group. “I promise you, by the life of Stalin,
that no more groups have been here. I’m waiting for some more
action like I’m waiting for a nice bottle of good vodka!”

“I understand.”