Page 42 - LEIBY

42 Leiby – Border Smuggler

with unkempt Soviet soldiers, their uniforms dirty and creased,
and many of them drunk as well. The mob of people on the
platform, weary after hours of waiting, pushed and shoved to get
onto the train, and every possible place was soon taken, people
sitting on the steps and even hanging from the windows. Leiby
and Yosef were among the lucky ones who actually managed to
find a seat in the corner of one of the carriages. One intoxicated
soldier approached them and roughly pulled off Yosef ’s watch.

“My watch…” Yosef looked sorrowfully at his empty wrist,
knowing that it would be difficult for him to manage without
his watch.

“I should have told you to hide it, the Soviet soldiers are
particularly fond of watches,” Leiby glared at the soldier who
had returned to his place as if nothing had happened and
was examining the watch closely. Leiby looked around for
the soldier’s commanding officer, and not seeing him in the
carriage, pushed his way into the adjacent carriage, where he
succeeded in finding him, a pleasant-looking young man, his
shirt adorned with medals.

“Officer,” Leiby addressed him, “one of your soldiers has just
stolen my friend’s watch. He’s an orphan, and the watch is the
only memento he has left from his father.” Leiby spoke perfect
Russian, and the officer smiled at him empathetically. He got
up and followed Leiby into the next carriage, where Leiby
pointed out the thief to him. The officer ordered the soldier to
return the watch, and he sullenly removed it from his arm and
handed it back to Yosef.

The officer waved off Leiby and Yosef ’s profuse thanks, and
instead engaged them in conversation. He asked for their
names and where they were traveling too, and Leiby gave him
a brief rundown about the forest and the partisans, about life
in the ghetto and the horrific treatment they had suffered at
the hands of the Germans. The officer listened attentively, and
when the train finally arrived at Minsk, he accompanied them
to the entrance of the carriage, and shook their hands warmly.
“My name is Volodya Morozov, and I am currently based with