Page 80 - LEIBY

80 Leiby – Border Smuggler

Within just a few minutes, gruff shouts filled the air. “Forgers!
Where are these documents from?”

“What happened?” Leiby turned to the Polish soldier who sat
meticulously examining ID cards.

“The cards are forgeries,” he pointed at the stamp in the center
of the ID. “See here, these are spelling mistakes. No self-
respecting Pole would ever sign an official document with
spelling mistakes on it. And besides, the eagle in the emblem is
missing its talons.”

A small group of frightened men had been hustled over to
the side, with soldiers watching them zealously. Leiby tried
approaching the soldiers and offering them vodka and cigarettes,
a tactic that always worked on their Russian counterparts, but
they just brushed him roughly aside. From the corner of his eye,
Leiby noticed a shiny black car pulling up to the checkpoint.

Leiby picked up his feet and fled. The secret police had arrested
the men, and it was clear that no bribery would help in this case.
His mind raced, trying to find a solution. It was imperative that
he travel to the locksmith’s workshop20 in Lvov and reprimand
the people there about their sloppy work. Their forgeries would
have to be far more professional from now on in order to pass
muster. But he had no idea who was responsible for providing
the ID cards. How would he be able to warn them?

Leiby continued going in the direction of the railroad tracks,
then walked alongside them, deep in thought. He reached a
low bridge and finally stopped walking and sat down on the
ground, a cool wind caressing his sweating face. Hours passed,
the sun was about to set, sounds of bleating animals returning
from their grazing land filled the air, and still Leiby sat, waiting.

Suddenly a loud hooting was heard, and bright lights flickered
in the dusk, coming closer to the bridge. The train arrived with
a deafening signal, slowing down as it reached the bridge.
Leiby was relieved to see that it was a cargo train, with roofless

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