Page 83 - LEIBY

Chapter 9 83

more than anyone else under the communist regime!”

Berele interrupted him. “The communist system is undoubtedly
the best government system that there is. Of course, it’s not
perfect, but it’s closer to perfection than any other method. And
at least there’s no prejudice.”

Leiby snorted disbelievingly. “You’ll see, Berele, one day you’ll
be thrown out of this office, you and all the other Jews in
prominent positions. Right now, the government needs you,
they don’t have enough people loyal to the communist ideals
who are also capable of carrying out the work that you do. But
as soon as the communist regime becomes more stable, they’ll
replace you in an instant with non-Jews, and then you’ll pine to
go to Eretz Yisrael, but you won’t be able to. The Iron Curtain
will slam closed on you!”

Berele paid no heed. He looked at his watch and yawned. “I
have to go.” He picked up his elegant leather coat and put it on,
and left the room with confident strides. Just before the door
closed behind him, he looked over his shoulder and whispered
to Leiby. “The stamps are in the red box on the top shelf, on the
left-hand side.”

Leiby stared at the closed door for a second, then ran over to the
closet in the corner of the room. He found the red box easily,
and its contents took his breath away. There were stamps there
in all shapes and sizes, arranged in neat rows, with words in
Russian, Polish, Belorussian, and Lithuanian. It was a veritable
treasure trove for document forgers. No more would there be ID
papers with spelling mistakes and talon-less eagles. Here were
authentic, bona fide stamps, which would make any document
look more legitimate than the original!

Leiby’s hands trembled as he held the cache. He did not dare
to sleep all night, just lay on the couch, his eyes open and the
precious box in his hands. In the morning, when the sun’s first
rays began dancing on the window, he ran out of the room, the
box concealed deep down in the depths of his knapsack.