SO SOLEMN AND PRETTY

"Please, eat up, don't be embarrassed! Taking an oath is so solemn, so pretty! Then they laid two out festive tables: one for them and the other specially for the parents. Some women were also embarrassed, but I said: sit down and eat! Its such a long way home.

"The unit commander spoke to us. He said everything would be all right, but he warned against escapes. Whoever runs away for the first time will get off with some reprimands. But if you do it again, you'll be court-martialed.

"My son, like a boy, asks me to come more often. But where shall I get the money to go? In general, I am surprised where people get money nowadays. For example, our neighbors bought their son out of the army. Understand? They bought a certificate that he's unfit to serve. You can't imagine how much they paid.

"They let him go until eight p.m. to see me off to the commuter train. I wish he had taken more sweets, he only ate a few while I was there. He says, in any case the veterans will take them away. At a quarter to eight, I was worried and told him: go or you'll be late. But he said, 'Buy me out of this or I won't make it.'

"I kept saying, "You'll be late, and they'll punish you.

"He said, 'Momma, take me out of here, I can't take this!'"

Then she buried her face in her hands and began to cry.