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text Journey to Gdansk Janusz Glowacki Translated by Halina Filipowiczand Robert Findlay The click of a door lock. The sound of opening and shutting a door. HE: Hl honey. SHE: Oh, you're back. You had a call from Romek. You're supposed to call him back right away. HE: What about? SHE: He's leaving for Gdansk first thing in the morning. He can take you with him. HE: Seriously? SHE: Sure. HE: He made a special call because he wants to take me? SHE: Not exactly. He just said that he's going, and I knew how much you wanted to go, so he said okay, he'll take you. Call him at the office and also ask for an official travel voucher. HE: I will. He remembered about me, that's good. And when he heard that I wanted to go, I mean, when you told him, then what? SHE: He said he can take you. HE: But was he surprised, glad, shocked? Could you tell? SHE: No. He just said he can ... HE: I know that. You've already told me. But didn't he say that he knew I wanted to go? And when is he leaving? First thing in the morning? SHE: First thing in the morning. He'll pick you up at six. Call the office. HE: Everybody is probably gone by now. Is he driving? SHE: Yes. HE: But you can't buy gas there, so what do we do? SHE: He'll probably carry some in gas cans. But why should you worry? Why do you worry about his gasoline? HE: And he thinks they'll let us into the shipyards? 66 SHE: He said no problem, they let reporters in. You yourself said they do and that Krzysiek showed you his pass when he got back. HE: I heard that when the strike began they were letting reporters in, but not any more after they've read their stories in the newspapers. And some reporters were even kicked out. SHE: But Romek says that reporters can get in. HE: Do you know that he's got a Soviet car? SHE: I know. You said it's a good car. HE: I don't mean that. Well, what do you.think? SHE: What are you talking about? HE: You know, this is something to be considered seriously. SHE: What? All the time you wanted to go, you griped that you're not going, you were worried sick that you're not there, you couldn't sleep at night, you had sweating spells ... HE: Don't exaggerate, I slept. SHE: You told me you didn't. But if you can sleep, there's nothing to talk about. If you want to, go, if you don't want to, don't go. HE: Why are you so nervous? SHE: I'm not nervous. HE: (Laughing.) You're not nervous. Show me your hand. See, wet. What are you nervous about? SHE: Okay, I've got to feed the baby. HE: You still got an hour. SHE: How do you know, all of a sudden? HE: What do you want? You want me to go? Okay, I'll go. I'll call the office right away. But they won't reimburse me. SHE: They'll reimburse Romek. HE: Romek's situation is totally different. He writes books, he's translated abroad. Today he didn't even show up at the meeting. And you know what happened at the meeting? You don't. See? SHE: What happened? HE: If you're not interested, I don't have to tell you. You think it's boring. SHE: Go ahead. HE: You know, it seemed like nothing much. But the boss said that our editorial staff should act with prudence and respect. SHE: Don't you act with respect? You want to go to Gdansk. HE: And then he said that most of us do act with prudence and respect. SHE: So what's the problem? HE: But then he said that unfortunately some of us don't, and that they are the ones who want to destroy the country. SHE: And then? HE: Then he looked...

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