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59 The Colonel's Courtship When Major Shvidky found me at 16th Air Force headquarters, he gave me a letter. It began in an unusual way: Dear Annushka! I am very sick, and I'm writing to you in bed. But I am so happy to be writing to you. When we lost you, I couldn't overcome my grieffor a long time. Do you understand this feeling? I scarcely understand it myself but I know for sure that you are very dear to me. Maybe this isn 't the right time to write to you about this. You probably have other worries right now. I am doing everything I can for you, and even a little more. Try to stay composed, but be persistent. I hope that Major Shvidky brings you back to the regiment! Please come to see me at once, or I'll be hurt. Everyone is waiting for you at the regiment. If they don't let you come back, be patient and remember that I am always thinking about you and that I will be constantly pestering the authorities. I so want to believe that you will come back... I wish you all the best and offer you afriendly embrace. With deepest respect, V. Timofeyev 02121145 Colonel V. A. Timofeyev was the commander of our 197th Attack Air Force Division. His letter surprised me and made me happy. But it also set me to thinking . Why had he written such things to me? I barely knew him. Besides, I have always felt wary of authority figures. The pilots in the regiment joked, "Yegorova always ignores the bosses, which is why she's still a lieutenant, doing the job of a lieutenant colonel." I had even clashed with Colonel Timofeyev once. The regiment was redeployed to Dys, near Lublin, and I was to fly to the new base with the last group. I was chatting with some of the pilots when the commander suddenly appeared. I made my official report to him that in a few minutes the planes would be out of the shop and that we'd soon take off. "Take me with you!" the colonel said jovially, but, it seemed to me, only half-jokingly. 200 RED SKY, BLACK DEATH "What do you mean, 'Take me with you'? Please, let's fly together. But you're my senior, so you'll be the flight leader," I answered. "No, I don't want to be the flight leader. I'd rather be somewhere in the tail of your group," said the colonel, rather overdoing the whole scene. "I don't like it when leaders hang around our tails!" I pronounced without a second thought. The colonel looked hurt, turned, and left without a word. He avoided me after that, which suited me just fine. The further I was from our commanders' scrutiny, the better. Still, it was wonderful to know that there was a person in the world who was thinking of me, who cared enough to try to ease my burdens. The division commander asked Major Shvidky to drop by division headquarters with me on our way back, which we did. The commander seemed overjoyed to see me. He held my hands in his for a long time, gazing at the bum scars, then suddenly kissed them. I pulled my hands away, blushing. Timofeyev invited Shvidky and me to have lunch with him. He called his orderly and asked him to bring three lunches from the mess. He produced a bottle of wine from somewhere. After lunch, he said, "Now, Annushka, you need to go to the field hospital for proper treatment. When the doctors pronounce you fit and you feel up to it, then we'll decide how you'll proceed with your military service." They didn't keep me long in the army hospital. I was sent to the Air Force Personnel Department in Moscow, where they would decide whether I could continue as regimental navigator. General Shadsky, the personnel head, referred me to the Serpukhov Military Commissariat to discuss my further service. A young lieutenant wearing aviation insignia picked me up the next morning, and we took the elektrichka to Serpukhov1 When we arrived at the military commissariat, he delivered a sealed packet to the officer on duty. The officer opened the packet, only to find another envelope inside it with a wax seal. "You'll have to go to the school building next door," said the officer. "You'll...

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