In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

19 Closer to the Front It was impossible to breathe in the packed train carriage. With no possibility of any solitude whatsoever, I made conversation with my neighbor, an elderly officer. We talked about recent events at the front. Was there any other topic in those days? I mostly did the asking, and he the answering, knowing far more than I about the situation. The only question he asked me was why I, a girl, was headed toward the front lines. I showed him my orders. "Idiots," the officer gasped in surprise. "There is no Stalino aeroclub anymore . They're evacuating the entire city." "That can't be!" I exclaimed. My traveling companion sighed deeply. "Oh, but it can, my dear girl." Indeed, I found not a soul at the aeroclub. Everyone had evacuated. A fierce wind from the steppe roared through the deserted buildings, banging doors open and shut and shattering windows like a mischievous ghost. I felt utterly lost. I had no idea what to do or to whom to turn. I left the aeroclub and started to get my bearings back as I hurried toward the city center. I wanted to find some kind of functioning office or agency, or at least people, hopefully someone who could give me useful advice. I had hardly walked a block before someone grabbed the sleeve of my uniform from behind me. "You're quite fast!" said a lively, youthful voice. "I could hardly catch you!" "Was it worth the effort?" I shot back rudely and turned abruptly to face the stranger. I couldn't stand these street beggars pestering me. They seemed especially out of place in this nearly deserted city, so near the front. "I mean you no harm," he said, in his young, soothing voice. "I saw you leave the aeroclub. I thought you must have some business there. By the way, I'm Pyotr Nechiporenko, a cadet at the flight school." I took his hand guardedly. My suspicion didn't go unnoticed. "You don't believe me, do you? Look, here are my papers. I'm on my way to the military commissariat to be assigned to the front." "To the front?" I echoed with newfound respect. "That's right. But that's none of your business. Fighting is a man's job. I only chased you down because I spotted your pilot's blouse, and I wanted to tell you that a big-shot official is coming to the aeroclub tomorrow. Don't miss your chance." "Tomorrow? .. And what am I supposed to do all day today?" CLOSER TO THE FRONT 69 "Go to the opera," the cadet said, smiling. "They're playing their farewell performance before everyone evacuates. Carmen . The theater is nearby in the city center. Do you want to walk together?" I accompanied Pyotr as far as the military commissariat and wished him a safe and victorious return home. I envied him a little. He was on his way to war, to defend our motherland, while I was merely going to the opera. At the theater, I watched the stage as if through a frosted glass pane. From the fifth row of the half-empty hall, the performance seemed foggy and indistinct. My thoughts hovered far away. Spain, toreadors, passion, lovenone of it touched me. I barely registered the beautiful Carmen's famous aria, the "Habanera," when the orchestra suddenly broke off on a soaring high note. The singer froze, her mouth open in bewilderment. Silence descended on the hall. A small, scrawny man picked his way across the stage and stopped at the edge of the orchestra pit. His voice crashed through the silence: "Comrades! There's an air raid! Please, everyone, proceed down into the bomb shelter in an orderly fashion." This act wasn't in the program. After I left the air-raid shelter, I walked back to the aeroclub and established myself for the night on one of the office's cold plastic couches. In the morning, I heard a knock at the door, and a broad-shouldered, well-built man in a pilot's uniform appeared at the door. From his stripes I saw that he was a senior lieutenant. It took him a moment to notice me on the couch, barricaded as I was behind t11e office desks. "What are you doing here?" he demanded sternly. ''I'm from Moscow. I was assigned to the aeroclub, and I'm waiting here for the personnel chief." The officer...

Share