The restaurant "Szymek" located on Leszno St. has been taken over by the Germans. They put a notice on the door forbidding entry. The notice read: "Entrance forbidden to Poles and Jews". Why put it like that? On the Aryan side of Nowy Swiat, for instance, at least the notice says: "Nur Fur Deutsche" - making it clear that it is exclusively for Germans. But this is such a personal intrusion. I wonder whether other people, of other nationalities, will be allowed to enter?
A very severe frost has gripped Warsaw. Fortunately it has been possible to fit all windows with glass at home, so less wind blows in. But on Franciszkanska St. at Nos. 6 and 15, people froze to death in their apartments for lack of fuel. How cruel that is.
On the occasion of the New Year there is an issue of 50 grams of sugar and 300 grams of salt for each ration card and it is possible to buy oranges in some shops. Normally the entire food ration allowed to Jews amounts to 21 kgs. of bread per month - and nothing apart from that. So that this was indeed a great surprise for them today.
A mass of Jewish families flows into our residential district, compulsorily resettled from other districts. Also a mass of refugees from Lodz, Plock, Moczanow, Rawicz and other places.
Some acquaintances of my parents came to us here. They are Mr. and Mrs. S. He is a Doctor of Chemistry. He has a beautiful wife and two children, a girl and a boy, both considerably younger than I. They were thrown out of their apartment and were recommended to reside in this district of Warsaw. Mama immediately gave them accommodation on the second floor where three rooms were already prepared, renovated and spotlessly clean. Other rooms must wait until the frost eases.
The children are quiet, well brought up, intelligent and polite. Josek, always laughing, carefree, with a mop of thick, wavy, dark hair, seems to be a bit of a nosy parker who will go anywhere. Everything interests him but he touches nothing, does not push himself or ask if he can see this or that. He has beautiful brown eyes, long lashes and a dusky complexion. He looks like his mother.
Sula, on the other hand, is a delicate little girl. Light complexion and blue-green eyes. She has beautiful curly locks, neither red nor blond, but the colour of purest gold. She has her father's looks. I am jealous of her beautiful hair, it is so lovely. It reflects the light like a glittering ring. And an exquisite face - but always thoughtful and sad somehow. When I showed her my room and dolls she became so radiant that her cheeks flushed. She clapped her hands, danced around and was almost dizzy with joy when my parents ruled that her bed could be placed in my room for the present to make more space upstairs.
And I let her play with my dolls. She, poor child, while seemingly delighted and thanking me, revealed her own sorrow. Apparently she was bringing her own sleeping, porcelain doll when they were being thrown out of their house. But on going through the gate a German gendarme tore the doll from her, shouting something she did not understand. He struck the doll against a wall with such force that she fell to pieces. He killed her. That was why she was sad. But now in place of that "dead" one she had so many!
Poor, dear child. Only four years old, but articulate. Although, when speaking of herself, she stresses that she is five - adding a year. I understand this. Like her, I, too, boasted for a long time that I was older than I really was. She reminds me of my childhood years with great clarity. I love this sweet, angelic girl from the beginning. Josek, too. He is full of fun.
However, he is nine years old and I have a problem because I do not possess anything of interest to a boy of that age. I explained that apart from a few games like dominoes, "Chinaman", some incomplete building blocks and children's playing cards, I have nothing more.
So what will he do with himself?
He answered at once: "Please don't worry about me. I will cope with my spare time. I like books and you, Miss Lala, have so many of them!"
"You can just call me Lala. It will be easier for us. Otherwise I shall have to call you Master Josek."
"Oh no!" - he shouted. "That's too much! You are quite right. I am very pleased if you want to regard me as an equal. The pleasure is all mine. All the same, you're a great girl. No, pardon me - young lady" - he corrected himself. How can one not like, even love, such a resolute boy.
"As far as books are concerned," went on Josek (his parents called him Jos), "you gave Sula permission to play with your dolls and if you could give me permission to read your books then I would be very happy and content. It's nice here at your place. I like it. Good thing that my parents came here and not to other friends."
I answered: "Thank you on behalf of my parents and myself for your kind and flattering words. We are also pleased that you came here. Together, things will be nicer, more fun and more pleasant."
"Yes", replied Jos. "Forgive me for asking, Lala, but do you have any free time for some kind of fun in the present situation?"
The question startled me for I did not know what he had in mind. I shied away from asking this boy, younger than I, to explain what he meant by this question. I did not have much free time for amusements. In winter I liked to go skating at a nearby rink on the playing fields of the "Skra" Sports Club on Okopowa St., opposite our Pawia St. And in summer, while we were still in the city, I liked cycling. Of course, in company with Maryla or Papa when he had time. But now I have more studies. and in the present situation things are not very safe. All the same, I managed to find some free time for myself.
That pleasant boy's words surprised me and made me think what it meant to be a boy. No matter what was in his mind, right away he had to find out everything.
So I explained to him about my studies and how at the moment schools approved by the German authorities are closed. So I am studying only in the "komplety", not in both places. Because of this I can find some time both for him and Sula. I asked him what he would like to do. He answered without hesitation: "Your parents gave us hospitality. Everyone has accepted us like family, including you, Lala - as you showed a few minutes ago, treating me seriously, like an equal - for which I thank you again."
"No - like a brother," I corrected.
His eyes glazed. He hugged me close and replied: "That's great! I will also love you just like Sula, believe me."
I believed him.
"So," went on Josek, "don't you think, Lala, that we " (the "we" was underlined with pride), as the eldest children in this house, can organise things so that when we go for a walk for the good of our health we can help Freda and everyone by obtaining either food or fuel?
"You could stand in one queue where they were distributing something, and I in another. We will take Sula with us because she starts crying when she gets tired. And when people see such a beautiful child crying they'll let her go first and we'll get whatever there is. We've done it before - and sometimes we went round twice. And she got things herself, although they don't sell to small children. and so we can do the same thing here, especially as there are quite a few shops and they don't know us here yet.
"But remember, Lala, that is our secret. As long as our parents give us money so that we can pay, there is no problem. We can supply the whole house with food. Because I can see that you are not doing too well here with these things."
Indeed, Jos was right. Although I agreed with the idea at once, I did not realise yet what an important way of helping he had invented. Of course, I involved Maryla because without that it would have been impossible to do anything.
At first Maryla was quite indignant and scolded me because, although older and a high school student, I had agreed to this childish idea. But after thinking it over she suddenly came to the conclusion that under her control and with her participation the idea was not so bad. she agreed - and so began our domestic "conspiracy".
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