the execution on my account had delivered a fair verdict in mobilizing me. | began to look at the
printed text on a yellowed form from the storerooms of the Soviet-era military registration and
enlistment offices. Judging by this agenda, it was not difficult to guess that the Ministry of War
was saving money even on draft forms. The next day, quickly collecting the necessary uniforms
of a security guard and right with things, he appeared at the employer's office. | handed over
the form and received the calculation at the appointed time arrived at the military registration
and enlistment office. Having waited in line, he entered the office of the military commissar and
silently thrusting the summons to the major began to wait for what he would say. The military
commissar turned the form of the summons in his hands, checked it with the list lying on the
table, silently made a mark in front of my last name, then peered at me from under the red
eyebrows with the unblinking look of deep-set eyes, asked:
– How old are you? – his voice sounded not with irritation, not with evil, | did not understand.
– Fifty five!
– | see that you don’t look fifty-five, | can give you half as much, – he paused, lowering his eyes
to the folder of my personal file in front of him, and continued, – you served in the Soviet army
two years, after graduation, demobilized with the rank of senior lieutenant? – he asked, adding,
– Have you already been awarded the title of captain in civilian life?
– Yes sir! – | confirmed in a military way, and put my passport with a military ID on his table.
– And in what specialty? – the major continued.
– I think you know that | served as an engineer lieutenant in the Air Force. – | answered as calmly
as possible.
– Yes, | know, – taking my passport to the safe, – that in your personal file there is a note about
your unreliability for military service, although in terms of technical you kept training vehicles in
excellent condition and reviews of senior colleagues are positive, in what are the problems of
unreliability? – continued the military commissar, drilling me with a brown look of brown eyes.
– In one of the questions asked at a lecture by the colonel of the headquarters of the military
district about the leader of the world proletariat, Vladimir Ilyich. – | answered as seriously as