1928: Party Time
As bookkeepers we were in a privileged position. On Friday afternoon we wrote our own leave passes and handed them to the adjutant to sign, most weekends we had two days free. The pass was meant to be for the local district only, but I used to go to my last work place – Prauliena. One of the bookkeepers had received a good bicycle from home, so at sunrise on Saturday mornings I used to set out on it. It took two hours to get to Prauliena. There I got dressed in my officer’s uniform and went to balls with my old girlfriends. On Sunday afternoon I set off for the return journey to Krustpils.
Many people were jealous of the bookkeepers because we got to know all of the captains and instructors. We had to take turns to be on duty one night at the headquarters. This is also where a manned telephone exchange was and the place was guarded by one soldier in full armour. We used to get patrols in full battle gear led by young lieutenants. While on duty, I spent my time writing letters to my girlfriends on the typewriter. At the time, country girls were very impressed to receive typed letters.
As the men were being called on for national service, farewell balls were on all the time. Usually they were at Lazdona, about two kilometres from Madona, and five kilometres from Prauliena. One time, before going into the service I arranged to meet there with my hairdresser friend from Madona. While we danced there was obvious jealousy from the local men. After we left to walk home some of them followed. When we got to the main road I suggested to Martina that we go in the opposite direction to home. This caused some confusion, but two of them decided to run after us, and one started to push me from behind. From the time I was 18 I had a license to carry a pistol for defence. This was the time to use it; I fired three times in the air. The men got a fright as they did not expect this. I reported the confrontation to the local police who sent it on, but half a year later it came to court in Madona when I was already in army service. To keep Martina on my side I wrote sweet letters to her. Martina testified what had happened and that the other youth got seven days in jail. I had sent the pistol by registered mail to my brother, who was then serving in the border patrol near Poland. At the other end the box arrived broken and empty. Again, I had to go to court, this time in Daugavpils, where I was asked details about the box and pistol. At the service headquarters questions were raised as to why I went to court so much, and I had to report all of my problems.
After fifteen months I was lucky and won the lottery to be excused from further national service. Those finishing were in two groups; 1/3 were kept for another three months as the new recruits could not cope alone. My best friend from this time, Krievins, drew the short straw and had to stay another three months. I went straight to Prauliena as there was the arrangement with the factory committee, which had even been documented in the Minutes. When I got there the manager Marija had put it to the committee that she was not prepared to work with me anymore because I was too conceited and bossy. Actually, when I was there I managed all of the technical side and even though Marija was the manager. She only received the milk when it arrived and spent the rest of the time in the office and attending the telephone exchange, for which she received extra pay. Marija had not told me this and I was offended. I left all of my things at Prauliena and went home to Digaini, stopping in Riga to register that I was looking for a position.
