At the onset of winter I had made a gun of ½ centimetre metal pipe (using Russian cartridges.) I straightened the then end and made it a hunting gun. Powder and other things could be bought. Arturs had a real hunting rifle. That year there were a lot of squirrels; they were everywhere that firs grew, eating the seeds from the cones. The skins could be sold for 3 lati, which was a days’ pay for a labourer. By walking around the different areas I could shoot 2-4 every day, which was very good money. It was illegal to shoot them, but when it is necessary you can do anything. With my illegal earnings I saved 30-40 lati. My dream was to go to Riga and work during the day and study at night at the technical college. After Christmas I decided to do it. Until this time I did not even have an overcoat, so I had one made from a rough, home made material. I packed my belongings in a home made box like a suitcase with a lock. My belongings consisted of what mother gave me: a small cushion, a thin blanket, and one sheet. My oldest brother, after all my summer work, refused to give me anything saying, “You are just going in the world to become a thief.” I decided that I would never come home to the farm again because it could not be worse than anywhere else. At least I could always work for food.
Jan 22, 2010
One day the old landlady said that the baker downstairs was looking for an apprentice. The work was only at night, starting at 4 PM and through the night until 8 AM (16 hours.) I worked with the baker making bread rolls. They were put in the oven in one end and taken out at the other end. The rolls were put on wooden platforms, covered with a linen fabric, and put near the ceiling to rise. My job was called “smuli.” I was in a rush most of the time: grab the platforms from the ceilings, then the baker puts them on slides like very long skis, then slides them in on the stone floor in the oven. The ovens were heated before use by wood to a temperature of 30 celsius. I slept and ate during the day in a little room above that I shared with another youth from the country. The food was very good but the wages were only 10 lati a month (approx. $10AUD) I wanted to explore Riga. After breakfast I would think to go on an hours’ walk, but often returned just in time for work at 4 PM. It was very hard. I was so sleepy that as soon as I stopped moving, I fell asleep. I struggled like this for 4-5 months. Spring was coming and I decided that being a baker was not for me.
Jan 23, 2010