Marie breastfed Radka and arranged her in a large headscarf to carry the baby on Marie's back and went cooking. She chopped vegetables with precise movements, her mind focused on the task at hand. She moved around the kitchen with practiced efficiency, the clatter of pots and pans the only sound breaking the silence. Today, there was no melody humming on her lips, no cheerful tune to accompany her cooking. Instead, there was only the weight of the electronic bug hidden within the phone handset. It cast a shadow over their once-peaceful home.
Meanwhile, Petr worked diligently, inspecting every nook and cranny of the house for signs of surveillance. His brow furrowed in concentration as he checked power sockets and electronic devices, his mind racing with thoughts of how to protect their privacy from the prying eyes of the state security (STB).
As lunchtime approached, Marie set the table with simple fare, her movements automatic as she prepared the meal. When everything was ready, she called out to Petr, her voice soft but tinged with tension. "Lunch is ready, Petr," she said, her green eyes meeting his sky-blue ones with a mixture of concern and determination. With Radka secured by the headscarf on the dining bench at Marie's right side, there was plenty of space for Peter to join them at the table. They were accustomed to use the longer side of the dining table for sitting beside each other.
Petr joined her at the table in the dining room which was also their bedroom separated by a curtain. Their appetites were subdued by the weight of their shared burden. They ate in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Their conversation before and after the lunch was unusually quick and careful.
After they finished eating, Marie lifted Radka, to carry her as before in the headscarf. She grabbed Petr's hand and led him out to the garden, the sun casting a golden glow over their surroundings. They settled on a bench beneath the shade of a linden tree, the scent of blossoms mingling with the fresh scent of cut grass.
"Petr, we need to stop talking in the living room," Marie's voice carried her fear, and her statement revealed her shorter knife of cleverness. So Petr corrected her: "It will be better to talk there as frequently than normally but like lovely loyal citizens - and be boring. That should put the guardian dogs to sleep." Marie with jokingly pretending anger out: "Do not offend guardian dogs by comparing them to the crappy communists!"
Petr giggled, but continued seriously: "We have to be even more careful about what we say and who we trust." Marie nodded in agreement, her gaze fixed on Petr's face as she spoke. "But how can we be sure who we can trust? The damned STB could have informants everywhere."
Petr squeezed her hand reassuringly, his eyes filled with determination. "We'll have to be cautious, Marie," he said, his voice unwavering. "We'll only confide in the very few anti-communists we know, and even then, we'll be careful about what we say."
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their words hanging heavy in the air. But then, as if by silent agreement, they both rose from the bench, a sense of purpose driving them forward.
As they walked back towards the house, Marie's blond hair glinted in the sunlight, her average tall figure radiating strength and resilience. Beside her, Petr's brunet hair caught the light, his for a man bit taller but sleek body was moving with a quiet determination.
+++++
Cadre assessment (*)
Name: Marie Nováková
Date of Birth: 3. 7. 1959
Place of Birth: Sokolnice, Czechoslovakia
Occupation: Student of basic school
Parental Occupation: Farmers in the Unified Agricultural Cooperative Sokolnice (in Czech language it was written abbreviated as "JZD Sokolnice")
Background:
Comrade Marie Nováková was born into a family of farmers in JZD Sokolnice in the village of Sokolnice. Her parents have a long history of dedicated service to the collective, demonstrating exemplary behavior and commitment to the ideals of communism. Marie herself has been raised in this environment and has consistently shown loyalty to the principles of the party.
Assessment:
Student and Pioneer Marie Nováková has been assessed as a reliable student within our basic school. Her behavior and actions have consistently aligned with the goals and objectives of the party, and she has demonstrated a strong study ethic and dedication to the Pioneer organizations of the socialist youth union. Her upbringing in a family with a history of service to the collective has undoubtedly influenced her commitment to socialism.
However, recent events have destroyed the wholeness of Marie's family. Her grandaunt, Eva Nováková, known for not good relationship with her comrades in their workplace, has taken actions contrary to the interests of the party. Especially Eva's decision to take her rest vacation days to travel to Yugoslavia, followed by her illegal journey to Austria and later to India, has raised suspicions about the loyalty of Marie's family.
Recommendations:
Given the recent actions of Marie's grandaunt Eva, Marie and her family are subject to a ban on any abroad travel, in order to prevent further defections or subversive activities and it is recommended that close monitoring be maintained on Marie's family including any future husband or child of comrade Marie. Any signs of dissent or disloyalty must be reported immediately to the appropriate authorities.
Conclusion: Student and Pioneer Marie Nováková remains a valuable member of the collective, but vigilance is required to ensure her continued loyalty to the socialistic teaching. The actions of her grandaunt serve as a reminder of the importance of maintaining strict discipline and adherence to party ideology. Any deviation from the party line must be addressed swiftly and decisively to safeguard the integrity of the collective and the principles of communist establishment.
In Sokolnice at the day 30. 6. 1969
Jan Starý,
director of the basic school Sokolnice (in Czech language it was written abbreviated as "ZŠ Sokolnice")
(*) It was rare to make a full fledged cadre assessment about a child, so the above shows the deep digging into Marie's family.