Milada Vykoukalová, roz. Vladyková

“[Josef] said: “I just got back from work.”, he worked the afternoon shift, he allegedly washed himself in snow and he just laid down to rest when this cop came by and told him to get up and that the lights were out in the corridor. I don’t know if it was the one who had given him the promotion, no idea who he was. And Pepa says: “I just got back from my shift, now I won’t get any sleep again and I’m working the morning shift tomorrow.” And the cop says: “Well, maybe you will get some sleep.” So [Josef] went with him and said: “On one condition, though.” He had conditions! “One guard will walk in front of me and you will be behind me, otherwise I’m not going, there’s too much snow.” He had to go with a long ladder and on the way there, he said – I’m told he’d done it on purpose – he said: “I slipped and as I was holding on to the ladder, I shoved it into the wires, those were charged, and all the lights in the mine lit up, the alarm went off.” And he [the guard] says: “What the hell have you done!” “There’s so much snow, it’s slippery, I have bad shoes, I need new ones.” And the next day he had new shoes.”

“When we went for a visit, they told me to stop by, to sleep over. So that I wouldn’t have to travel the whole night. So I stayed at their place that one night, I had bought everything I could – food that wouldn’t go bad quickly. I said: “Here you go, if you can bring him some, then do so, if not, eat it. And if you please could give him buttered bread or something.” He [blacksmith Hruška] said: “We can only meet rarely.” Pepa then told me: “I couldn’t go there all the time. Only when they needed something from the blacksmith.” So he had to make something up every time to be able to go see him.”