F R I E N D L Y   A L I E N

    A lot of people applied to join the army. What did they call it? Churchill’s friendly alien. We were delivering metals to the war ammunition factories. So when I got to know my good friend, here in London, and he was in the Polish Air Force, I said I would apply too. I went for an interrogation, didn’t say anything to my boss. He says to me, “I hear you tried to join up.” I then explained to him, “Can you imagine, my whole family was exterminated, you know. I’d like to.” He says, “You’re not to go. I won’t let you go. The men in the firm are all gone. You are the only one who has any idea. You have to stay here, I won’t let you leave.” During the war, you could only change your workplace if your employer gave you permission. So I stayed on.
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