The train rattled along slowly. We were exhautsted and dozed off in the light of one candle. We arrived at Törökszentmiklós in the morning. Soldiers had occupied the station. The train moved on toward Szajol. At long last we arrived in Csaba by the evening...My family heads towards the Szameks. I spend the night with Mariska néni and next day the housing bureau notifies me - my late step-father's (Dr. Emil Bíró) office is available. However, the apartment has been assigned to the daughter of the director of the orphan's tribunal. What a shock! I have to move in with my mother. János Kocziha asks if I want to take the matter to court. Definitely.
I don't have my typewriter and I have letters and submissions that must be written. The house and the office have to be cleaned. Clients have started to appear and I have to look after everything: opening up the office, checking out problems, receiving the clients and trying to track down Éva's piano. Szeged's Judicial Office has to be notified of my return and my appeal to the commission has to be submitted for verification. I phone comrade Gyuska to tell him I'm back. I have a long talk with Éva's communist friend, Jóska Spitz who knows of my plan to join the party...
Then I go to Andrássy Road no. 9 to Éva's parents' flat. Éva and I set out from here four years ago. We were so happy - full of wonderful plans...The rooms are empty and bare - but they bring back memories of glorious times. I never realized how I loved them. Dear Mother - she was so protective and Imre, if I needed him, he was ready to do the impossible - Lily always with a happy smile and Tibi forever bragging about his lawyer brother-in-law to his friends. How I miss them all.
On March 31, I place an ad in the "Népujság" (Citizens' News) hoping to locate Tibor.
A few days later comrade Gyuska called. We seem to be on the the same wave-length and after a short discussion he asks me to come to the office of the security commission. I was to refer to him, as I would be replacing Comrade Alajos Balla. The latter had been informed supposedly. But Balla didn't seem to know anything about it and looked rather shocked.
I must settle down and take care of my mother, my grandmother and my sister. No more fooling around. Just then Emil's (my late stepfather) secretary stops by. She has since married and moved to Mezőberény. She has brought back my "Remington Noiseless". So, now I even have a typewriter. I call the typewriter repairman, Sándor Tóth, who quickly restores it into working order.
"Do you think you can find a typist for me?"
"Well, of course - I have a young relative, a beginner, but she did work at Dezső Tardos', the lawyer, before they took him. Do you want to give her a try?"
"She worked for Dezső bácsi? Oh, that's fantastic!"
Dr. Dezső Tardos had his office in the József Square building. He was considered to be the best attorney not only in Csaba, but in the whole county. He belonged to a masonic lodge and was president and legal advisor of the Chamber of Commerce, the Rosenthal Mill and the Excelsior Knitting Company, the Békéscsaba Savings Bank - to mention a few! I was in the same labour camp as Dr. Bandi Ellmann (Somogyi) uncle of the above mentioned Dr. Tardos. He ended up in Germany with his unit. The Hitler Jugend gunned down the captives who had been herded together. Bandi threw himself to the ground, succeeded in avoiding injury and made it home.
Well, now I am ahead of myself, while trying to go back to this memorable day for all of us, when the Soviet troops chased away the last of the German soldiers from our country. Even the little border villages and Nemesmedves were liberated. April 4 was a most wonderful spring day.
Two days later, a young girl with auburn pigtails appeared at my office, uncle Dezső's last assistant. Her name was Dóra Szlancsik. Her father was the carpenter in charge of maintenance at Deutsch's Excelsior Knitting company. She was so sad about her last days working for Uncle Dezső. She was devoted to him.
Because of the devaluation of the pengő, I said I would pay 20 "I'd like to discuss this at home. And please don't call me Dóra. My family calls me Dódi20.1."
I picked up some documents from Emil bácsi's office manager, Dr. Ferenc Sailer, a lawyer, as well as a filing cabinet. Now the office is furnished.
I begin to forget about my discussions with Erdei, as the clients come drifting in. There are some who are in the legal procession for financial gain - but there are others who are dedicated. This is their mission in life. But one has to eat - to survive.
On April 9, after selling an inheritance, I made my first 100 pengő and on that day 10 boxes of matches cost 45 pengős.
My first clients were Dr. Elek Remenár, an administrator at the hospital Einhorn, a merchant in the iron industry, a young man by the name of Braun, János Kergyik, a policeman and a Seventh day Adventist, Margit Polgár, a dressmaker. Next day even more clients showed up, one who used to be my gym teacher in high school, Dr. Jenő Czinkotszky.