SERGEIDOVLATOV
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the same, this incident can prove only unpleasant for you .
Extremely
un–
pleasant. A stain on your journalistic reputation. I would even say - an
ideological error. A failure of vigilance. You'll have to do something."
"What exactly?"
"I have an idea. Would you be willing to help us? In return, we'd
be
able to recommend you for a permanent position."
"In the KGB?" asked Busch.
"What do you mean, in the KGB? In the newspaper
Soviet Estonia.
You've wanted a permanent position here for a long time. And we have
the power
to
speed things up . The day and hour depend on you."
Busch pricked up his ears. Colonel Sorokin continued: "You could
make a deposition that would be of interest to us."
"What sort - "
"Concerning Captain Rudi. Testify that he wanted you to....
That he wanted to use you . . . . That is, with respect to sexual
perversion...."
"What?!" Busch raised himself from his chair.
"Calm down!"
"But what do you take me for?! I never dreamed that the KGB
would use such methods!"
The Colonel's eyes flashed like razor blades. He grew red in the face
and threw back his shoulders. "Please, not so loud. You'd do well to
think
about this carefully. Your entire future is at stake here."
But at this point Busch straightened
his
shoulders. He slowly took a
pack of American cigarettes from his pocket. He lit up with a Ronson.
Then, very calmly, he declared: "Your suggestion is immoral. It goes
against my moral principles. That's all I need - to be some homosexual's
object of desire! In short, I reject your proposition. Sexual perversion is
not my cup of tea! Would you like me to write that he got me drunk?
That, by the way, is not very noble either."
"So then," said the Colonel. "It's quite clear. I'm afraid you're go–
ing to lose out."
"But is it actually possible to win against the KGB?" Busch roared
with laughter.
With that the conversation ended, and the Colonel left. But at the
door he turned and unexpectedly said, "You're a better man than I
thought."
"Colonel," replied Busch, "don't lose your sense of style."
The newspaper fired him. Maybe Sorokin's doing. Or more likely,
the editor did it on his own. Once again Busch had to rely on older
women for his daily maintenance. Although in fact his situation hadn't
really
changed all that much. It was at this time that Busch became ac-
