The professor looked at me softly, as if he’d expected my anger.

“I know how disappointing this must be for you.”

This made me feel more desperate.

He placed both of his hands on the papers before him and leaned across the desk toward me, so I could see the single gray hairs of his moustache and his kind, round face, closer than I’d ever seen it.

“I know you are not in the Party,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper, “and it’s too late to join now anyway. Even if you wanted to.” He lowered his eyes, maybe embarrassed by what he was about to propose. “But maybe you know someone, Ludwik? Someone you forgot to mention and who could help tip the balance in your favor?”

His gaze on me was suddenly like yours the night of the party, expectant, too much so. I sat still, entrenched in silence.

Finally, he nodded, visibly awkward. “Think about it. Maybe someone will come to mind. It would a pity for you to miss this opportunity.”

It almost seemed that if I didn’t acknowledge this moment, it wouldn’t be true. I remained silent.

The professor stood, attempted a smile. “Let me know as soon as you can, will you?”

I managed to rise, to nod into space. We shook hands, mine limp, his far too big, and a moment later I was standing in the corridor with oblivious strangers hurrying past me in all directions. The academic year had started, and new students were walking the grounds. New faces so young-looking I could hardly believe they’d finished high school. They strode around as if the place was theirs, as if no other student had ever been there before them. I left the campus, staggered through the streets, felt the wind bite at my fingers and neck, gnawing at my head.

It was a cold day, maybe the first really cold day of the season, and I was unprepared. I had neither scarf nor gloves nor hat. I had underestimated the weather. The trees were losing their leaves. I erred about the streets, hardly knowing which way I was going. I just walked, put one foot in front of the other, feeling the vague protection of the movement, its rhythm lulling me. But not enough to make me forget that my allowance would run out in a matter of weeks. Suddenly I had no vision of the future, only a dreadful void. I’d been naive, stupid even. I saw it then. As long as I walked, though, I didn’t have to think, didn’t have to face anything for long.