Island Operation (Part XI)

In the evening the telephone rang constantly, offering a variety of primarily pre-war automobiles. I noted everything precisely, including telephone numbers and addresses of the sellers. 

For the next morning I arranged to meet about a 1938 Opel Adam. It cost fifteen thousand, but the seller included also several spare parts and an almost new second engine. I took telephone calls until midnight and had thirty seven cars to choose from, of which for twenty four owners I had a telephone number. 

The prices varied greatly, from six thousand for a DKW from 1936 to thirty six thousand for a Mercedes from that same year. 

There were different brands, Hanomag, Citreon, BMW, a 1929 boxer engine Tatra, Panhard, Lancia, Ford, Volkswagen, Wanderer, Fiat Topolino, Renault, Adler, Simca, Hansa, Austin, Peugot and even a two-person 1924 Alfa Romeo convertible sports car. 

The Opel that I selected for Sunday turned out to be not so bad. It was a four-door and had lots of room, not to mention already the big, relatively empty trunk. 

With no problem in one trip I packed cork from fifteen boxes. And so I decided to work this way every day and every day earn forty five thousand. 

For Monday the DKW was scheduled. It was a very funny car, two-stroke, two cylinder engine, a body made of plywood, and the gears shifted with the help of a knob located on the dashboard. 

Unfortunately the trunk did not open from the outside and the only way to get to it was a hatch in the backseat. It was very uncomfortable and I had to make two trips. Again forty five thousand and again no summons yet for the EXTRA term. 

Tuesday, a giant, convertible 1929 boxer engine Tatra, no problems, and again forty five thousand. 

The next day, Wednesday, a large six-cylinder, four door Autounion Wanderer, revelational, and forty five thousand. 

Even though I always loved cars and took great pleasure in changing them daily like a pair of gloves, I decided definitively that anyway you look at it, for the transport of cork the first funny three-wheel Volvo had been the best option.

Thursday morning, the telephone.

The patron of the Hares, continuing to address me as his do-gooder and declaring his eternal gratitude, invited me and Bronco for dinner at his hotel the next day, meaning Friday, at seven.

We accepted the invitation gladly. This day I drove a large Skoda, also no problems and also forty five thousand.

On Friday morning I had the Mercedes scheduled, the most expensive on my list. I had completely stopped getting wound up by the coming summons to the EXTRA term. I had so much money that I could organize and pay for a small group expedition to the West.

But despite this money, on principle I decided to exploit the kacaps to the end, to the last sheet of cork.

This day Vania told me with pride, showing his order, that for four days he was returning to his own base, to complete the quarterly shooting examination, and he would return Wednesday morning, and invited me for normal hours again then.