"Of course, not all Soviets are truly grateful for the provided food. Whether from the cafeteria, from catering, from restaurants... even though they lived in the most scarce times."
That's what Dmitry thought, when he took glance at the table beside him, right after his coworkers finished their meal. There are intact croquette and meatball on one plate. Maybe the coworker doesn't like its taste after one bite. But still...
He slowly scoot from his original bench. Then using his fork to pierce the croquette and meatball. He placed them to his food tray that also still has some croquettes, meatballs and salad. Now he almost had twice portion on the tray. After that, he scoots back to his original spot and continued to eat.
It seems his friends never truly know what he always done. Vadim and Vasily still debating about a random radio show. Alexei is still paying attention to the debate without turning his gaze to Dmitry.
But Dmitry also feel unsure his friends doesn't know that...
Because once, he witness a tray full of food when he just sitting down with his tray. His first instinct is to collect the intact food to his own tray. But before he stretched his hand, someone gripped his wrist.
It was belong to Alexei, who now had serious, piercing hazel eyes at Dmitry.
"There's too many people right now. Don't risk it." Dmitry almost choked because Alexei's sudden calm yet concerned voice.
"I don't care... The food..."
"Boris watched you from eleven o'clock direction."
Then Dmitry took a glance. Alexei was correct - Boris Alexandrovich was scanning for everyone who sitting and eating the lunch provided by Ulan Bator's military base. And his eyes are landed to Dmitry's in suspicion. Dmitry had no choice than to scoot away, retreat from the leftover food tray.
"...Thank you, Lyosha..."
"Just focused on your food, okay? Prove that you aren't like them by finishing your food."
The reverie broke as he finished munching the lefover meatballs. His 3 friends only stared at him in silent for some seconds, before talking about the previous topic again. Well, at least today's lunch is fulfilling Dmitry. Both from his own food, and emptying the leftovers on one long table.
Although for Dmitry, he rather have this hellish and humiliating situation than seeing a good food dumped... and getting caught red-handed by authorities.
***
Whenever Alexei, Vadim and/or Vasily visits Dmitry's communal, they will always find three loaves of rye bread on the counter. Then finding the cabinet has one sack of rye flour and normal flour. And under the bed - a large jar of homemade yeast. Vasily usually will tease "Where is your kid, Dim? Have you fed him today?" and Dmitry will show his long lasting yeast jar proudly.
They will also find a large book on the counter too. It was supposed to be an accounting book for tracking the income and expense. Clearly Dmitry used to try doing that... but stopped in the middle, when Vadim examine further. Now whenever Vadim opens the book, the pages are instead glued with clipped new recipes that Dmitry found at newspaper or magazine. No more currencies mentioned - only the numbers for measuring the ingredients exist. Vadim sometimes asked if Dmitry has tried those recipes other than just bread, which Dmitry can only grimace and say "Not yet". Well, cakes need more precision and time to master, so Vadim can only shrug and closed the book.
But only Alexei (and Vitaly) knows where Dmitry has hid his cookies and cake stash. It was stored inside an empty large bottle of bleach, hidden inside the sack of flour. Dmitry only taking out that stash when Alexei/Vitaly visits the communal alone without Vadim and/or Vasily. Those recipes indeed have been tried. Just... for Dmitry and his only trusted ones.
"Well, maybe one day I will tell them. For now, I already content to share with you. So please don't tell them yet, okay?" is the answer that Dmitry spoke, whenever Alexei asked why he was trusted that much but not Vasily and Vadim.
Vitaly never asked, though... for he rather have this little, sweet secret alone. And at the same time... those cakes and cookies are what made Vitaly willingly to wrote in the diary later. To remember what Dmitry has served to him... and to remember the little attention he often craved. Surely Alexei will benefitted too, as he won't tell a soul about Dmitry can bake a lot of nice cakes.
***
When the war still raging around Soviet Union, Dmitry wasn't that panic when it comes to food rationing. He just need to climb the birch trees, hoarding the young leaves, washed them on the river, and eat like a salad. There are birch woods whenever he goes, too, so his stomach won't be too panic even if Germans still lurking between him. That only happened when he was stranded from the soldier groups and he must fight alone.
Though of course, luck sometimes not on his side. He will find burnt birch trees, bombed from the tanks or planes. And only in that moment, he will touch the bread ration inside the pocket... and actively seek for any groups around the field.
He never waste the soup at all, if the soldier group cooks for lunch and dinner. And he hasn't think to take any leftovers, for the meal time was stricter than in the past and everyone is already starving. So, he ended up only eating the soup, saved the bread inside his pocket, and go to war as usual.
And... whenever he munched the leaves alone, he will remember about his late mother. The one who teaching about the emergency food and how to make it safe. The knowledge that saved them when fleeing Stavropol to Tsaritsyn without dying in the exhausting journey. And several teardrops wetten his cheek - for he missed his mother and that famine memories so much.