and Czech in the Sudetenland and learnt Spanish in the course of his South American wanderings. After the British authorities confirmed his anti-Nazi credentials, he was sent to the only Czech organization in Calcutta, the Bata Shoe Company. Father was assigned the job of transport supervisor, which brought him into contact with a large number of people. In order to be understood and understand Calcutta life outside the confines of the Czech-speaking factory, he had to learn two languages simultaneously—English and Hindustani. Within a year, he managed to do that and felt confident enough to leave Bata, to take over an ailing business called Phelps and Co. Thereafter, he set up a contracting and manufacturing business in partnership with another Czech, J. Kaplanek, supplying the Allied armies with everything from flying suits and uniforms to other clothes and hardware. This eclectic range of goods and services caused some confusion from time to time. There was a time when he got an order for five thousand brassieres. He could not imagine what in the world the army wanted these for, but he knew that one does not ask questions during wartime. So he wrote back asking what sizes were wanted. Back came a rather stiff reply that there was only a single, standard size of brassiere. Father always stood up for the underdog. He could imagine the discomfort the recipients would experience because of the ignorance or prudery of one officer. Ignoring the specification of the order, he had the desired objects manufactured in several sizes and dispatched. Incidentally, they were made from parachute silk, which was made available since the army was ordering them. A few weeks later, the consignment was returned to him, with a blistering note from the concerned officer, who wanted to know just what in hell was going on. It soon emerged that what the army actually wanted were braziers! These were duly obtained and sent
The Book of Aleph
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