"The Longest Straw" by Grigory Kanovich and Saulius Shaltenis, summary

Grigory Kanovich and Saulius Šaltenis’s film novella was created in the early 1980s. The work immerses readers in the harsh reality of the first post-war years in Latvia. The authors convey an atmosphere of widespread suspicion and difficult choices against the backdrop of a devastated world. The work gained widespread recognition thanks to its successful film adaptation. In 1982, director Dzidra Ritenberga made a film of the same name at the Riga Film Studio.

Events of Christmas Eve

The action begins on Christmas Eve 1943. A hunched man runs through the narrow, snow-covered streets of a seaside Latvian town. It’s student Jurijs Vilks. He clutches his cello case tightly to his chest. Suddenly, the handle breaks off. Jurij hides in an alleyway, trying to catch his breath. The city around him sparkles with white frost, but the silence is broken by the sound of gunfire and the tinkle of shattered glass.

Hidden inside the case is a dead girl, Judita. Yuri desperately tried to save her from the massacre, but the bullets caught the child. The young man runs toward the river through the untouched snow. Suddenly, he notices crimson drops of blood on the white blanket. At that moment, an unknown soldier approaches him. The soldier amiably pokes his finger into the blood and begins to sweep away the red marks with a twig. The soldier explains that he is Sorbian by nationality. His name is Wilhelm Lewicki; in civilian life, he was a doll maker.

Sorb helps Yuri dig a shallow grave in the frozen ground. One digs into the soil with a bayonet, the other digs out the earth with his hands. The men wrap the girl’s body in Wilhelm’s soldier’s greatcoat and lower it into the hole. Sorb says a prayer. After the hard work, Yuri brings the soldier back to his apartment.

There, they are met by Yuri’s father, Edward Wilkes. The old man is an expert in Roman law. In honor of the holiday, a crisp white tablecloth lies on the table, with straw hidden beneath it. The father suggests they pull straws of fate from under the tablecloth. This is an old custom of his wife, Birutė. A drunken Wilhelm refuses to tempt fate and hurries away.

Post-war reality and a dangerous mission

Four years pass. The war is over, but peacetime life is fraught with anxiety. Yuri Vilks returns to his homeland with a dangerous mission. He poses as an emissary for Mrs. Murskaya. Before fleeing abroad, the woman hid the family jewels and lists of trusted confidants. The young man persistently searches for a man nicknamed "Fox." First, he contacts the bookseller Mursky. The frightened man swears he hid nothing. He weeps and directs Yuri to other people on Stolyarnaya Street.

Soon, Yuri comes into contact with an armed underground organization. The group is led by the extremely cautious and cruel Francisk. The forest gang consists of Ants, Philip, Veronica, Zabella, and Kazimir. The underground members hide in the forests, live in constant fear, and carry out raids. Yuri strives to earn their trust. He attends funeral processions and sees a shabby hearse pulled by a mare with a foal running alongside. The grim reality weighs heavily on the young man’s psyche.

Psychological duel with Francis

Francis trusts no one. He begins to suspect Yuri of deception. The leader conducts a brutal psychological test. The underground fighters capture the young man. They strip him naked and bring him to the elderly Edward Wilkes for a confrontation. A bright light blinds the father. Francis cynically suggests the old man say goodbye to his son.

Edward Wilkes immediately assesses the situation. The old man looks around with disgust. He declares that he doesn’t have the honor of knowing these people. Looking at his naked son, Edward Wilkes says firmly, "My son Yuri was shot by the Nazis four years ago." The old man adds that his real son would never have stood in such dubious company. This cold-blooded denial saves Yuri’s life.

The return of Sorb and the end of the story

Some time later, Yuri’s mission is completed. Another Christmas arrives. A one-eyed beggar knocks on the door of the Wilkes’ apartment. It’s Wilhelm Lewicki, a former Sorb soldier. He brings a Christmas gift — a mechanical doll that rolls its eyes and purrs like a cat. Edward Wilkes immediately recognizes the man in whose greatcoat his son once buried a murdered girl.

An old man invites a tramp to the table. Three men — Edward, his gray-haired son Yuri, and a former beggar — sit in silence. Following an old family tradition, the father offers to draw straws from under the tablecloth. The guest draws first. The former soldier laughs and shows his short straw. The men smile, comparing their straws. Edward Wilkes hides his hands behind his back. The old man’s eyes widen, and a tear rolls down his cheek. He can’t wipe it away because he’s holding his unfairly long straw.