The man with the Canadian accent soon brought a carton of Export As. Rudyk was amazed that he could smoke the brand of marlboro cigarettes he bought at home. The cigarettes came from parcels sent to the prisoners.

The food, however, was not like home. The prisoners usually ate a weak stewy soup. The only vegetable that seemed in good supply was turnips.

Rudyk wandered around on crutches, still wearing the uniform in which he was shot down. He was able to cut off and pin up the torn, lower part of his right pant leg, but he had no means of washing his uniform. The Germans did not have fresh clothes to give him.

He did make a vest by sewing together scraps of uniforms, blankets and cloth from Red Cross parcels. On the vest he embroidered the names of military bases and prison camps where he had stayed. He also embroidered in deep red thread two other names that reminded him of home, Louise and Evan.

To pass the time, he played a gramophone, which he acquired by trading his watch. The gramophone, however, came with only one record, Oklahoma. Rudyk heard that song over and over.

Rudyk also enjoyed watching other prisoners play baseball on a sports field.

The guards at the camp held a roll-call twice a day. The prisoners had to line up outside.

Rudyk was exempted because the guards thought a prisoner with one leg would not try to escape. They permitted him to stay in his hut.

This exemption had an unintended consequence. While most of the guards were busy counting prisoners, Rudyk placed on a window sill burned-out radio tubes from clandestine radios at the camp. He also placed a pack of cigarettes on the sill.