Arkady Petrovich Gaider could have died a few years earlier. When, in the fall of 1938, publication of "The Drummer's Fate" was stopped in Pionerskaya Pravda. And publication of the book was banned. One of the censors suddenly realized that the plot of the book was a real sabotage. What is happening with the striker Seryozha Shcherbachev and his father? True, he was arrested, which is where the book begins. And the year is 1938. That is, it seems that Seryozha is the son of the enemy of the people, and readers may see something of their own in the text, completely unnecessary. Many people have exactly the same personal stories in their families. In 1939, Gedar was awarded the Medal of Honor. Suddenly for everyone, especially for him. But you know what? All the time after the ban on the publication of "The Fate of the Drummer", Geider completely isolated himself. He does not communicate with friends or colleagues. Not in person or on the phone. Can you guess why? in case of arrest. If he is arrested, his friends or acquaintances may also be at risk. Otherwise, they will have nothing to say even if they are summoned for questioning. "He won't communicate with us, we don't know anything." He just decides, just in case, to protect his friends and colleagues from possible problems. For 1938, it's more than just caution. It is an action, a position. It is an internal coordinate system in which honor, decency and honor are higher than other things. For the same reason, I think, in September 1941, when the military commander Gaider was offered to fly to Moscow from Kiev, which was almost completely surrounded, he refused. And he decided to go out with the surrounded forces and record their battle route.