I met my friend Nikolai Ivanovich Kuznetsov in the autumn of 1927, when I enrolled at the Talitsa Forestry College. From that moment on, we carried our sincere and steadfast friendship — and deep affection for one another — through many years and across great distances. Nikolai Ivanovich, whom we called Nika or Nikosha in our youth, came from a humble peasant family. From our very first meeting, he showed himself to be a selfless and loyal friend.
I arrived for the entrance exams at the Talitsa Forestry College from Nizhny Tagil, where I had been working in industry; he came from the village of Zyryanka, some 45–50 kilometers from Talitsa. His knowledge and erudition were remarkable. Before each exam, he would gather us for study sessions, patiently explaining how to solve problems and working with us on geographical maps. He also helped us review literary works and other subjects required for the exams. It was then that our strong friendship began. Later, during our time at the college, we three friends — Nika, Volodya, and I — were inseparable.
Nika excelled in his studies and possessed deep, solid knowledge across all subjects. His practical skills in topography, geodesy, and technical drawing were especially outstanding… One winter night, while traveling to a neighboring collective farm — Kuyarovsky, I believe — we were caught in a sudden blizzard. The horse lost its way, and we began circling helplessly through the fields. Had it not been for Nika’s skill and quick thinking, we might well have become ‘wolf bait’. But Nika, with his sharp eyes, spotted the distant glow of a railway signal light at a junction several kilometers away — and we headed straight for it…
