17. Lale being the main tattooist means he has protection, because he is valuable to the Nazis. He carries his bag with him all the time, which means the guards leave him alone. He lives on his own in an empty block, which gives him more freedom, but it also means he misses company. He gets more food, which is a privilege and he is able to share it with other prisoners and ‘food is currency. With it, you stay alive.’ However, the new position also gives him double feelings. He feels he cannot be sure if people will befriend him now because they want to be his friend, or because they want to take advantage of his privileged position. Furthermore, he is afraid people will see him as a collaborator, working for and with the Nazis.