Bakhtiyor Sharipov - Late pigeons

After 500 years of Timur the Great’s sultanate Uzbek people gained their independence again…

Whenever Otabek guides Japanese tourists to the historical sightseeing places in Samarkand first of all he takes them to the mausoleum where the first president of the Republic of Uzbekistan – Islam Karimov rests, located just next to Khazrati Khizr Mosque. He tells about Islom Karimov’s deeds he did for the independence of our homeland.

Thanks to independence and freedom we reached our real spiritual roots, raised our heads and achieved the right to determine our destiny ourselves. Our economic sectors were modernized with advanced technologies within the past years, foreign investments were introduced. Entrepreneurs and landowners layers appeared, generation of national subject bibliography was created. All attempts were aimed at raising the living standards of our people, preserving public health, attracting the youth to sports, and keeping them away from joining hazardous and harmful, unfamiliar trends.

Our trampled and destined to be forgotten values, spiritual heritage, legacy of our scholars, who gave light to the world, were restored.

The president of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated that Islom Karimov’s name, who got our country and people through difficulties and hard times after achievement of freedom, must be on a par with the names of famous statesmen like George Washington, Charles de Gaulle, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Otabek was brought up in a family of educated people in Zarqaynar Makhalla of the Old City of Tashkent. The minarets of Hazrati Imam Complex, enriching the beauty of the city, can easily be observed from their house. He is the only child in the family, he studied in Uzbekistan National University Foreign Languages Department for both BA and MA degrees, and now doing his PhD regarding the history of Japan. He serves as a guide for Japanese travelers when he has free time from education. His father – Yusufbek – is a colonel of interior affairs. His mother – Kimyokhon – is from the genus of Kiyamiddin Ishan. Yusfbek, loyal to his family, respects Kimyokhon as required, and perhaps because of this the manners and behavior of this family can be examples for many.

Otabek was making his future plans in his room when his mother Kimyokhon appeared and said:

“Son, next week our neighbor has a wedding party, you know that I hope. They always participate in our ceremonies. A good family.”

“Mommy, I have guests from Japan. I guess I can’t attend the wedding…”

“Do not do so, son! You know neighborhood and they left an invitation as well. You are travelling much recently. Oh, these Japanese tourists! What would be if they do not come during wedding time?! Look at the mirror, you look pale. You could sit at home and do your translations instead! Now you are not young boy, you should stop wandering from city to city…”

“All right, mommy! I am planning so, there is a little left to finish my thesis.”

“We have discussed with your father and planning to marry you next year. Look at me! You look pale and drawn, I hope you are not ill. Or you have fallen in love with a Japanese girl?! Do not think of this even, you are my only child, be aware!” – said Kimyokhon, joking to her son.

Yes, who is who, but mothers immediately understand the changes in their children.

“Mommy, I met a girl in Samarkand, and I can’t forget her…”

“You, do not fall in love with the first one you meet in the streets, OK? I have planned to marry you with the daughter of a generous family. She has never gone out of her home. Your father accepted it positively. You will marry her. I am sure you will like her. You can’t find such a beauty even in Samarkand. That’s it!”

His mother left his room with no respect to his calling her afterwards…

3

Otabek spent that week at home. He attended the weeding party of his neighbor. Although he was in the wedding party physically but was still thinking of her with sincere eyes, and of her face flushed…

Otabek doesn’t believe in love. He thinks that love exists only in movies and books. In his thoughts falling in love is just a factor for getting married. Then kids come by, life problems and so on… Falling in love is natural. For instance, a beautiful girl is adored by everybody or a smart guy can be close to hearts and etc. …

As for the girl from Samarkand, it is true that she is beautiful. So what? Otabek is also a smart boy. And he is sure she will like him. And if Otabek ask her to marry him, for sure, she will consent to. Then a wedding party, kids…

What does love have to do with this? That is the matter. Otabek was struggling with himself to prove that. Reason confirms his thoughts, but his heart would not acknowledge it…

What is love? Love is a universal miracle that happens to everybody who reaches the age of majority. The one who is sick with love can walk in the universe in a second, no matter their legs are on the earth they are always flying. They don’t care for this world’s deeds, he is Majnun and he only thinks of his Layli… But unrealized love can show its power, and the beloved become a legend. For example, in the work of a great writer Abdulla Kodiriy “The past days” – two sincere hearts -Otabek and Kumush – love each other, they could live peacefully if there were not any bloodshed, various slandering and gossiping to keep them apart from each other, even such a book couldn’t have ever been written …

4

Raykhona changed her clothes and went out to the yard of the house, entered the kitchen to help her mother. Her mother realized the change in her daughter at once and said:

“You look different, is everything all right?”

“Everything is well, mommy. Today Japanese tourists bought bread from me. They pointed at me and talked with each other in their language, I couldn’t understand them. Then their guide approached us and said: “They say that you are a beautiful girl!” and I got embarrassed…”

“These Japanese know everything. I hope they haven’t jinxed you!” – her mother said and went out to light a harmala shrub.

Raykhona couldn’t tell the truth to her mother. Her embarrassment didn’t allow her to speak out. She couldn’t stop remembering the shining eyes of the guide…

What is it – is it love? No, this is not love. At first sight… Why does his deep stare shake her heart? She doesn’t know him at all. Maybe he has a family, kids and a wife?! If so, why the boy tried to say something to her but he couldn’t…

No, this can’t be love… perhaps it is love… Raykhona tried to calm herself with these thoughts. No matter and how hard did she try to erase the incident from her mind, the good-natured figure of the boy kept appearing in front of her eyes…

***

After his neighbor’s wedding Otabek guided Japanese tourists to Samarkand. They checked in the hotel at noon and he went to Siyab Bazaar, to stall of bread. There he couldn’t find the girl among the saleswomen. He returned without a word. The next day he again went there. Raykhona was selling bread.

“Good day to you! How do you do?” – he said to the girl. But he had no more strength to utter a word more – as if someone was taking away the earth from the bottom of his legs. He felt dizzy and couldn’t say a word. If truth be told he was planning to tell everything to her meaning to get acquainted with her, to say that he liked her and others. And as a result, when he saw the girl he forgot not only himself but also all the words he was planning to say. Raykhona also recognized him from the first sight – it was him who bought bread from her. The girls, selling bread, started whispering to each other, gesturing and murmuring. Their eyes met each other, their glances found each other…

“Good day! How are you?” – Raykhona said finally. “You brought tourists to Samarkand again, or will you tell a legend more?”

“Oh, yes, I am guiding guests, they are in the hotel now.” – the boy said, feeling happy that there was a topic for conversation. “I would like to buy some bread, for my tourists to taste from the bread you’ve baked…”

And he bought a basket of her bread.

“How are you going to take all this bread. Let me help you then!” – Raykhona said, feeling lucky to sell all her bread…

“Oh, no, I don’t want to bother you, I will manage myself.” – Otabek said with decency. Raykhona took half of the bread saying nothing. Their eyes met again, their hearts started beating more strongly. As they were passing the ancient Registan Square the sun, shining in the sky, lit sparks of love, more and more, in their hearts, but still Otabek could say nothing, and the girl was aware of that; she couldn’t tell a word, being ashamed, to an unfamiliar, unknown and a stranger that she had never met before, but still they felt that there is an invisible thread of relationship arisen between them…

“I need to say something to you” – Otabek said involuntarily as if he was afraid of reaching their destination at once. “Since the very first moment I met you I got confused in my mind. And I don’t know why. I do not believe in love actually. But for the time being I forgot everything what I was planning to say to you…So…if you agree I will write all my feelings in a letter, I thought. And it is up to you how to conclude…”

Raykhona did say nothing. Not a word. She left the bread in the hotel and ran away from the place. Her cheeks were burning in fire…

At the end of a three-day trip Otabek decided to write a letter to Raykhona finally…

“After my sincere greetings let it be known that this letter is being written by Otabek, from Tashkent. I am astonished at my present condition, at my relationship to you. When I met you I thought I would tell everything I had planned to. No, I couldn’t do so. Why, what was the reason? Is this because of my shyness, or any other feeling, I haven’t realized yet…

But it is precise that if I do not see you, I have no pleasure in my life, and it seems meaningless. If you consent to meet I will find you. Otabek.”

The next day he went to bazaar and bought two loaves of bread from Raykhona, and attached the letter under the basket secretly. Raykhona in her turn took the letter in her hands as if she was tidying the basket cloth… Otabek left to Tashkent from Samarkand on the fast train…

5

Raykhona’s heart was beating strongly with excitement and she opened the letter in a secluded place, and read it over and over. But she knows only the name of Otabek. She was shy to show the letter to her friends or talk to anybody about him. She didn’t say a word to her mother. Intuitively she consented to meet him again, and she knew that she was waiting for him to come…

After about ten days Otabek again came to Samarkand with tourists. The guests visited sightseeing places the whole day. Tonight, when the guests came to hotel Otabek went to bread stall. Raykhona was just starting home after having sold all her bread. He accompanied her.

“Did you take the letter?” – Otabek asked.

“I did.” – Raykhona replied sharply. Then she whispered: “Why do you put the letter in the basket before everyone, you could ask me aside and give it to my hands?”

“If you haven’t showed the letter to them yourself, then nobody saw it, I am sure.” – Otabek said and continued: “After all, this letter belongs to us. You don’t need to report to anybody…”

“OK, then. What happened, happened. I have to go.” – Raykhona let him realize that the dating ended. Where could Otabek know from that this was only caprice of the girl.