¾Ïñ³ÝÇó ÙÇ µ»çáõé³ ëíëí³Éáí, ɳó³ÏáõÙ³Í ËáëáõÙ ¿: ܳۻÙ-ï»ëÝ»Ù` ²ÈØ-áí §åỽdz¦ ¿ ϳñ¹áõÙ: ²~Û ù»½ Ïñ³Ï: î³ïÇë µ³é³å³ß³ñÇó ÇÙ áëϻջÝÇÏ Ñ³Û»ñ»ÝÇÝ ÷á˳Ýóí³Í ûï³ñ³ÑáõÝã ³Ûë µ³éÁ` §µ»çáõ鳦, ×Çßï ¨ ×Çßï ÇÙ »ñ»Ë³ ûñ»ñÇ ü³ÃÇÙ³ÛÇÝ ¿ ÑÇß»óÝáõÙ, áõ »ë ÇÝÓ ë³ëïáõÙ »Ù` É»½áõ¹ ÏÍÇ’ñ, áñ Ù»ñ ¹³ñ³íáñ ÃßݳÙáõÝ ¿’É ÙÇïù¹ ãµ»ñ»ë: лñÇù ãÇ Ù»ñ ·ÉËÇÝ å³ï»ñ³½Ù ÷³Ã³Ã»óÇÝ, ÑÇÙ³ ¿É ³÷»Õó÷»Õ ¹áõñë »Ý ï³ÉÇë` û Ù»ñ ݳíÃáí Ó»ñ г۳ëï³ÝÁ ϳéÝ»Ýù, Ô³ñ³µ³ÕÝ ¿É` íñ³¹Çñ: àõ ¿¹ù³ÝÇó Ñ»ïá ¹áõ ¹ñ³Ýó µ³éÇ Ñ»ï DZÝã ·áñÍ áõÝ»ë: Ø»ñÁ Ù»½ µ³í ¿, Ù»ñÇ å»ñ׳ÝùÁ áã ÙÇ É»½áõ ãáõÝÇ, DZÝã »ë ÁÝÏ»É ¿¹ ³Ýï»ñ ˳ÉËÇ µáëï³ÝÁ: Âá~õ, áÝó åïïíáõÙ »ë, ÙÇ ûÛÇÝ µ»ñáõÙ »ë ·ÉËǹ: ÆÙ ¹³ñ¹Á ùÇã ¿, ¹áõ ¿É ùá É»½í³Ï³Ý ³×å³ñ³ñáõÃÛáõÝÝ»ñáí »ë ·ÉáõËë ï³ÝáõÙ, Ù³ñ¹³í³ñÇ ËáëÇñ` ç³Ýë ¹ÇÝç³Ý³:
²~Û ù»½ Ó³Ëáñ¹áõÃÛáõÝ. ÷áñÓ³ÝùÁ ·ÉËǹ »é ¿ ·³ÉÇë: ºÃ» ÙÇ Íå»Õ ³½·³ÛÇÝ ³ñųݳå³ïíáõÃÛáõÝ áõÝ»ë, Ñ»Ýó ÑÇÙ³ ·ñ³Í¹ ËÙµ³·ñÇñ, áñ ¹ñ³Ýó ݻݷ ëý³ÃÁ Ù»ñ Ù³ßïáóÛ³Ý ëáõñµ ·ñ»ñÇ ÙÇçÇó ãÍÇÏñ³ÏÇ: ºñ¨áõÙ ¿` Ë»Éù¹ ѳóÇ Ñ»ï »ë Ï»ñ»É, áñ Ïñ³ÏÇ Ñ»ï »ë ˳ÕáõÙ. ¿Ý ·Ûáéµ³·Ûáé ü³ÃÇÙ³ÛÇÝ ÇÝãDZ ÑÇß»óÇñ… ÇÝãáõ, ³Û’á, ÇÝãá±õ ÑÇß»óÇñ: ´³ ¹ñ³Ýù ÑÇß»Éáõ µ³Ý »±Ý, áñ ÑÇßáõÙ »ë, á±ñ ÙÇ É³íáõÃÛ³Ý Ñ³Ù³ñ »ë ¹ñ³Ýó ³ÝٳѳóÝáõÙ, ÑÁ±, û± 15 ÃÇíÁ, ëáõÙ·³ÛÇÃÁ ϳ٠¹ñ³Ýó ¿ëûñí³, ѳ’, ³Ûëûñí³ ·Û³¹»ùÇ ûÛÇݵ³½áõÃÛáõÝÝ»ñÝ »ë Ùáé³ó»É, áñ ü³ÃÇÙ³ÛÇÝ ¿ñùáí ѳݻÉ, ¹ñ»É »ë ·ÉËǹ: Æñ»Ýù ϳݻÇÝ, á~Ýó ã¿:
¸» ѳ’, »ë ¿É ·Çï»Ù, áñ ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý Áݹ³Ù»ÝÁ ÙÇ å³é³í ÏÝÇÏ ¿ñ, áñÇ ·áõÛݽ·áõÛÝ Í³Éù»ñáí ÏÇë³ßñç³½·»ëïÁ ó÷íáõÙ ¿ñ ÷³Ûï» ³ÝÃÇÏÝ³Ï ³ÃáéÇ ãáñë¹ÇÝ áõ Çñ ï³Ï ³éÝáõÙ Ï»Õﳵͻñáí ͳÍÏí³Í Ýñ³ Ù»ñÏ áïù»ñÁ, ÇëÏ ÇÝÓ ÑÇß»óÝáõÙ ÇÙ ·áõݳíáñ Ù³ïÇïÝ»ñÁ, áñáÝóáí Ý»ñÏáõÙ ¿Ç ü³ÃÇÙ³ÛÇ ³Ý×áéÝÇ Ï»ñå³ñ³ÝùÁ ëåÇï³Ï ÃÕÃÇ íñ³, áñå»ë½Ç Ýñ³Ý Çñ³Ï³Ý ·áõÛÝ»ñ ѳÕáñ¹»Ù` ·áѳóÝ»Éáõ ÝϳñãáõÃÛ³Ý ¹³ë³ïáõÇë` 黳ÉÇëï³Ï³Ý å³ïÏ»ñÙ³Ý Ëëï³·áõÛÝ å³Ñ³ÝçÁ:
ÀÑ~Á, ³’Û ÑÇÙ³ ³Ù»Ý ÇÝã ï»ÕÝ ÁÝϳí, ³’Û ÑÇÙ³ ï»ëÝáõÙ »Ù, áñ ѳۻñ»ÝÇÝ ùÇã-ÙÇã ïÇñ³å»ïáõÙ »ë, µ³Ûó ¹»é ·ÉËÇ ã»Ù ÁÝÏÝáõÙ, û Ëáëùǹ ïáõïÁ ¹»åÇ áõñ »ë ÍéáõÙ: ´³±Ý áõÝ»ë ³ë»Éáõ, áõÕÇ’Õ ³ë³` ÇÝãDZ ѳٳñ »ë ¿¹å»ë ¹áß ï³ÉÇë, í³~Û, ¹» ѳëϳó³Ýù` ³Û¹å»ë ÏáõñÍù Í»ÍáõÙ…, ½³ÑÉ»ë ·Ý³ó ùá ¿¹ Ù³ùñ³ÙáÉáõÃÛáõÝÇó: ¾ë ¿É ÙÇ áõñÇß ó»ó ¿, áñ ÁÝÏ»É ¿ Ù»ñ Ù»ç áõ Ù»ñ ·á½³É, ßáñáñáõÝ É»½íÇ Ñ»ñÝ ¿ëå»ë ¿ ³ÝÇÍáõÙ: ²ë³` áñ ÙÇÝ㨠ÑÇÙ³ ÐáíѳÝÝ»ë ÂáõÙ³ÝÛ³Ý µ³Ý³ëï»ÕÍÇÝ å³ÝͳóÝ»Éáí` ϳñ¹áõÙ »ù áõ ͳÝñáõÙ»Í ³½¹³ñ³ñáõÙ. §´³ÝÁ ѳë³~í ¹Çí³Ý µ³ßáõݦ, ¿¹ ÇÝãDZ Ó»ñ Ùïùáí ³Ýó ãÇ Ï»ÝáõÙ, áñ ÙÇ É³~í ·Á-ñ³~-ùÁÝ-Ý»~ù ѳÛáó Ù»ÝÓÇ É»½áõÝ, û± Ýñ³Ý ¿É ųٳݳÏÇÝ §ÙÇ ³ÝÙ»é ã³ñ¦ åέѳñáõÙ ¿ñ, áñ ÇÝùÁ Ýñ³ ·³ÑÇÝ µ³½Ù»ñ, µ³Ûó ճɳà ³ñ»ó, ÙÁ½½³ó:
ÐÇÙ³ »ï ¹³éݳÝù áõ ÑÇß»Ýù ü³ÃÇÙ³ÛÇÝ, áñÇ ï³ëÝ»ñ»ù ½³í³ÏÝ»ñÁ Éù»É ¿ÇÝ Çñ»Ýó ëÇñ³ëáõÝ Ù³ÛñÇÏÇÝ áõ ·Ý³ó»É ѳٳÉñ»Éáõ Ù³Ûñ³ù³Õ³ù ´³ùíÇ Ý³íóѳÝù³ÛÇÝ ¹ÇݳëïdzÝ: ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý, ³ùÉáñÇ Ï³ï³ñ ÑÇß»óÝáÕ ÏñÏݳϽ³ÏÁ ÉËÏÉËϳóÝ»Éáí, ó³Ù³ù ѳóÁ ͳÙáõÙ` ÏáõÉ ¿ñ ï³ÉÇë, Ñ»ïá ùóÝóùÝ»ñáõ٠ѳí³ùí³Í Ï»ÕïÁ ùã÷áñ»Éáí` ùëáõÙ ¿ñ ˳Ûï³µÕ»ï ͳÉù»ñÇÝ, áõ å³ñ³ñï ³×³Í ÙáñáõùÁ ÷»ï»Éáí, ³Ý³ï³Ù µ»ñ³ÝÁ µ³ó` Ñáñ³ÝçáõÙ: λëûñí³ ³ñ¨Ç Ù»ç ü³ÃÇÙ³ µ³çÇÝ ÷³Ûï» ³ÝÃÇÏÝ³Ï ³ÃáéÇÝ ÝÝçáõÙ ¿ñ, ³ãù»ñÁ ÷³Ï` íï³Ý·³íáñ ûñáñíáõÙ, µ³Ûó Ñ»Ýó ³ÃáéÁ ×éé³Éáí »ñ»ñáõÙ ¿ñ` ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý µÇñ¹³Ý í»ñ ¿ñ ÃéãáõÙ, §³Éɳ~Ñ, ³Éɳ~Ѧ Íáñ»Éáí` ½·³ëï³ÝáõÙ ¹Çñù»ñáõÙ:
î³ïÇë »÷³Í ׳ßÇ ÙÇ ß»ñ»÷Ý ³Ù»Ý ûñ ÉóíáõÙ ¿ñ ü³ÃÇÙ³ÛÇ ³ÉÛáõÙÇÝ» óëÇ Ù»ç, áõ ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý, ï³ïÇë ÛáÃÁ åáñïÁ ûñÑÝ»Éáí, ¹áõñë ¿ñ µ»ñáõÙ ÓÙ»éí³ ãÉáõë³óáÕ ûñ»ñÁ, ѳëÝáõÙ ·³ñÝ³Ý µ³Ýç³ñÇÝ áõ ųݷ³ÉÇÝ, ¹³ñÓÛ³É µáÏáïÝ ¹Çñù³íáñíáõÙ å³ïÇ ï³Ï áõ ëå³ëáõÙ Ù»’Ï Çñ å³ßïáݳíáñ Þáõùáõñ ïÕ³ÛÇ, Ù»’Ï ¿É, »ñ¨Ç, ØáõѳÙÙ»¹Ç ·³ÉëïÛ³ÝÁ: ¸³ñ¹³Ëáñáí ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý ³ãù»ñÁ ÉóÝáõÙ ¿ñ, »ñµ ï³ïë ÙñÙÝç³Éáí` ÑÇßáõÙ ¿ñ. §¾~Ñ, ½³ÉáõÙ ¶³ñ»·ÇÝ, ¹áõ, áñ ì³ñ¹ÇûñÇÝ í³ñ¹Ç ÝÙ³Ý å³Ñ»óÇñ, ãÝ³Û³Í Ýñ³ ³ñ·³Ý¹Á ù»½ ѳٳñ ¿¹å»ë ¿É ãáñ Ùݳó, µ³ ¹áõ ü³ÃÇÙ³ÛÇÝ ¿ëûñÁ Ï·ó»Ç±ñ¦:
ºñµ Ù³ùñ³ë»ñ Ñ³Û ï³ÝïÇÏÇÝÝ»ñÝ ûñÁ ó»ñ»Ïáí ˳ÉËÇ ³ãùÇ ³é³ç ÷éáõÙ ¿ÇÝ Ý»ñùݳÏ-í»ñÙ³ÏÝ»ñÇ Éí³ó³Í µñ¹»ñÁ, ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý ³ã³Éñçáñ»Ý ÑëÏáõÙ ¿ñ µñ¹»ñÇ ãáñëµáÉáñÁ »½»ñáÕ ù³ñ³ÏáõÛï»ñÁ, ÇÝãå»ë »ñÏñÇ ë³ÑÙ³ÝÁ ÏÑëÏ»Ý, ÇëÏ »ñµ ³ñ¨Á ËÙËÙáõÙ ¿ñ áõ ûųÝáõÙ, ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý ùáõɳ-ùáõɳ ·½·½áõÙ ¿ñ áã˳ñÇ µáõñ¹Á, ÙdzÛÝ Çñ»Ý ѳïáõÏ ×³åáõÏáõÃÛ³Ùµ ѳٳã³÷ ÷ñ÷ñ³óÝáõÙ áõ »ñÏï³Ïí»Éáí` ÉóÝáõÙ ù³Ã³Ý» å³ñÏ»ñÇ Ù»ç:
ü³ÃÇÙ³ µ³çÇÝ ÇÙ »ñ»Ë³ ûñ»ñÇ µ³ÏáõÙ Ùßï³Ùݳ ¹»Ïáñ ¿, ÇëÏ Ýñ³Ý ÑÇß»É-ãÑÇß»Éáõ ÇÙ ÇÝùݳÏéÇíÁ… ȳ’í, ¿ë ¿É ÃáÕ Ùݳ… ´³Ûó ü³ÃÇÙ³ÛÇ ÏÛ³ÝùÇ ³Ù»Ý³Ñ»ï³ùñùÇñ Ù³Ýñ³Ù³ëÝÁ å³Ñ»É »Ù í»ñçÇ Ñ³Ù³ñ, ÇÝãå»ë ï³ïë` óÝϳÝáó ÏïáñÇó ϳñ³Í ½·»ëïÝ ¿ñ å³ÑáõÙs Çñ í»ñçÇ Ñ³Ù³ñ: ¾¹å»ë ¿, Ù»ñ ó»ÕÝ ³Ù»Ý ÇÝã ³ÝáõÙ ¿, áñ í»ñçÝ ³ñųݳå³ïÇí ÉÇÝÇ. Ù»Ýù ã»Ýù áõïÇ, ã»Ýù ËÙÇ, µ³Ûó í»ñçÇÝ »ñÏáõ Ïáå»ÏÁ »ï Ï·ó»Ýù, áñ Ù»½ å³ïíáí ÑáÕÇÝ Ñ³ÝÓÝ»Ý:
ÆëÏ ü³ÃÇÙ³ µ³çÇÝ, ûÕáñÙÇ Çñ»Ý, ï³ïë ³ëáõÙ ¿ñ` ųٳݳÏÇÝ ·á½³É ¿ »Õ»É. ëɳóÇÏ Çñ³Ýáí, ѳëï ÑÛáõëù»ñáí, ßáñáñáõÝ ÏáÝù»ñáí ѳñ×Ç ¿ ÝÙ³Ýí»É, µ³ ³ãù»ñÁ, ï³ïë ³ëáõÙ ¿ñ` ³ãù»ñÁ ÇëÏ³Ï³Ý Ñ³ÛÇ ³ãù»ñ ¿ÇÝ, ³Ù»Ý Ù»ÏÁ ÙÇ ë¨ Ë³ÕáÕÇ ·ÇÉɳ: ê³ñ»ñáõÙ ÑáíÇíÝ»ñÇÝ Ñ³ó áõ çáõñ ï³Ý»ÉÇë` ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý Ñ³Ý¹ÇåáõÙ ¿ ÑÝÓÇ ·Ý³ó³Í ¶³ñ»·ÇÝÇÝ: î³ïë ³ëáõÙ ¿ñ` ¿¹ ûñí³ÝÇó ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý ¹³ñÓ»É ¿ñ ͳÕÇÏÝ»ñÇó Ý»Ïï³ñ ù³ÙáÕ Ù»Õáõ áõ Çñ»Ý ïí»É ë³ñ»ñÇÝ: ¸áõ ÙÇ ³ë³` ¶³ñ»·ÇÝÇ Ý»Ïï³ñÝ ¿Ýù³Ý ß³ñµ³Ã ¿ñ, áñ ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý Ñ³Ù³Ó³ÛÝ ¿ñ ³ÙµáÕç ÏÛ³ÝùáõÙ ÙdzÛÝ ¹ñ³ÝÇó Ù»Õñ ë³ñù»É:
ÆëÏ »ñµ ¶³ñ»·ÇÝÁ ÑÝÓÇó ïáõÝ »Ï³í, ï³ëÝ»ñ»ù³ÙÛ³ ì³ñ¹ÇûñÁ, ëñµÇãÝ áõ çñÇ ¹áõÛÉÁ Ó»éùÇÝ, å³ïñ³ëï ϳݷݻÉ` Ýñ³Ý ¿ñ ëå³ëáõÙ: ÆëÏ ü³ÃÇÙ³ÛÇÝ Í»Í»Éáí ï³ñ³Ý áõ ½áéáí ÙïóñÇÝ Çñ ù»éáõ` ßÇɳãù ïÕ³ÛÇ ÍáóÁ: àõ ÇÝãå»ë å³ñ½í»ó ѻﳷ³ÛáõÙ, ¿¹ ïÕ³ÛÇ ³ãùÇ ßÉáõÃÛáõÝÁ ã˳ݷ³ñ»ó, áñ ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý Ï³ï³ÕÇ ÑÕdzݳñ áõ ï³ëÝ»ñ»ù ÷áñ »ñ»Ë³ µ»ñ»ñ, áñáÝù ϳï³ÕÇ Ù»Í³ó³Ý áõ Éù»óÇÝ Çñ»Ýó ëÇñ³ëáõÝ Ù³ÛñÇÏÇÝ` ѳٳÉñ»Éáõ Ù³Ûñ³ù³Õ³ù ´³ùíÇ Ý³íóѳÝù³ÛÇÝ ¹ÇݳëïdzÝ: ü³ÃÇÙ³ÛÇ ÞÇɳãùÁ ÙÇ ·³ñÝ³Ý ë»É³ýÇ ¹»Ù ÁÝϳí áõ ·³éÝ»ñÇ Ù³ÛáõÝÝ ³Ï³ÝçÝ»ñáõÙ` ·Éáñí»ó ù³ñù³ñáï ÏÇñ×Á: î»ÕÝ ÇÙ³óáÕ ã»Õ³í, áõ Ë»Õ×Á ·Ý³ó-í»ñ³ó³í Ù»ñ ë³ñ»ñÇó, ÇÝãå»ë áñ Ýñ³ ÑáõßÝ ¿ñ ãùí»É ï³ëÝ»ñ»ù ½³í³ÏÝ»ñÇ áõ ü³ÃÇÙ³ÛÇ ÏÇë³ï-åé³ï ÏÛ³ÝùÇó:
» Ýñ³ ½³í³ÏÝ»ñÇó áñ Ù»ÏÝ ¿ñ, ã·Çï»Ù, »ñ¨Ç å³ßïáݳíáñ ÞáõùáõñÁ (ï³ïë ³ëáõÙ ¿ñ` ÑáÕÁ ¿¹ ï»ë³Ï ½³í³ÏÝ»ñÇ ·ÉËÇÝ), 88 ÃíÇ ÑáõÝí³ñÇÝ ü³ÃÇÙ³ÛÇ ³ÝáõÝáí ÙÇ Ñ»é³·Çñ áõÕ³ñÏ»ó ´³ùíÇó: ØáñÁ ϳÝãáõÙ ¿ñ Ãáé³Ý ѳñë³ÝÇùÇÝ, ÇëÏ ³Û¹ Å³Ù³Ý³Ï ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý ³ñ¹»Ý áõà ï³ñí³ Ñ³Ý·áõóÛ³É ¿ñ: î³ïë ³ëáõÙ ¿ñ` áñ ÑÇÙ³ ¿É ·Ý³ë, ¶³ñ»·ÇÝÇ áõ ì³ñ¹ÇûñÇ ·»ñ»½Ù³ÝÝ»ñÇ ÏáÕùÇÝ ÙÇ ³ñ³Ýù ÁÝÏ³Í ÑáÕ³ÃáõÙµ ϳª ÙáɳËáïÁ íñ³Ý, ¿¹ ü³ÃÇÙ³Ý ¿ ¿¹å»ë ùáñùáï»É:
2009Ã.
TELEGRAM TO PHATIMA
TRANSLATION BY ELEONORA BULGHADARYAN
EDITED BY DR. ALFRED G. MUELLER II
A “bejura”[1] is speaking on TV with a lisp. As I look I see her as if reciting a poem on the ALM TV[2] channel. What a misfortune! The foreign word “bejura”, which transferred to my exquisite Armenian vocabulary through my grandmother, reminds me of Phatima of my childhood, and I scold myself to bite my tongue and not to call to our age-old enemy. They imposed a war on us and braggingly proclaim, “We will buy your Armenia
What a misfortune! You are seeking for trouble! If you have a bit of national dignity, edit what you have just written, lest their mean imagery spoils the sacred writings of Mashtots. You seem to have lost your mind. Indeed you are playing with fire. Why on earth have you remembered about that damned Azeri Phatima? Why, oh why have you remembered her? Does she deserve to be remembered? For what good reason do you perpetuate the memories? Is it for 1915, or for Sumgait
Well, I do know that Phatima was just an old woman. The multicolored folds of her skirt fell over the four sides of the wooden stool, and hid her bare feet, covered with dirt spots. They always reminded me of the colourful pencils with which I sketched Phatima's ugly image on white paper to convey its true colours and thereby meet the very strict demands of realistic painting that my art teacher imposed upon me.
Now everything has fallen into place. Now I see you know Armenian to some extent, but I still haven't figured out where you are leading with your word play. If you have something to say, say it directly! Why are you struggling so? Why are you beating your breast? I am so fed up with your language purity. And this is another bug pests us spoiling our marvellous language. Tell me that after reading the poet Hovhannes Tumanyan and glorifying him, you declare everywhere, ''The rumors got to Divan Bashi.” Why don’t you ever consider investigating the language of that great Armenian? Maybe at that time some “immortal evil” was pushing him in an effort to occupy his throne, but it failed and shut up.
Now let's remember Phatima whose thirteen children had abandoned their lovely mother to join a black oil-mine dynasty in the capital city of Baku. Phatima used to dangle her double chin— which always reminded me of a rooster’s wattle—while munching on dry bread. She would then dig out the dirt that had gathered in her nostrils and rub it on the multicolored folds of her skirt. She would pluck out the hair of her thick beard and yawn with her toothless mouth wide open. In the afternoon sun, Phatima would doze on her wooden stool, dangerously teetering. But when the stool would squeak, Phatima would jolt and murmur, “Allah! Allah!” Then she would become sober.
Every day a ladle of the meal, that my grandmother cooked, would find its way into Phatima's alluminum bowl. And Phatima, blessing her seven generations, would end the gloom of her winter days, waiting until spring offered its edible mixed greens. She would sit near the wall, waiting either for her son Shukur, who was an official, or for Muhammed’s revelation.
Tears would appear in mournful Phatima’s eyes when my grandmother would recall “Eh! Garegin! It was you who took care of Varditer like a rose, though her uterus turned out to be sterile for you. Would you ever leave Phatima in this state?”
As anxious Armenian housewives spread washed wool from their blankets in the daytime sun, Phatima would vigilantly guard the stones rimming the four sides of the wool as if she were watching over the borders of a country. And when the sun was flaming and flaring in the sky, Phatima would be busy tousling the wool, flock by flock, frothing and bending and stuffing it into linen pouches with agile movements.
Phatima remained a constant decor in the yard of my childhood, yet remembering or forgetting her remained a struggle with my own self…Well, let’s put it aside, too... I have left the most interesting detail of Phatima’s life for the end just like my grandmother kept a dress made of expensive cloth for her last day. It’s so; our people do their best for the end to be respectful. We won’t eat, won’t drink, but we’ll save the last few pennies for being decently committed to the ground.
My grandmother told me that Phatima, may her soul be blessed, was a beauty when young. She was like a tall, slim concubine with thick tresses and staggering hips. And her eyes! Yes, her eyes were like real Armenian eyes, each eye the size of a grape. It was while taking bread and water to the shepherds in the mountains that she met Garegin while he was mowing. My grandmother said that, after that day, Phatima became like a bee extracting nectar from flowers and devoted herself to the mountains. For Garegin’s nectar was so sweet that Phatima was ready to make honey only out of his nectar.
And when Garegin returned home from mowing, Varditer, who was only thirteen years old, was waiting for him with a towel and a bucket in her hands. And Phatima was beaten and forcedly put into the bed of her uncle’s squint-eyed son. As it turned out later, his squinty eyes didn't prevent Phatima from getting pregnant and giving birth to thirteen children who grew up and left their beloved mother for the black oil-mines in the capital city of Baku. One day, Phatima's squint-eyed husband was caught in the spring flood slipped and fell into a rocky canyon; the last thing he heard was the bleating of sheep . Nobody knew his whereabouts, and the poor man passed away and his memory erased from the lives of his thirteen children and Phatima.
I don' t know which one of her thirteen children it was. It might have been the official, Shukur (my grandmother always said that such children should be damned), who sent a telegram to Phatima from Baku in January 1988. He was inviting his mother to her grandchild's wedding. But by then Phatima had already been dead for eight years.
My grandmother said that, even if you go near Garegin's and Varditer's graves today, in a corner you will see a shaggy mound with weeds on it. She used to say that it was Phatima.
2009
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