Request the original text of "People of Kabul"

Kabul people①

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①Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan. There are many people from Kabul working as hawkers in India.

Not a day goes by when my five-year-old daughter, Minnie, doesn’t chatter non-stop. I truly believe that not a single minute of her life

was spent in silence. Her mother is often angry about this and always interrupts her, but I don't do that. It's unnatural to see Minni being silent. I can't stand it if she doesn't speak for a long time.

So my conversations with her have always been lively.

For example, one morning when I was writing Chapter 17 of my new novel, my little Minnie slipped into the room and put her little hand on my In the palm of his hand, he said: "Dad! Ramon Daya, the gatekeeper, calls crows 'five crows'. He doesn't understand anything, right?"

Me Before she could explain to her that languages ??in the world were different, she had already moved on to the climax of another topic. "

Guess what, Dad, Pula said there was an elephant in the clouds, and water spurted out from its trunk, and it rained!"

As I sat there quietly While thinking about how to answer her last question, she suddenly asked a new question:

"Dad! What is the relationship between mom and you?"

I don't know. I murmured to myself in a low voice: "She is legally my dear sister!" But I put up a straight face and said perfunctorily: "Go play with Pula, Minnie! I'm busy!"

The window of my house faces the street. This child sat down next to my desk, close to my feet, and gently tapped his knees to play. I am concentrating on writing Chapter 17 of the novel. Prada Singh, the protagonist in the novel, had just hugged the heroine Kangchang Lada and was about to take her out of the third-story window of the castle. Suddenly, Minnie After playing, I ran to the window

and shouted: "A Kabul man! A Kabul man!" Sure enough, there was a Kabul man on the street below, walking slowly

. He was wearing a large, dirty Kabul costume and a high turban; he was carrying a bag on his back and holding several boxes of raisins in his hand.

I don’t know what my daughter thought when she saw this man, but she started calling him loudly. "Hey!" I thought, "He's coming in. I'll never finish Chapter 17!" Just then, the Kabul man turned around and looked up at this.

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Children. When she saw this scene, she was frightened and ran to her mother to hide. She vaguely thought that there might be two or three children like her in the pockets carried by this big man. At this time, the vendor had already walked in the door and greeted me with a smile.

The situation of the hero and heroine in my book was so urgent. At that time, I thought that since I had called him in, I would stop

to buy something. I did some shopping and started talking to him about Abdul Rahman, the Russians, the British, and frontier policy.

①The king of Afghanistan in the late nineteenth century.

When he was leaving, he asked: "Sir, where is that little girl?"

I thought that Minnie should not have such unnecessary fear, so I called someone Get her out.

She stood beside my chair, looking at the Kabul man and his pocket. He handed her some dried fruits and raisins, but she didn't move. She just moved closer to me, and her suspicion only increased.

This is our first meeting.

However, a few days later, one morning, as I was about to go out, I unexpectedly found Minnie sitting on the bench at the door, and

the man sitting at her feet. The big Kabul man beside me was talking and laughing. Except for her father, my little daughter seems to have never met such a person who listened to her patiently in her life. The corners of her little sari had been stuffed with almonds and raisins—gifts from her guests. "Why did you give her these things?" I said, taking out an eight-Ann

silver coin and handing it to him. The man took it casually and threw it into his pocket.

①The name of Indian currency, one sixteenth of a rupee.

Too bad, when I came back an hour later, I found that the ominous silver dime had caused twice as much trouble as it was worth

! Because the Kabul man gave the silver coin to Minnie, her mother saw this shiny little round thing and kept chasing her.

Asked: "Where did you get this small eight-anna coin?" "The people from Kabul gave it to me," Minnie said happily.

"The people of Kabul gave it to you!" her mother screamed in fright. "Oh, Minnie! How could you take his money?"

I walked in at that moment, rescued her from critical disaster, and questioned her myself .

I discovered that these two men met more than once or twice. The people of Kabul overcame the child's initial fear with a powerful bribe of dried fruits and raisins, and the two have now become very good friends.

They often tell funny jokes, which adds a lot of fun to them. Minnie sat in front of the Kabul man with a smile on her face.

Looking down at the tall man like a little adult: "Oh, Kabul man! Kabul man! What's in your pocket?" He

said in the nasal voice of the mountain people: "An elephant!" Maybe this is not funny, but how much these two people appreciated this witty remark

! In my opinion, there is something very fascinating in this conversation between children and adults.

The Kabul man did not miss the opportunity to joke, so he asked: "So, little man, when will you go to your father-in-law

's house?"

Most Bengali girls have heard about their father-in-law’s house for a long time. But we were a bit new in style and didn't let

the children know these things. Minnie must have been a little confused about this question, but she refused to show it, but she wisely

answered: " Are you going there?”

But among the people of Kabul, everyone knows that the word “father-in-law’s house” has a double meaning. That

is the elegant name of "prison", a place where you don't have to spend your own money and are well taken care of. This rude vendor thought my daughter meant this.

"Hey," he waved his fist at the imaginary policeman and said, "I want to beat my father-in-law!" Hearing him say this, I imagined

that embarrassment. Minnie burst out laughing at the unbearable "father-in-law", and her great big friend also laughed with her.

Those days were autumn mornings, the season when ancient emperors went out to conquer the east and west; but I was in my little corner of Calcutta, never moving, but Let my mind roam the world. Whenever I hear the name of another country, my heart will fly there

When I see a foreigner on the street, my mind will weave a web of dreams,—— The mountains, valleys, and forests of his distant hometown

are also included in the scenery, including his hut and the free and independent lives of the people in the distant mountains and fields.

Perhaps because I live a fixed life like a plant, asking me to travel is like a thunderbolt, so the imaginary wandering scene before my eyes

is even more vivid. Repeatedly pass through my imagination. When I saw this Kabul man, I immediately wandered under the bare mountain peaks. There were many narrow mountain paths winding in and out among the towering mountains. I seemed to see a continuous stream of camels carrying goods, and groups of businessmen wrapped in turbans, some with strange weapons, some with spears, coming from the mountains

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He walked towards the plain.

I seemed to see it - but at this moment, Minnie's mother was about to disturb me. She begged me to "pay attention to that person."

Minnie's mother happened to be a very courageous person. Little woman. As soon as she heard a noise in the street or saw someone approaching our house, she immediately concluded that they were thieves, drunkards, poisonous snakes, tigers, malarial bacteria, Cockroaches, caterpillars, or British sailors. Even with years of experience, she couldn't erase her terror. Therefore, she was full of doubts about this Kabul man and often asked me to pay attention to his actions.

I would always smile and try to slowly get rid of her fear, but then she would ask me some serious questions very seriously.

Have children never been abducted?

So, isn’t there really slavery in Kabul?

So, would it be ridiculous to say that this big man took a little baby away?

I argued that while it was not impossible, it probably wouldn't happen. But this explanation is not enough, her fear is always there

. Since there was no basis for such a thing, it seemed wrong not to allow this person into our home, and so their close friendship continued unchecked.

Every year in mid-January, Rahman, a native of Kabul, always has to go back to his country. When he is about to leave, he is always busy going from house to house to collect debts. . This year, he made time to see Minnie. Others may think that the two of them have some secret agreement, because

If he cannot come in the morning, he will always come in the evening.

Sometimes in a dark corner of a room, I suddenly find this tall man wearing loose clothes and carrying a big bag. Even I am shocked

but when I am sensitive, When Ni ran in with a smile and shouted "Hey, people from Kabul! People from Kabul:", these two friends, so far apart in age, were lost in their old laughter and jokes. , I felt relieved.

A few days before he decided to leave, one morning, I was reading the proofs in the study, and the weather was very cold. The sun shines from the window onto my feet, and the slight warmth makes me very comfortable. It's almost eight o'clock, and the vendors who came out early have all gone home with their heads covered. Suddenly

I heard noises on the street. When I looked outside, I saw Raman being held up by two policemen and taken away, followed by a group of watching children.

. There was blood on the Kabul man's clothes, and a policeman had a knife in his hand. I ran out quickly, stopped them, and asked what was going on. Amid the debate, I found out that a neighbor owed the vendor money for a Ruanpu scarf

but he refused to admit that he had bought it. During the quarrel, Raman took the He stabbed. At this time, in a rage, the prisoner was cursing his enemies. Suddenly, on the balcony of my house, my little Minnie appeared, shouting as usual:

"Oh, people from Kabul, people from Kabul!" When Raman looked back at her, a smile appeared on his face. He didn't have a pocket under his arm today, so she couldn't talk to him about the elephant.

She immediately asked the second question: "Are you going to my father-in-law's house?" Raman smiled and said, "That's exactly where I want to go, little man!" Seeing him The child's answer didn't make the child laugh. He raised his handcuffed hands, "Oh," he said, "otherwise I would have beaten that old man. It's a pity that my hands were blocked.

Cuffed! ”

①An Indian city not far from Delhi.

Raman was sentenced to several years in prison for intentional murder.

Time passed day by day, and he was forgotten. We were still in the same place doing the same things, and it rarely or never occurred to us that the once-free mountain man was spending his time in prison. It's embarrassing to say that even my happy Minnie has forgotten her old friend. She has a new partner in her life. As she grew up, she spent more time with the girls. She was always with them, not even in her father's room as usual. I almost rarely talk to her.

Year after year passes. It's autumn again, and we have prepared for Minnie's wedding. The wedding is scheduled to be held on the occasion of Durga Puja

. When Durga returns to Kailas, the light of our house will also return to her husband's house, leaving her father's house in the shadows.

The morning was clear. The air after the rain gives people a fresh feeling, and the sunshine is as bright as pure gold. Even the dirty brick walls in the alleys of Kolkata are reflected in a beautiful light. Early in the morning, the trumpets of happy events started playing, and every beat made my heart beat. The sad tune of Pallapi seemed to deepen my pain of the impending separation. My Minnie is getting married tonight

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①The name of an Indian music tune.

Since early morning, the house has been full of noise and bustle. In the yard, bamboo poles should be used to prop up the cloth awning; every room and corridor should be hung with tinkling chandeliers. It was endless bustle and excitement. I was sitting in the study looking at the accounts.

A man came in, saluted respectfully, and stood in front of me. It turned out to be Raman, the man from Kabul. I didn't know him at first

. He had no pockets, no longer long hair, and no trace of his old life. But he smiled, and I recognized him again.

"When did you come, Raman?" I asked him.

"Last night," he said, "I was released from prison."

The words sounded harsh. I have never spoken to someone who has hurt his companions. When I think of this, my

heart trembles and I feel that it is not a good sign that he happened to come today.

"There is a wedding happening here," I said, "I am busy. Can you come back in a few days?"

He immediately turned around and walked out, but when he reached the door , he hesitated for a while and said: "Can I take a look at that little man, sir, just for a moment?" He believed that Minnie was still the same as before. He thought she would run to him as usual, shouting: "Oh, Kabul! Kabul!" He imagined that they would laugh together as usual. In fact, in order to commemorate the past days, he brought some almonds, raisins and grapes, carefully wrapped in paper. These things

he got from a fellow villager. Got it because he had used up what little money he had.

I added: "There is a wedding happening at home, and you won't see anyone today."

There was a disappointed look on this man's face. He looked at me dissatisfied for a while, said "goodbye" and walked out.

I felt a little sorry and was about to call him, but I found that he had automatically turned around and came back.

He approached me, handed over his gift, and said, "Sir, I brought something here to deliver to the little man. Can you give it to her for me?"

I took it and was about to give him the money, but he grabbed my hand and said: "You are very kind, sir! Always remember me. But don't give My money! - You have a little girl; I also have a little girl like her at home. I want to bring some fruit to your child - not to make money. ”

At this point, he reached into his large robe and took out a small and dirty piece of paper. He carefully opened the paper and smoothed it with both hands on my desk. There is a small handprint on it. Not a photo. Nor is it a picture

like. The blurred handprint lay flat on the paper. When he went to sell goods on the streets of Calcutta every year, the imprint of his own little daughter was always on his heart.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I forgot that he was a poor Kabul hawker, and I was——, but, no,

How could I be better than him? He is also a father.

The handprints of his little Pablo in that remote mountain house reminded me of my own little Minnie.

I immediately called Minnie out of the inner room. Others tried to obstruct me in many ways, but I refused to listen. Minnie came out. She was wearing a wedding red silk dress, with sandalwood paste on her forehead. She was dressed like a little bride and stood shyly in front of me.

Looking at this scene, the people in Kabul looked a little surprised. He couldn't revisit their past friendship. Finally he smiled and said: "Little man, do you want to go to your father-in-law's house?"

But Minnie now understands the meaning of the word "father-in-law". She couldn't answer him like before. When she heard him ask this question, she blushed, stood in front of him, and lowered her bridal face.

I think of the day this Kabul man and my Minnie first met, and I feel sad. After she left, Raman let out a long breath and sat down on the ground. He suddenly thought that his daughter must have grown up in these long years, and he must be friends with her again. When he saw her again, she would definitely be different from before. Moreover, during these eight years, how could something not happen to her?

The wedding trumpets were blowing, and the warm autumn sunshine poured in around us. Raman was sitting in the alley of Calcutta, meditating on the bare mountains of Afghanistan.

I took out a banknote, gave it to him, and said: "Go back to your hometown, to your own daughter, Raman, and I hope you will meet again

Happiness brings luck to my children!”

Because of this gift, I had to save some money on the wedding ceremony. I couldn't use the electric lights I originally wanted to use, nor could I hire a military band. The women at home were very disappointed. But I think this wedding feast is particularly glorious, because I think that in that far away place, a father who has not returned for a long time is reunited with his only daughter.