Куандык Туменбай

Отрывок из малой прозы “The Sorrow of Kobyz”

Today I met with both of them, a daughter and her father. The daughter was sad. She was holding a box with musical instrument in her hands. That is a violin. I already know that she is a violinist. She is the same age as me and we grew up together. She was walking sadly and slowly along Tolebayev street. «Where am I in a hurry, where do I go when I’m in a hurry?» There is a kind of self-restraint in her slowness.
I greeted her, only said, “It’s a job”, and left her without asking anything. There is nothing to ask about, the days after the December events¹ seem to have put a lock with a key on the mouths of our twenty-year older fellows. The Street named after the famous composer Tolebayev was quiet, nobody was communicating openly and happily.
Further I met her father and greeted him. He was cheerful. His cheerful mood was obvious from his smile. Like he was saying “And how are you?” As after December event, it was a duty for older people to have such a look like asking, “Are you ok?”
— At 10 o’clock, I have a meeting. You know, it is a job. – said father.
What could I say? I only looked at him like saying, “Have a good way”.
First, about his daughter
Why is her mood gloomy since morning? Why is she walking so sadly along the most beautiful and nicest streets of Almaty as Tolebayev Street?
She cannot free herself from the embrace of dull thought and she is going away depressed. Even though she was taking her violin classes since childhood, since appeared “Otyrar sazy” orchestra and since she attended one concert of “Otyrar sazy” orchestra she fell in love with kobyz sound. She returned from the concert in love with kobyz. The orchestra bandmaster whenever starting any composition, first, he is indicating his finger at kobyz player that meant – if he is ready. Kobyz is the main musical instrument. How gentle its sound is. It seems like the orchestra bandmaster is mastering the orchestra only for himself. Violin and kobyz are similar. Violin has four strings. It appeared in Italy during 16-17th century. She heard about this from one old woman named Kreps, the first day when attended her private violin classes. However, that old person was never cheerful. As she was entering, that old woman looked at her as if she was an irritated cat. She was always telling all this to her father who assigned her for these classes forcefully. In addition, he was saying “Daughter, wear your best dress. Wipe your foot at the entrance. Don’t ask anything.” She did everything what her father demanded. The old woman was staying grumpy still. Her father did everything for her. Even paid extra money. With this grumpy mood, it passed two years. “At that time I didn’t know about existence of kobyz” – said Bella when she heard its sound for the first time. At that time, she was a third course student of the conservatory. She started looking through “Music encyclopedia” immediately. Kobyz appeared even in the 8th -9th centuries, earlier than violin. History of kobyz is connected with Korkyt baba. She used to hear the saying: “Wherever you go, you see the same grave of Korkyt”. Korkyt’s fate made this proverb to occur.
She asked her father why he did not let her study at kobyz classes, after the concert when they were drinking coffee.
— So what? Isn’t the violin perfect? – said her father and made a sip of coffee.
Bella’s mother died over ten years ago. Her father cannot get married. Two of them only live in such a big house. It seems like a father was caring about his daughter’s mood in a big house like a palace. However, these words were not pleasant.
— Dombyra is also played putting it on crossed legs.
— That is dombyra. Kobyz ……is moaning. Kobyz. I know about kobyz. Wizards used to play on it. It is an ancient remainder. Time is changing.
— Daddy, kobyz appeared eight centuries earlier than violin. It is even like grand ancestor of violin. Their sounds are similar. So gentle. Like my mother’s voice. – His daughter remembered her mother who died when she was a little girl — You had to give me to the kobyz class.
Having one sip of coffee, he looked at his daughter who always remembered about her mother.
— At that time, there were no people to teach playing on kobyz. Only now, it is being renovated. Maybe now such a musical instrument will not be popularized at all.
— It is your fault that it is not being popularized.
— Bella, you are not a child now. I made to remove your name from the list of regional department of internal affairs. If it reaches Ministry of internal affairs, you will be dismissed from your school, and I will be fired from my job. Is it worth just only for a kobyz? Pay attention to your violin. Whatever you will reach, you will reach thankfully to violin.
He left the table. His daughter kept sitting.
— Father, isn’t the past day staying the master of today? Why shall we erase the past? Isn’t there a saying “A person who doesn’t know the past remains as a child”. Isn’t kobyz our past? It has a power. Isn’t Konayev our past, why you’ve become supporters of Kolbin?!
— Belochka, — said her father sweetly who was going to wear his tie. The collar of his shirt was raised. — I named you Bella myself. Wishing you to become as Bella from Lermontov’s “Hero of our time” story. This tie is a noose, if to tighten it — your father will be hang up, — he said, tightly wearing his tie and putting down the shirt collar. – If you do not want me to get hang, never say such words. I am going to Ministry of internal affairs. Again because of you. If there will be your name in the list from regional department – Alpamysova, then it means that your father Khaidar Alpamysov will be dismissed from the department. Not whole Almaty are my friends. — Taking his folder, he left the house.
Bella felt sorry for her father. She again showed her capricious character. “Poor beggar who couldn’t discipline his daughter. Do you think you will die if you leave the department? So many people live without working at the department”. Bella could see how her father was nervous because of her. First, when she told him what happened, first, he turned red, then he became pale, and afterwards he nervously opened the door of the brown closet, and completely drunk cognac before saying his verdict. -You will probably kill me, — he said.
The father was blaming his daughter. His daughter was all the time thinking, “What have we done to be guilty?” On December 18, young people went to the square. Among the crowd, there was also Bella. Nearby there were no group mates, and in order to see what crowd it was nearby, without going to the classes she turned in the direction of crowd location. On that frosty day, she had seen only one person who was caring about young people. Then she found out that he was Khasen Kozha Akhmet who was arrested during the development of socialism.
-Do not stay here. Otherwise, you will have more problems. Walk along the streets singing “My Kazakhstan” song, — he said.
Only afterwards, she found out that these words caused him to be arrested as a December strike participant. His purpose was – if to continue the walk of the column till seventy two hours so that such organization as United Nation could have become aware and could stand up for them.
When they started singing, police surrounded and started loading them into vehicles and brought to the police department. Her student ID card was in the handbag. After writing their names, they let them go saying that they will call them later.
When reaching the bus stop, two Russian police officers caught her and said, “Oh, here you are” – and started pulling her. They brought her again to the same police department.
— Hey, haven’t you been here just now, — said a captain woman, smoking in a sick cigarette fog.
— They took me from the bus stop.
— Outrageous, — said the captain and threw the stick holding in her hands.
After hearing this, her father again became pale.
— You have been there twice. Haven’t they registered your name during your second visit?
— No, they did not register anything, that captain woman said that I could go.
When her father went out to Tolebayev Street, looking at his shape, she had a thought: “Is my father also the same as the Chief prosecutor at the square?”

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