Doomsday Song

One of the craftsmen who entered our apartment immediately caught my attention.

My father is an old man. The doctor is meticulous. He immediately looks at the color. A second is enough.

It seemed that a lot of pain had settled in this pale, limp body. As I counted them in my mind, I couldn't imagine what miracles the old, sick master could perform among the young. In addition to the pain in his body, there was another worldly suffering that was leaking from his gaze and heart, revealing his mental state.

Temur, who missed his grandfather, ran to him and hugged the old man. He, too, missed his grandchildren, knelt down and hugged my son, smelling him. Tears welled up in his eyes. Then he tried to pick him up, but before he could stand up, he stumbled and staggered. If the skilled men hadn't caught him, he would have fallen with the boy. The poor thing blushed and felt embarrassed, slowly put Temur down on the ground, and in a barely audible low voice, he apologized to me or to him.

"Don't blame me, my daughter. I miss my grandchildren. I wish we had a blonde like that..."

Looking at his face, covered in crumpled paper, I remembered my father.

No. My dad is very handsome. His face always shines. Especially when he smiles and laughs.

This man, however, seemed to be writhing in pain, even though he was laughing.

The most terrifying sight I noticed at the end was the way his body was leaning to one side. It reminded me of an old, flimsy crane at a construction site that could topple over in the slightest breeze.

Our neighbor, who had led them, praised the work of the craftsmen without saying a word, and as if sensing what was going through my mind, he gave special emphasis to the old man:

— Uncle Komil is especially great! Honest, agile, experienced… in short, a “number one” builder. Don’t look at his age! He gives rest to ten guys. Even if he doesn’t sleep, he gets the job done. He doesn’t give the rest too much rest either. That’s why his work is productive. And there’s no question about “repairs”! You saw for yourself! “Koroche”, you won’t regret it, neighbor. The price is also much cheaper than in the market. You can even say that the water is free. Don’t hesitate!

The craftsmen inspected our apartment, looked at the size of the job, and gave us a fair price. After consulting, I told them to come to a stop and call, and they followed me. They also had a month's worth of work elsewhere.

...Temurbek likes to play construction. Among his cars, the most popular is the construction crane. From the miniature car that breaks into pieces and scatters, to the latest model, modern, electronically controlled, capable of performing several tasks, there is even a crane. It moves backward and forward. It lifts toy beams tied to a rope and delivers them to the "construction site". We just need to power it up in time.

That day, as usual, he turned the hotel into a construction site and set his beloved crane in motion. I'll do the rest. First, I have to clear the area, pour a basket of Lego bricks, and build a foundation with the strongest ones. I can hear the "workers" without having to talk to them. Every day, I performed my duties perfectly and played my roles skillfully. Today, my mood is much lower. My mind is not in order.

I couldn't "mine" a concrete mixer, an excavator, a bulldozer, or even a regular truck. Noticing his mother's moodiness, Temur, who trusted no one, handed me the control panel of his crane:

"Okay, you ride the crane today!"

I took the control equipment in my hands, and at the command of the "foreman," I hooked the "beams" tied to the rope to the crane's nose and pressed the button... The machine, which always does the job easily, for some reason this time, could not lift the load, and it sagged a couple of times and then turned off.

Timur raised a fuss, scolded me for being irresponsible, and then found a power bank somewhere.

Understandable. So we forgot to power it up.

Towards evening the wind died down, and soon another moan joined its howling. At first I thought it sounded like the sound of an old, rusty "kacheli" in the yard.

Squeal-squeal...squeal-squeal.

No. Not his. After all, the playground under our house had already been renovated, and all the equipment, including the old iron swing, had already been replaced.

Since the sound was louder in the kitchen, I looked out the window and understood everything.

The nose of one of the construction cranes installed on one of the construction sites in the neighborhood was swaying in the wind, making a noise.

The wind picked up again.

For some reason, tears welled up in my eyes.

Unable to bear the groaning from outside any longer, I closed the window.

However, the sound pierced through the closed window, piercing my brain like a trumpet, leaving no room for me to escape to or hide in.

At that moment, I had one prayer in my heart to Allah. If the Creator, the Wind, the crane, the window, the house, me... and all of creation were to be shattered into a million pieces, then the world would be rebuilt again, as simple and flawless as it was at Temur's construction site...

As if reading my thoughts, nature burst into tears.

"Will it wash away the world?" he shouted.

My son, terrified, ran into me:

-Is Allah crying, mother?

I hugged her and stared into her innocent eyes. I sighed deeply, hoping for something...

By evening, the rain had stopped. The asphalt was covered in muddy water that had no channels, creating a "sea." The cars, which had begun to float like waves, turned into ships.

My son's eyes lit up when he saw this scene. He was delighted to find a new toy. He pointed to our car parked on the ground below and shouted:

"Wow. I'll be the captain myself. Let's go, honey. We'll save the worms, ants, cats, and puppies that are left in the sea!"

I hugged him. My heart was lightened, and we went down together. The ship was in a rough sea, and we still couldn't find the drowned. Although he was disappointed, we went around for a long time. Finally, he realized something and encouraged me:

"Okay, so God saved everyone. We're going home, maybe someone will get lost on the way..."

I picked up my exhausted "captain" and pressed the elevator button, but it didn't come. So it's broken again.

I started to climb the stairs. Before I reached the second floor, I heard someone's broken voice. Someone was talking on the phone on the empty stairs, trying not to let anyone hear.

The voice was so painful that I involuntarily remembered the old man from yesterday.

Yes, that's it! Just like him!

Even though he was leaning against the iron railings of the stairs, he was still crooked and wobbly. I was afraid that if he gave up even a little, he would fall off the railings. I wanted to hurry up and tell him that although the house was built twenty-three years ago, it was strong, the railings were fragile, and that if he fell, he would be injured. But with my child in my arms and a bag filled with groceries on the way back from the store, I could not jump up the stairs as usual, and began to climb heavily;

-Okay, okay, I said, old woman. I'll send it. Just be patient. It will be given to you sooner or later... How much?... Oh my!!! What a high price! Can't it be cheaper? Is the aparasiya so expensive? Is it because of the medicine?... Don't cry. May the ghost of my grateful son and daughter-in-law not cry!...

First, I heard a question, encouragement, and comfort from someone on the phone... and then again, the terrifying sound of the storm;

Squeak-squeak..squeak-squeak… Uvvvv…

I sat on the steps, my hands busy, unable to cover my ears.

Then more encouragement, comfort, question:

"Our grandson will definitely get back on his feet. We'll have his sister Barnokhan's eye operated on too. Maybe we'll bring her to Tashkon... You worthless, stupid woman! But there are much more experienced doctors in the garden!"

Squeak-squeak..squeak-squeak… Uvvvv…

"Don't worry about me! I'm a horse. Eeee, I won't die."

Even though it's against my custom, even though it's a sin, I'm still listening, kneeling down, not making a sound.

-Are you going to send me a million today? ...I sent it on Sunday. I probably won't find it now, mother... I know, I understand... I'm just a little bit of a workaholic...

- A loan? Is it time for the loan? My son and daughter-in-law, who bought a house on credit, have just died in Russia, and we have no money now. Can't you tell me to be patient?... My old man went to Toshkon at that age. When you say he will find money, I'm saying maybe they will take pity on him and be patient...

Squeak-squeak..squeak-squeak… Uvvvv…

-Didn't you say that one of my grandchildren has cancer, the other has a minus eight eye, and that he stopped talking after his parents died?...Did you say that? Didn't he stop talking?

"What's the point of money in our family? Did you say everyone is as poor as we are? Didn't you say my other son hasn't received his salary in Russia for three months? Didn't you say his kidneys hurt too? Yes, I know they won't listen, they won't understand... Okay, I'm just a servant."

Don't cry, old woman...

— …When did they turn off the lights? The new three are counting wrong, and we didn't say we didn't use it very much… Shall we sell the manure from the barn, old woman?… We won't be able to keep up with your livestock, will we! Winter is long…. We'll just have to do something. I'll go and cut down two apricots, don't worry about the firewood! …How much, how much… I know your grandchildren will eat it, and they need firewood too, old woman…

Uvvvv….Gʻiyq-gʻiyq..gʻiyq-gʻiiiiyq… Uvvvv…

-I'm saying I'll work harder... Yes, we came to the landlord who has debts. I did a little work for him today. But now he doesn't have a penny. He'll give it to me... Don't cry, I understand, for the medicine... Your grandson will live, he will live. Barno will also talk, his eyes will be "squinting".

I understood everything.

The sound that was piercing my brain was not coming from the crane or the wind, but from inside this old man!

Oh God! If the cry of one of your strangers is so great, what about the cries of millions of your poor and needy?!

Bank, credit, medicine, debt, tappi, death...

I'll hate all the words in the dictionary!

If I set fire to the usurious banks, large and small offices that destroy orphans, prisoners, and the poor, and that do not recognize pain, poverty, or death, wouldn't the world be on fire?!

If I picked up your children who were warming themselves with a tapi in the twenty-first century, wouldn't the sun melt?!

Don't lift my son, your old man, who doesn't have the strength to lift a crane, is the blessing that strengthens thousands of your workers who are aging in the fields, markets, construction sites, in the cold forests of the rice fields, and in the factories of the Karis - a child, a child.

Why are you testing that old man so hard? Wouldn't the doomsday be even worse if even the tiniest power supplies in the painting were turned off?!

Yes, a world where even a single cow's dung is seen by the poor!

Please, God, pour out a rain of ten times, a hundred times stronger than the previous one on those who sell electricity, gas, etc., those who cheat, those who manufacture meters that calculate incorrectly, and those who are big and small embezzlers, who are fattening like pigs at the expense of the people!

Gather and exile to the Day of Judgment those who separate children from their fathers and parents from their children, forcing them to work as laborers!

If all your fruit trees were burned for firewood, I would forget the taste of your juice that tickled my tongue as a child, and instead of sweet tales, I would write horrors and doomsdays!

Will my name go down in history as a rebel, not a storyteller?!

-I can't send a million today, old lady... I can't! Don't break my heart...

….Grumble-grumble..grumble-grumble… Uvvvv

If I hear a little more, neither the iron bars that barely hold the old man back, nor the house, nor the world can withstand it...

I don't know how I managed to jump up with the boy and the backpack.

I ran home. I had a little less than a million. I took it and ran back to the stairs.

With tears in my eyes, I handed it to my uncle, who had turned off his phone. He understood everything. He bowed his head as if he had done something wrong by speaking. He was crying too, and he wished he could take the money! I forced him to give it to me.

-Here, don't hesitate. We're calling you for house repairs anyway. You look like a native of the valley. Besides, you're a stranger. If I listen to all your pain and remain silent, what will I say when we meet on the Day of Judgment, uncle?!

Then give me the details of the hospital where your grandson is. Maybe I can talk to the doctors. Then we can show you your little grandson.

Boyakish's shoulders shook as he cried, fumbling with his phone, searching for someone's number, and praying incessantly. He repeated his words to her, telling her to pay back the debt, and then straightening his crooked figure slightly, he went down the stairs.

The next morning, I couldn't wait and called the boy's doctor. He was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. This disease used to only affect adults. Unfortunately, recently it has also been found in children.

A disease caused by overeating, then overeating, consuming very hot or very cold food and drinks, sweets laced with chemicals, and various widely advertised poisons such as painkillers and fever reducers.

"Khartugul, since it's just the beginning, it can be treated. The doctor advised taking him to Tashkent. That was my intention too."

Then I led Temurbeg to the playground. Our neighbor, who had led the craftsmen yesterday, also brought his child. He was in a good mood. They looked around and looked around.

-You're in a great mood!

-What if I don't? I got the money for it yesterday. Today, the boss is bringing me a car. "Cobalt". I'll wash it for the money. You can sit at the "Bukhara Cafe" next door. I wanted the dark red one from yours. There's plenty of cheap asphalt. Thank you for that!

Usually, at such times, I would congratulate you from the bottom of my heart. But this time, my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. That voice came back to me:

Squeak-squeak…squeak-squeak…uvvvvv….

Then, the words I heard on the stairs last night echoed:

"We came home with a lot of debt. I told Yaga that I had some work to do. But now she doesn't have a penny. She'll give it to me..."

I repeated his words to my neighbor, word for word, word for word. But he didn't move a single hair. No, he just kept saying:

-Uffffff….I know. We have a little debt left. We'll pay it! If only there were craftsmen in the village who wouldn't call a dog. They were acquaintances of an acquaintance of mine, so we took pity and had them do the "repair"…

"You praised me yesterday! Besides, I saw it myself."

He smiled:

-They really do a great job! They work like donkeys. They don't procrastinate like others, they finish ahead of schedule. But we've paid almost all of their bills on time. Now, when there's a small amount left, are they just being a jerk? If we hadn't gotten a car, I would have paid them yesterday. Someone is coming to the house, my neighbor. Besides, I have a "talk".

I didn't say another word to him. I shook my head in disgust and regret and walked away. My hands were clenched into fists, my eyes filled with tears, and my mind was filled with only one thought:

Squeak-squeak… squeak-squeak… uvvvv!

Muazzam IBROHIMOVA