Don't Sit There, Calvin

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Day 33, July 28, 2009, Tuesday, Sheishembi

Well, actually this entry is being written on the following day. There were some things that happened on Tuesday. And there are a couple of follow-ups for Monday.

Monday: Ernes returned from a visit to Manas University where he went through a series of interviews and announced that he had been accepted and had enrolled there to begin in September with a plan to study business management. He also said that on Tuesday we would need to go to Ataturk-Ala-Too University to get some money back from them. I did not ask about it since I thought he knew the policies, but I did think it odd that any University would refund an application fee or an enrollment fee.

Ernes and Timka spent Monday listening to rap music, Ernes wanted my Ipod and threatened to take it to the village when he and his dad left. I kept saying no. I tried to explain that he needed a new one he could set up to work with his Windows PC and that they did not work interchangeably between two operating systems, but I am not sure that ever got communicated. At any rate he took it to bed with him.

Tuesday: I woke up about 5 am, went to the living room where Ernes was sleeping like a rock and found the Ipod next to him. I quietly liberated it and hid it in my little bag with the cameras and my passport. And I waited to see what the reaction would be when he woke up. Our plan for the day included going to Ala-Too U to get the money, then going to the Zum to get Ernes a new smart phone that cost $428 and for me to pick up a baby gift for my friend Ulan's new little baby boy.

Once Ernes and Timka got up around 10 am, there were things to do and Ainura prepared a breakfast for them and Dushen. A short time later, Timka asks me if I have the Ipod. “No, Ernes had it last,” I say deadpanning it. “Is it missing?”

“He doesn't have Calvin.”

“What did he do with it? He had it in his pocket when he went to bed?”

“It wasn't there when he got up.”

“Well, I hope he can find it. It would be awful for him to have to buy me a new one.”

Soon, Ernes comes to the living room and asks if I have it. I go through much of the same routine with him. Suggesting that maybe the thieves (uruu) had sneaked in during the night and had taken it. The subject is dropped after awhile and we head out.

But the trip out to the eastern edge of Bishkek to the university was a little disappointing. They did not refund the $400. But we went on to the Zum, I shopped a little dragging the two of them with me. Neither are shoppers and they tire quickly. I looked for some newborn outfits, but found none. And I finally settled for a stuffed bear, had it boxed and was through at the Zum. I still needed to go to an Apteka to see if we could stop my runny nose and get a replacement for the naproxin sodium I ran out of this morning. So, I knew there was a place a short distance away at Sovietsky and Chuy Prospect where I had been the other day.

I headed the boys out the north doors and told them we would walk a bit and see what was to be seen. They groaned but can't just leave me. I spot a vendor who has chilled water buy some and walk over to a wall to sit and drink it. “No, Calvin,” says Timka, ”don't sit here. Only the old women who are begging sit here. Let's walk and you can drink.”

“But, I want to sit for a moment and have this bottle of water. I don't understand why sitting here in the shade for a few minutes is a problem.”

“Come on, Calvin. Don't sit here. Sit over here,” he said indicating the nearby bus stop.”

Unfortunately for him, I was in my eishak (donkey) mood and refused to move. Ernes gave up on me and went to get himself a Sprite. And I sat where the begging women were apparently assigned seating by the Ministry of Charity, or some such agency. Mind you, only Timka seemed concerned. The closest beggar was about 100 feet way and was not giving me funny looks. The Bishkekians who passed by seemed unaware of my faux pas, and gave me no quizzical or threatening looks. So I think it just made Timka and his village consciousness uncomfortable to be immersed in the life of the big city.

At any rate, after a little rest I moved on but took them through the little mini-bazaar that is under the intersection of Soviet and Chuy. Vendors there have socks, handkerchiefs, writing tablets and writing instruments, stickers, temporary tattoos, and all sorts of office supplies, like paper clips, staples, staplers, and other wonders. I am trying to kill some time because I have a 1:00 pm lunch and it is about 12:20. The boys are going crazy because I stop to look at things. I finally usher them up the steps to street level where the pharmacy is located and drag them in with me. I show the woman behind the counter the Alieve bottle. She has none but does have a possible substitute. I show her the Fluctanase nose spray, she has a substitute. I show her the Tylenol Allergy-Sinus, she has a substitute. I take the substitutes, pay 637 Soms ($14) and we are back on the street at 12:30. Still much too early to head to the restaurant to meet Ulan to celebrate the birth of the baby lunch. I try to convince the boys that the should just grab a taxi and head home and that I will grab a taxi around 1 go to the restaurant on my own. Of course, that will not do. We discuss it. Timka calls Ulan. Ulan assures Timka that I have correct information about the location of the restaurant and that it is just across from the Central Mosque. The two of them say, okay, Calvin. We will get one taxi, take you to the restaurant, and then we will go home. I say you could come to lunch, they say no. We find a taxi. He takes us to the Mosque, the restaurant Usta is on the corner. Everyone gets out of the taxi and it is 12:40. I don't expect Ulan until 1 or 1:10 pm. Ernes and Timka are worried that I will get lost or do something crazy. I assure them I am a big boy who knows how to take care of himself and that Ulan will soon be there. So, they should take the taxi home and stop making the driver wait for them. As they go, I ask if they would like to take the iPod with them. Pull it out of the bag and hand it to Timurlan. Both of them breathe a sigh of relief, I told them to watchout for uruus. And I went into the restaurant to wait for Ulan and the others to arrive. I sit where I can look out a window and after a bit of confusion finally manage to say that my friend is coming and I will eat then. And I manage to order a Fanta, which in Kyrgyzstan is an orange soda.

Ulan and four others arrive about 1:10 and we have a nice Turkish-style lunch of Iskander, Kefir, and water. I eat and talk. One of the men is working on the Gulen movement and writing a thesis on him at a University in Osh. He is primarily interested in Gulen as a man for others, as one whose life has been placed in the service of a higher ideal. We spoke some about the process of inter-religious dialogue in Kyrgyzstan and he told me that there were about 20 different Christian groups in Kyrgyzstan, including Adventist and Jehovah's Witnesses. The Jehovah's Witnesses are apparently scheduled to hold a very large meeting of about 10,000 in a Bishkek sports stadium in about a month. He said that the Witnesses would not participate in the Interfaith Dialogues and wondered why that was the case. I told him I was not sure but that the theology of the group understood itself to be separate from the world and had a claim to special relationship with God. That sort of thinking does not lead to cooperation with others.

After lunch, I went to Ulan's home to see the new baby, meet his mother, and to hand over the baby gift. The baby is named Ahmed (pronounced Ak-med). He had just come with his mother home from the hospital that morning after about 4 days. He is absolutely precious, tiny, with a head full of dark hair. He slept the whole time we were there having a great cup of Turkish coffee. Since I was scheduled to head to Naryn around 2:30 or 3:00, Ulan brought me home. As I was putting on my shoes I got a little light-headed and dizzy, but it passed. Then I noticed that my stomach was hurting. By the time I got home I was rushing for the bathroom. I think it was MSG again. The symptoms were quite similar to the other day. I took some immodium and slept. (Actually, it turns out I am lactose intolerant and that may have been the reason for the stomach issues.)

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