ONE DAY

Munavvara USMONOVA

ONE DAY

My son Elyorbek was four or five years old. On the eve of the holiday, he used to say (as a child) «Give me a present and I will congratulate you.» When his father showed the gift he had received and said it was on behalf of the two of us, he would kick and cry. If I took some kind of fabric, scarf or towel from the shelf, he would be happy to wrap it up. On the morning of the holiday, they congratulated me by saying: «I love you, my dear.» I remember it was March 6. I said to my son: «You always asked me for a present, why are you silent this year?» He smiled showing his front teeth and said, «I’m a big boy, a boy who goes to school should get a gift himself.» Tears came to my eyes when I heard that he saved a couple of soums for his lunch to buy a gift.

The next day, my son’s teacher called my office and said, «Elyorbek didn’t come back to the classroom after a long break, we can’t find him anywhere,» my heart sank. After communicating with his father, one of us ran to the house and the other to the school. We couldn’t find it either at home or at close relatives. Everyone stood up, and I said: «My child is smart, he will definitely find our home.» He will take care of me alone.» I used to cry. The leaders of the school and the teacher would die with us. The teacher was a new bride. He said that two days ago, my son said to him: «Teacher, the shiny kerchief is beautiful, I will wear it like that, will it sell?» they asked. Simply teacher also said that «it is full of commercial stores in the district center». Thanking for remembering this, we headed to the district center. We asked every store owner. We have a long way to our house. It was obvious that he didn’t know which bus to take back home. Even when the day began to darken, my life was dark, and there was no trace of it. When we reported to the internal affairs and sat down in front of the street gate, my son’s voice rang in my ears. I saw with my own eyes that he was running from the beginning of the street. I said « wow» out of joy. He covered the thing in his hand behind his back. He said that he recognized the bus that was going to his kindergarten and got on it. He went around the shops and bought a shiny scarf like the one his teacher had wrapped. He also received gifts from his two grandmothers. Then he sat down on the return bus and fell asleep. On the way back to his address, the driver uncle saw him and woke him up and said, «How do you know your house, boy? There is a cemetery near the canal, and I will recognize it if I go down there.» He found our house himself.

As soon as I expressed a thousand thanks for my child’s safety and for coming to know his home, panic and fear did not leave my heart. I went out late at night. My fever rose. I could not even speak because my lips were swollen. When I opened my eyes, my son was sitting on my head. A shiny scarf with a single rose in her hand... To my question, why didn’t you sleep on the day off? «Forgive me, I made my mother sick in order to make my mother happy, I asked God to make my mother well,» she cried.

Fortunately, we have holidays. Goodness is good! We made it again to the days when grandfathers are good to mothers, children are to their mothers, brothers are to their sisters, and they are dying to hear about their condition.

This year, moms are welcoming another new spring. My heart and soul have gone before me. I’m falling in love with my mother. Happy spring. I made a beautiful dress, I will take a scarf. Then... then all my pains will be gone and I will be younger than spring...

Translator - Madinabonu Makhammadrizoyeva