From Sokrat Shyti
Part Seven
Memorie.al / The writer Sokrat Shyti is the “great unknown” who, for several years, has revealed the tip of the iceberg of his literary creativity. I say this based on the limited number of his published books in recent years, primarily the voluminous novel “Nata fantazmë” (Tirana 2014). His novels: “PËRTEJ MISTERIT”, “MES TUNDIMIT DHE VORBULLËS”, “GËRRYERJET E MAKTHIT”, “HIJA E TURPIT DHE E VDEKJES”, “KOLONELI KRYEDHJAK”, “SHPRESAT E NËMURA”, “PËSHTJELLIMET E FATIT” I, II, “MBIJETESA NË KASOLLEN E LOPËS”, as well as other works, all novels ranging from 350 to 550 pages, are in manuscript form waiting to be published. The dreams and initial excitement of the young novelist, returning from studies abroad full of energy and love for art and literature, were cut short early on by the brutal edge of communist dictatorship.
Who is Sokrat Shyti?
Having returned from studies at Moscow State University, right after the rupture of Albanian-Soviet relations in 1960, Sokrat Shyti worked at Radio “Diapazon” (which at that time was located on Kavaja Street), in an editorial office with his journalist friends – Vangjel Lezho and Fadil Kokomani – both later arrested and subsequently executed by the communist regime. Besides the radio, Sokrati, at the age of 21, if we may imagine, had passionate literary interests at that time. He wrote his first novel “Madam doktoresha” and was on the verge of publication, but… alas! Right after the arrest of his friends, to fill the cup, a brother of his, a painter, fled abroad.
Sokrat was arrested in September 1963, and in November of that year, he was sent into internment (together with his mother and younger sister) to a location between Ardenica and Kolonje in Lushnja. For 27 consecutive years, the family lived in a livestock shed made of reeds, without windows, while Sokrat was subjected to forced labor. During these 27 years, he was legally obligated to report three times a day to the regional authority. He had no right to move from the place of internment and was deprived of any kind of documentation, etc. In these conditions, among a livestock shed, he gave birth and raised his children. It was precisely from this event, or rather a very long history of persecution, that he was inspired to write the book “Survival in the Livestock Shed”!
Agron Tufa
Continues from the previous issue
EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK, “SURVIVAL IN THE LIVESTOCK SHED”
“Down on the street, cars awaited the escorts and mourners. In the first car sat your mother with the family members. Following them was the car with the two priests and the chairman of the Holy Synod. The deacon took his place in the hearse. All measures had been taken for the funeral to proceed amid a profound silence of mourning. Only the sorrowful bells were heard, accompanying the cortege until the complete conclusion of the ceremony.
Upon the arrival of the main escorts and mourners at the church, the coffin of the deceased was placed on the epitaph, and the Mass began with the reading of the comforting words of the Bishop of Berat, addressed to the congregation and the family, expressing the high appreciation of the Episcopate for a faithful servant with deep convictions towards God, who, like no one else, calmed troubled souls with wise explanations, advising them never to lose their faith in the hope of the Almighty, the Only One who clears our minds and enlightens our sight. To fulfill the wish of the deceased, the grave was opened next to the son.”
Because the souls of the deceased do not dissolve in the mud of the earth, but continue to wander through the endless space, conversing and exchanging thoughts with one another. Due to a lack of space, the initial idea emerged that father and son should be together in the same grave. However, someone rightfully opposed this, saying that exhuming the son would cause an uncontrollable wave of grief for Lady Ana. Therefore, the second option was decided: to add a new row of graves on the right side, by the decision of the Church Council and the Holy Synod, which would neither disrupt the urban planning of the cemetery nor affect the spaces between them.
-“How terrible! No one else could fill the emptiness of my soul that was created the moment the director of the Gymnasium informed me of the decision of the Pedagogical Council, telling me to go home without taking the end-of-year exams, insisting on convincing me with an explanation of the excellent results…!
I am very grateful for the detailed explanations, which even my mother wouldn’t have articulated so precisely and thoroughly!”
-“I too feel quite relieved that I was given this opportunity!” – my neighbor said.
-“When I left the military unit to run some errands, I had a strong inner impulse that I would meet my dear friend, with whom I have shared countless thoughts. Perhaps our meeting was a wonderful alignment of coincidence and desire because for a long time, I have been burdened by the obligation to you, which still had not come to the moment to comfort you for the passing of your father and our family friend.
-I owe the Church and the residents of this city, who honored and mourned my dear father so much, for his final resting place!” – I expressed my family’s gratitude to my neighbor.
-“All the funeral expenses, including the wake, were borne by the Church. Meanwhile, the organizing Committee of the collective and residents of three faiths expressed their wish to assist your family, considering how much Master Thanasi has given to this city. For the first time, a unanimous wish was expressed…”!
-“I don’t believe the party members and officials of the two committees joined this wish. It must have happened the same as with my brother’s burial; they did not attend to show how heartless they are! Their cynicism reached its peak when they expelled a deceased person from the Party because he did not agree while alive to abide by their inhumane demands!” – I completed my neighbor’s thoughts.
-“When they missed the funeral of the party candidate, a participant in the youth actions, whom they were formally obliged to attend, it was assumed that they would not be present at your father’s farewell either, explaining that communists are atheists, while Master Thanasi, a believer by conviction, served the Church his entire life,” – Mukja reinforced his impression.
-“I have one more unclear thing,” – I added, my gaze fixed on his eyes: “Do you know why I wasn’t informed when my father passed away?”
-“I have full knowledge,” – my neighbor immediately replied.
-“I went myself to see Lady Ana and asked her: Should I inform Sokrat? She did not allow me, saying that her husband left a dying wish, ‘not to disturb the blood of the son in Shkodra.’ ‘And I will keep his wish!’” – emphasized mother Ana.
-“But the director of the Gymnasium was aware of the calamity in my family; I would not doubt that.”
-“This happened a few days after the funeral. When he came to your home for condolences, the director of our ‘Model’ school, mother Ana shared her concern about how she should act to inform the Gymnasium director that Sokrat’s father had passed away, but without violating the deceased’s wishes, so that the son would not find out, as it would disturb the blood.
‘I’ll take care of that!’ – our school principal replied immediately. And as soon as he left your house, he sent an official telegram to the Gymnasium’s administration, informing them and briefly explaining why this bitter news had to be kept secret, and ideally that the student’s departure should be natural, just before the summer holidays.”
-“And that’s how it actually happened,” – I added with a sigh. – “The Gymnasium director, as a psychologist, prepared me spiritually and mentally, even though he tried to convince me that my premature departure home was considered by the Pedagogical Council as a well-deserved exit, befitting a student with all fives.”
-“And they had the right. Why is the exam held in the end?! To assess the student’s knowledge,” – my “commander” emphasized. – “When you have received only fives throughout the year, with no fours, you have naturally succeeded in passing all subjects. Thus, the reasoning of the Gymnasium director was quite convincing.”
-“If you have time and this doesn’t interfere with your work, accompany me home so that my mother doesn’t get overwhelmed and start crying out loud, mentioning my father’s dying wish?… I am convinced that your presence will serve as a comfort for both my mother and me…”!
-“You did well to direct the request to me, as I had the same thought, but I hesitated to express it, because perhaps you wanted to be alone with your mother, after such a long separation of a year, especially since your family is missing the pillar of the household,” – Mukja expressed his willingness.
He took the suitcase despite my protests to carry it myself. And along the way, he advised me not to lose my composure when I embraced my mother. “Since weeping with sobs causes unbearable pain in an open wound and becomes the cause for starting loud lamentations, which will shake both of us to the core of our hearts.”
-“Let me speak. You embrace and kiss her hands, remaining as composed as possible. Weep in silence. When she asks how you learned about your father’s death, you will say from Mukja. I happened to meet him on the street and he explained the whole bitter event to me in the club. Then, without prolonging it, move on to thanking the Church, the work collective, and the residents of the city,” – he emphasized.
The first to get ready to enter the room was Mukja. Therefore, he left the suitcase in the hallway so as not to surprise her. But he hesitated when he saw and heard mother Ana, sitting on the bench, looking at some photographs and murmuring to herself. He signaled for us to wait a bit longer, not to interrupt her conversation with the photographs. Her murmuring was clearly audible in the deep silence of the house. If one were completely unaware, it would seem as if two people were conversing in low voices:
(“God granted you a clear mind, a compassionate and great heart, to care for all the poor. But these wicked ones here, with their evil eye, suffered when they heard of your wisdom, going mad with rage, because simple people loved and respected you! How much they loved you was shown when they accompanied you to the Church of Golem: all of Lushnja turned out! They carried you in their arms and shed tears as if you were their father! This was the highest appreciation for you and your family. Do you remember?
Before your soul departed into my embrace, you gave me your last instructions for the little boy, as you constantly had your mind on him.
-‘Ana! I fear that Sokrat, will follow the same bitter fate as mine’!… you whispered with a voice that was fading.
-‘Why do you think such bad thoughts?’ – I wanted to dispel this notion. – ‘We lived through a tumultuous time, with two wars, we experienced the terrible sorrow of hunger! And yet we survived, we gave birth and raised a bunch of children! While today’s life is different from ours.’
-‘You are mistaken, my woman!’ – you replied. – ‘Those who hold power today buy and sell the bodies of people, while they disdain the spirit and mind. You will live many years after me. You will witness with your own eyes these things that you are now hearing from me. Because you will be bound together like flesh and bone’ with the son of your old age. Together you will experience the bitter fate!’…
-‘Again with the bitter fate?!’ – I scolded you.
-‘He appears before my eyes with my last breaths.’
‘There my mind dwells. But you, as a wise woman, will keep this thought to yourself. We shouldn’t burden the boy, as he is still growing. God willing, may your fertile mind give him what I was not given! Therefore, I leave you a dying wish: do not disturb his blood with the news of his father’s passing! For he has a very sensitive soul, like mine, and the pain could cause him serious injuries.
When the time comes for him to return home, after the school year ends, let him hear from you that his father left him as a unique inheritance, the holy blessing, which will also be followed by your blessing later. This blessing will not be separated from him even for a moment! My soul will always be by his side…’!
At that moment, she interrupted her murmurs as she felt footsteps on the floorboards and raised her eyes to see who had arrived.
-“Are you alone, without Kaden? – she asked Mukja. – Why didn’t you bring your mother with you? Or did fate lead you this way?!…
You know that I constantly keep an eye on the door, hoping the boy will appear at home, and since I have no one, I converse with the photographs…”!
-“Our ancestors have said: the dying wish is not dissolved by the earth, it remains eternal and appears at the right time!” – Mukja replied, kissing her hand and signaling me to come in. – “It must have been written by God for me to bring the little boy from Shkodra home!” – he said.
-“Really!”… she exclaimed, rising to her feet. The photographs slipped from her lap onto the carpet. (I hurried to put the photographs back on the bench, because at that moment it seemed to me that I heard my father’s groaning, and I enveloped her weakened body in my arms). – “Mukja! What happened? Did you know he was coming and were you waiting for him at the station? Who informed you?!”… – mother Ana asked with tearful eyes.
We slowly lowered her onto the bench. She did not let go of my hands for a moment and continued to kiss me. It felt like a dream that I was sitting right next to her! Mukja began to explain how we met purely by chance, but in reality, this meeting should not be called a coincidence.
-“Because,” he continued, “no one could clarify and soothe your Sokrat and my closest friend better than I.” – “Did it really happen purely by chance?!” She expressed her disbelief a bit, doubting whether Mukja was hiding something from her to dispel any doubts from her mind. I briefly summarized the main parts of our conversation, being careful not to mention delicate details that could cause agitation or irritation. I reinforced Mukja’s thought that an intermediary as precise and suitable as he was, cannot be found in our city.
-“Because Mukja has been and remains a friend, with the love of a brother!” – I emphasized.
-“We, Sokrat and I, like rarely anyone else during the War, became like two mothers: Kade and Ana!”
“This miracle was given only to us by God!” – he said with a cheerful glance.
-“If I didn’t have Nurisha and Kade, how would I bear the dreadful calamity when God took the divine mother to the Heavenly Kingdom nine years ago?!”… he said to Mukja, embracing him with maternal love.
-“With all my great desire to stay with you, please allow me to leave to carry out some assigned tasks!” – he addressed mother Ana as he stood up. – “I hope that tomorrow I won’t have to arrange any vehicles from my unit for going and coming to the Church of Golem, so that both of you can stay with me there for a few moments!”… – he promised, confident that mother Ana wouldn’t distress me with her lamentations, hoping she would endure until the next day to pour out the unending pains of her tortured spirit over the two graves./Memorie.al
Continues next issue
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