From Sokrat Shyti
Part Thirty-Three
Memorie.al / 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 books published in recent years, primarily the voluminous novel “Nata fantazmë” (Ghost Night) (Tirana 2014). The novels: “PËRTEJ MISTERIT” (Beyond the Mystery), “MES TUNDIMIT DHE VORBULLËS” (Between Temptation and Whirlwind), “GËRRYERJET E MAKTHIT” (The Burrows of Nightmare), “HIJA E TURPIT DHE E VDEKJES” (The Shadow of Shame and Death), “KOLONELI KRYEDHJAK” (The Chief Colonel), “SHPRESAT E NËMURA” (The Withered Hopes), “PËSHTJELLIMET E FATIT” I, II (The Twists of Fate), “MBIJETESA NË KASOLLEN E LOPËS” (Survival in the Cow Shed), as well as other works, all novels of 350 – 550 pages, are in manuscript form waiting to be published. The dreams and initial vigor of the young novelist, who returned from studies abroad full of energy and love for art and literature, were cut short early by the harsh blade of the communist dictatorship.
Who is Sokrat Shyti?
Returning from studies at Moscow State University just after the break of Albanian-Soviet relations in 1960, Sokrat Shyti worked at Radio “Diapazon” (which at that time was located on Kavajë Street), in an editorial team with his journalist friends – Vangjel Lezho and Fadil Kokomani – both of whom were later arrested and executed by the communist regime. In addition to the radio, the 21-year-old Sokrat had a passionate interest in literature. He wrote his first novel “Madam doktoresha” (Madam Doctor) which was on the verge of publication when… oh dear! Right after the arrest of his friends, to add to the burdens, a brother of his, a painter, fled abroad.
Sokrat was arrested in September 1963, and in November of that year, he and his family (mother and younger sister) were exiled to a location between Ardenica and Kolonje in Lushnja. For 27 consecutive years, the family lived in a cow shed made of reeds, without windows, while Sokrat was subjected to forced labor. Throughout those 27 years, he was legally required to report three times a day to the local authority. He had no right to leave the place of internment and was deprived of all kinds of documents, etc. Under these conditions, amid a cow shed, he fathered and raised children. It is precisely from this experience, or more accurately, a very long story of persecution, that he based his writing for the book “Mbijetesa në kasollen e lopës” (Survival in the Cow Shed)!
Agron Tufa
Continued from the previous issue
EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK, “MBIJETESA NË KASOLLEN E LOPËS”
– “You’re so deeply lost in thought that you didn’t hear my footsteps?” I heard her voice behind me. “There’s something bothering you that you can’t express?” she added with a worried look.
– “No point in going around in circles,” I replied with a sigh.
– “No matter how bitter and heavy it is, you must say it!” she insisted. “It matters to me that it’s not part of our thoughts.”
– “In a way, it drains our thoughts; it causes us pain…”
– “We digest our pains; we are used to enduring.”
– “What’s important is that our love remains untouched and unharmed!” she emphasized, linking her arm with mine so we could walk slowly next to each other.
– “The beginning of doubt, that the bitter torment will always be present, was born the moment they put us in the cow shed. And indeed, that’s how it happened. Over these three years, I haven’t spent a single day without being stressed. In a way, I got used to this kind of horrifically gloomy life.
My adversaries, who watched all my movements with the help of shadows, although they felt satisfied that living in the cow shed fulfilled their malicious objectives, were still greedy and did not refrain from weaving new traps and intrigues to ensure I would never lift my head, never hope that for me and my family, a positive turning point would appear someday…”
– “You’re terrifying me with this way of expressing yourself?!… Why go around the bush and not say directly: is there something bothering you that have them tightening the noose around your neck, and now they’re reminded to pull the rope in revenge?”…
– “They have never ceased pulling the rope of punishment. And every time they see that the noose around my neck loosens a bit, I can breathe a little easier, as is happening in this period, they become enraged and infuriated like possessed beings, launching a frontal attack to deal us both the most disorienting blow…”!
– “Enough torturing me with literary explanations! – She interrupted me, annoyed. – First, tell me the news, then make your commentary!”
– “The Military Branch Angel informed me that an order has come from above for me to go to the military!”
– “Did they tell you today?!” she asked, her voice trembling. “Did they give you the call-up notice?”
– “He came socially, not officially. That’s why the meeting was held in secret, behind my sister’s house, in the garden. To avoid arousing suspicion, he was dressed in civilian clothes. Even though the news he gave me was bitter, I expressed my gratitude for the prior notice: Because for every family, a son leaving home for years is a significant concern. Especially for us, when after the major turning point, we were given the opportunity to begin preparations to lay the foundations for the future; this two-year separation would create a painful vacuum and hinder us from filling and correcting many other gaps.”
– “Did he tell you where you would go?” she asked, her voice quaking.
– “At that moment, I was quite shaken; I didn’t even think to ask about the location where I would serve,” I replied, trying to spare her more emotional burden that could lead to tears and sobs.
– “I believe you will be older than all the other soldiers,” she said with a sigh.
– “According to Angel’s statement, there are three or four of us of this age.”
– “Does it feel a bit heavy that you’ll be in a military unit with eighteen-year-olds?” she added with a sad expression.
– “This worries me less, if not at all, since I have the ability to form friendly relationships with the youth,” I answered, trying to somewhat lighten the oppressive weight of our imminent separation.
– “Do you know who has arranged this scheme?” she asked.
– “This is not the only concern,” I responded.
– “Perhaps my assumption I’m about to express doesn’t hold. But I increasingly believe that they have deliberately concocted mandatory military service to cause us spiritual pain. I am a thousand percent convinced that malicious, black-hearted people hope that this temporary separation will create rifts or cracks between us, based on the saying often used: ‘Out of sight, out of mind.’ Why do I have this doubt? You might ask. Because if they had intended to draft me, they would have called me even once during these three years. Since this hasn’t truly happened, it implies what I mentioned earlier: that this trick has undoubtedly been concocted by wicked rulers.”
– “Considering this assumption, I fear that the spies there might set up some vile scheme…” she said, her eyes brimming with tears, almost ready to break down.
– “This case cannot be ruled out either. Therefore, I will be quite careful and attentive, not leaving you any opportunity!” I promised to calm her down.
– “What if they assign you to a very difficult and dangerous task? How will you act?” she asked anxiously.
– “Of course, at first I will accept, using the forced military language: ‘As you command!’ Later, I will try to explain the difficulty of fulfilling the task, so that the commanders reconsider. If he is convinced that this task is unsuitable for me, perhaps he might withdraw it and assign it to a younger soldier who is eager to impress the superiors. But besides that, what else concerns you?” I added, focusing my gaze on her eyes.
– “Surely I will miss being close to you and hearing your voice! Of course, you will feel the same. Day and night, our thoughts will be with each other. But you will find it harder. I am in my own home, living near my parents, spending part of my time at school: with students, my friends, and colleagues. While you will be confined between military regulations and strict discipline; you will constantly be fed tea, soup, beans, pilaf, and pasta every day; you will sleep in barracks with straw mattresses and war-era blankets. And if that isn’t enough, you will lack the freedom of action, which kills anyone more than anything else.”
– “Survival in the cow shed during these years has had a good side: it has trained me, hardened me, and helped me adapt more quickly to the harsh conditions of life. In the worst-case scenario, the barracks of the unit might be quite similar to the cow shed if the military unit has been hastily set up in a rugged mountainous area…! As for sleeping and the monotonous food, I will get used to it. After your absence, freedom of movement takes second place. A mere four hours of granted leave would allow me to fly straight to you!”
– “You’ve endured these three years!… Why must there be two more years of separation?!” she added with complaint through her tears.
– “Because the envious never tire of the misfortunes of others!” I told her.
– “But they will not succeed in breaking us!” she completed.
– “Because our divine love grows stronger every day!” I added with a smile, leaning in for a kiss.
– “Despite the difficult living conditions, which are not the same as in the city, my love for you will never fade!” she said, tightening her embrace around me and hiding her face so I wouldn’t see her tear-filled eyes.
– “I have no regrets about working my whole life in the countryside. I consider myself fortunate that God blessed me with love for you and allowed me to tie my life to the son of my heart…” she said, joyfully.
“This divine strength brought us together and will keep us bound for life!” I replied, kissing her.
– “This gives us the courage and patience to face every surprise, no matter how shocking. This will nurture our belief in the future, to dedicate ourselves body and soul to the children we will bear! Seeing life from this divine perspective, you are absolutely right when you say that we are fortunate to be connected with each other!”
– “Have you told your mother that soon you’ll be going to the military?” she asked, concerned.
– “This task was taken up by Stavri.”
– “Did he know in advance, or did you both discuss it before coming here?”
– “He was informed by ‘Çapi,’ the hunting dog,” I said with a smile. “Now, you have quite an important task: as soon as you return home, you must talk calmly with Mom. It’s important to be patient and careful, without emotions or tears, so you don’t cause any unnecessary worry. In your explanation, you must emphasize the main issue: that our engagement should take place in early March. After that, my departure for the military could be either at the end of March or in the first days of April.”
– “So soon?” she exclaimed with an inner cry, almost ready to break down.
As I had assured Argilini, I wasn’t as troubled by whom the malicious person behind this game was, as I was by the background schemes; on what law the conspirators based themselves to orchestrate this new drama against me. (According to an experienced lawyer’s explanation, my conscription constitutes a completely illegal act, given that I am interned and have lost all civil rights and obligations. With this status, I am strictly prohibited from participating either in the armed forces or in the Military Agricultural Farms, or short NBU, created solely for the children of declassified parents.
In the Penal Code, there is no excluding clause that would draw the attention of the Military Branch heads or guide them to draft those condemned by the Government Commission on Internment and Deportation. Since we do not have identification documents, any movement from one place to another is strictly prohibited without special permission from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. – Nevertheless, the lawyer emphasized at the end, one must not forget that everything here happens by chance, hence occasionally exceptions occur. Because in addition to the Constitution and various legal codes, dark forces operate that adhere to the postulate: when the judge catches you, there’s no place left to argue).
As we both lamented over the bitter news of my military departure, which appeared like a chilling storm and turned all our youthful dreams upside down, my sister’s husband, Stavri, was having a calm conversation with mother Anë, trying to convince her that every citizen of this state has obligations to their country, among which the foremost is the defense of the Homeland, as fulfilling military service is considered a duty above all duties.
– “I believe you should remember that the same thing happened to me…” he continued further, to soften her shock: “Do you remember? Immediately after the engagement, I went to the military!”
– “I keep it in mind. But you’re going to serve in the military was completely different from this current situation. First of all, you were young and did not bear the burden of a family on your shoulders. So you went happily and proudly, as a communist. Whereas with my son, the opposite is happening: On one hand, they call him declassified, interned, an enemy! On the other hand, they call him a soldier! These two things do not coincide. In my opinion, this current conscription is deliberately orchestrated by wicked souls! They are still not satiated with our suffering?!”
– “I understand your spiritual state: since you’re troubled by the shock, your son’s call to the military seems like a deliberate action,” Stavri tried to calm her.
– “Even though I am neither a lawyer, judge, nor prosecutor, I know that two opposing things can never coexist. For this, no philosopher can convince me otherwise. The case of your going to the military back then is only related to the call after the engagement, but in reality, they are very different and cannot be compared. Because aside from the reasons I mentioned earlier, there are others as well: your father had a home and a stable life; he didn’t feel your departure like I do now, as he had two other sons and a secure livelihood. Besides, don’t forget: you were as healthy as a milk-fed calf, untouched by worries. While my son has endured these horrific years, he has been treated like an enemy, has suffered greatly! Do you remember how big my family was when you got engaged and married? How many are left today?… Therefore, after the military departure of my youngest son, I feel like a lonely and shriveled-up leaf!”
– “You are not alone!” Stavri tried to reassure her.
– “You have your eldest daughter with four sons. You have your eldest son with four daughters and one son. The youngest son is getting married. Soon the last daughter will go to her fate. So in the trunk of our large family, new shoots have sprung up. You, as a mother and grandmother, should rejoice in this expansion!”
– “Oh, my child!” sighed mother Anë deeply. “Thank God, the eldest daughter and the eldest son are happy parents. May it always be so! May they never face the terrible trials that my eyes have seen!”
– “You should know better than I do, since you have lived in the village for three years: in peasant families, there is a good tradition of celebrating a son’s departure to the military,” said the son-in-law to divert the pain of the bitter past. “Therefore, now it is our duty, with you leading, to remain as close as possible to your son and my brother-in-law, keeping in mind that he is internally troubled, worrying about how you and his sister will ensure your survival, even though I have made it completely clear to him that soon Dhora will be employed in the garment cooperative in Kolonjë, mother Anë.”
– “Who told you this news?” she asked with considerable interest.
– “Those who gave you a house and made the decision to employ your son in education are also obliged to secure a position for your daughter…! Something seems strange to me,” the mother-in-law interrupted with a quizzical look, “How can you believe that: wouldn’t the big boss of the party have intervened?!”
– “I understand where you’re going with this,” the son-in-law interjected. “We need to be clear that favors from high-ranking officials are granted within the rules, without distorting state laws, especially when it comes to the most sacred duty, the defense of the Homeland, military service.”
– “I also have my doubts: you can’t find a hypocrite who distorts state laws according to personal interests and the kadi’s orders can you?”
– “Even though I’m not a specialist in military laws, I firmly believe that here, no one dares to take responsibility when they know that one day they will be uncovered and brought before a military court,” Stavri countered.
– “Do you think that the prosecutors and judges are as fair as you? Such people are rare; one in a thousand. The rest are offspring of the devil: they wash and paint, and meddle in the affairs of others. The deceivers are adept at throwing dust in our eyes. Whoever holds the stone and the nut knows how to rig the balance so it always tilts in their favor,” insisted mother Anë with conviction.
– “I’m not saying there are no deceivers among us, because they arise at any time and in any place. However, they do not dare to show themselves openly since they know how to protect themselves. As for our specific case, knowing that the deceiver supports your son and my brother-in-law, backed by the First Secretary of the Party Committee…”
– “You’ve led me to the point where it needs to be: according to your explanation, the deceitful Pharaoh has powerful supporters with significant weight in the government…” mother Anë countered – “Remove this doubt from your mind!” the son-in-law interrupted, annoyed.
– “Not only will I not remove it, but I am determined to pursue this matter until I clarify it!” mother Anë replied firmly.
– “What do you plan to do?” asked Stavri, trembling.
– “I will meet with the high-ranking Party leader, and I will express my opinion to him openly, without any fear!” she emphasized in the same tone.
– “Since you are so determined in your suspicion, is patient until tomorrow…”
– “You will go meet the high-ranking leader?!” mother Anë asked, astonished.
– “Of course, I cannot meet the high-ranking leader. But I can meet his assistant. And I will do this only to express your concerns to him,” he hurriedly tried to calm her down. “But my visit will come with one condition: if he gives roughly the same response as mine, then you need to accept it.” /Memorie.al
Continued in the next issue
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