10 July, 2025: How Strangers Help Each Other

set in Nakhchivan, Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Azerbaijan

Father happened to be standing at the window of the second storey of his cottage when Mother came to share new information concerning Son and his partner. The window was wide open. Though it was getting to be hot, Father liked what little breeze greeted him, particularly in the morning hours when he was getting up. The day before, there happened to be a wedding in a neighbour’s house. He could still see the disarray on the other side. Trash littered the ground in the open space where they usually parked their car, and there were still relatives awake and festive in the cobblestone corridor which led up to the entryway of their house. Some of the uncles were smoking cigarettes, while the aunties were bunched up together, chit-chatting and wearing their finer wear. Most likely they hadn’t even slept. All night Father had heard folk music from the live band, as well as the excited shouting coming from both families who were so lost in dance that they probably didn’t notice the noise pollution they were contributing to the neighbourhood. The car, which was outside of the domicile, had been used as a caravan to bring the bride to this home. The hood was covered in a wreath of flowers, yellow and red and orange.

Father observed this scene, reflecting warmly on his fond memories of the weddings of his brothers and nieces and nephews, then thinking about the wedding he would have to attend in his native village in the coming months.