Khorezm branch of uzbekistan writers union

SHEIKH” OF NEIGHBORHOOD 
Translated by Azatova Nodira 
 
Probably, once he had his name. However nobody knows his name in 
neighborhood. Everybody calls him Sheikh.
They say, a widow woman with her a-five or six-old son came here during 
the war. Honest people gave low store next to the tea-house for her. A child is 
child anyway. He fell on his back while pulling the string of kite to the back 
which flying higher in the air when it was flying higher in the air when he was 
flying a kite over the roof of the cell in spring. Child‘s head was crashed and 
lay with bleeding when people in the tea-house came having heard the mother‘s 
yell. Holy mother put burned –thick-felt, applied soot on the wound and 
anyway child recovered. Only he became a little bit mad. Since then no one has 
seen him crying. He always smiles when you see him. Top of his tongue is 
always out of his mouth when he smirks. Probably for that reason, the two 
corners of his chick lips shaved rarely are whitened. After the war, his mother 
died and he became orphan. When the old tea house was destroyed, the store 
was also broken down. However Sheikh is not homeless. All apartments in the 
neighborhood are his. All of the doors are open for him. He often comes to us.
Sometimes I saw my mother having a long talk with him but I couldn‘t 
comprehend what my mother spoke with that mad one. 
Neither wedding parties nor funerals were held without Sheykh. He has his 
own duty: he sets the samovar to boil tea. Both in the leaders of women‘s party, 
the head of men who give wedding parties need sheikh‘s support. 
Sheikh, four teapots of tea, please! Three teapots are black and one is green.
Jjjust …. 
Sheikh‘s speech is strange, he can‘t pronounce ―z‖, instead of it he pronounces 
―dz‖. He can‘t tell ―s‖, instead of it he pronounces ―ts‖ 
Be quick, Sheikh! Honorable guests has come 
Sheikh doesn‘t hurry. He knows his own job well.
Tslow. If they are honorable, it‘s up to them. 
People don‘t take offence at him. They know, Sheikh is prudent. Since many 
years, either any teapot hasn‘t been broken, or guests haven‘t left without tea in 
a wedding. 
He drinks beer only. Not much, only two bottles. The hosts of wedding