Regarding girlhood, an element of the reputation within the “Alisa Shopping Death” is decided not to ever end up being their mother, just who the amount of time committing suicide and who she remembers which have contempt; she “is actually constantly passionately in love and you may sustained spectacularly, to the stage of your own psycho wards

In the “The fresh Dragon together with Phoenix,” the first of your five tales that define part you to, we meet good lesbian few, Zarifa and Musya. Now it live in Cyprus. And though Musya understands that “only a guy would be a partner,” and you can “to this day the term lesbian” renders their own “freeze, such as a small girl trapped stealing”-and although the wedding possess alienated one another women using their Armenian and you can Azerbaijani family members-Musya and you will Zarifa was basically pleased to each other (because of or even in spite of its totally opposite personalities?).

However now Zarifa are passing away regarding cancers, a well known fact very improper so you’re able to Musya one she has been secretly asking a set of dated sorceresses “regarding the a complex replace of just one soul for another.” She actually is thrown on your state whenever she need certainly to manage Zarifa’s estranged old brother, Said, who hates her (for him, the fresh women’s union are blasphemy), however, who Zarifa have summoned away from Karabakh having recommendations to carry a particular family relations heirloom: a rug becoming put on the fresh coffin in the their funeral. Meanwhile Zarifa is served by summoned “our very own really intelligent friend,” Zhenya, in order to lay so you can their unique particular deathbed issues, included in this “as to why it’s impossible to seat Armenians and you may Azerbaie dining table.” In which the new flummoxed Zhenya has no an effective address.

He or she is to start with on the same urban area inside Karabakh, however their matchmaking did not initiate until many years later on, when they have to know one another from inside the Moscow

Musya amazing things from the rug’s hard construction, a great dragon and a phoenix “locked inside fatal and you may endless treat.” “There is no way to tell whom inside it ‘s the warrior, just who the latest sorcerer, who is evil and you may who is a beneficial, because they are sure permanently toward one immobile and you will indissoluble ring.” But it is it criminal artwork that later on pierces their own much time-pent-upwards sadness, their own unrestrained outburst leading to an additional from oneness and you can shared solace certainly mourners, a hug away from opponents, a moment whenever “who was simply new partner, whom the brand new partner, no body cared.”

” (One to history keywords is one of several that remaining me away from actually ever completely forgetting you to, whether or not usually enjoyably viewable, the text was an interpretation. Among almost every other harsh locations in which my desire snagged: “A female, their own body hit bottom towards the corners along with resolute tits”; “the one thing Lilya know regarding their unique age she drill”-Schiltz-“on account of and therefore she try teased due to the fact ‘shilly-shally.’”)

To possess Alisa, “worries of losing to your another person’s strength is actually more powerful than some other anxieties right in order to female: out of solitude, of childlessness, away from poverty.” Meaning, relationships Lisää apua try aside. During the 60-four, immediately following a successful community due to the fact an engineering draftsman and you can ten years out of comfy old-age, Alisa hits a knock within her really-arranged existence whenever an effective passing out spell results in advice regarding death. New fainting happens to be nothing significant, but the concern nags: Who will care for their when the inescapable will come? Previously simple, she check outs a health care provider and you can asks him to offer their own asleep tablets. To have when it comes time, she demonstrates to you: “I recently want it me personally a straightforward death.”

Your doctor try a beneficial widower, a kind and you may cultured people having been recently life style an excellent unmarried lifestyle. He does not give Alisa the brand new tablets, however, when they satisfy once again-by accident, at the a concert-it start an affair whoever rebuilding satisfaction surprises and delights them both. Regardless of if happy to take on his offer away from relationships, Alisa reminds your: nothing persists permanently; when the time comes, she’s going to however require so easy demise. Realizing it is useless in order to dispute together with her, a family doctor agrees compared to that most unusual relationship gift.