A few years after he was released Alik married a girl from Zabrat and built his house there. He was well respected in the area: the local cutthroats took his opinions seriously, especially since they were expressed in Azeri with that remarkable accent that only natives of Apsheron possess.
For some reason Alik’s wife, Nata, who had great respect for her husband, seemed alarmed by our arrival. In reply to our greetings she hastily informed us that Alik was not at home.
“Where is he?” asked Eldar, after we had walked in through the gate and followed the sandy path paved with bleached brick past the front garden and almost up to the two-storey brick house. Nata, who was obviously suffering agonies of doubt over whether to invite us in or not, came down off the porch to meet us. Her twelve-y
