The Ragged Blanket
by
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Under a warming Friday morning sun, Sabet and his parents are breakfasting under a trellis of vine in the back yard garden. His father, while touching clusters of grapes hanging over his head utters, “This year seems to be a good year for vine. The clusters are heavy. We will have enough grapes for the whole winter.”
Rodaba feels annoyed by what Mehrab said. She slams her tea cup on the table, stares at him and says with anger, “We better plan how to flee this country, rather than thinking of grapes for winter. After the imprisonment of Sabet, I would have expected you to change your mind.”
Mehrab leaves his egg unfinished, and retorts, “We are all horrified by what happened to Sabet, but my conscience still does not allow me to turn my back to the ordinary people of this country. It is not their fault that the country slipped into civil war and then into the hands of the Taliban. It is also not their fault that the country is poor. I do not feel good about abandoning my patients. Many of them are happy that I am still here.” Mehrab is an intelligent person with the air of a well-informed academic. He likes poetry and philosophy. “In addition,” he adds, “I built this house with the money I earned through hard work. When I put it for sale, do you know who is most likely to buy it? Smugglers and drug dealers!”
Rodaba tries to make her points clearer, “Your points of view are understandable, but the family interests are vital. You are talking about your work. Don’t you think I have also a desire to work outside the house? I want to help others just as you. You have the freedom to do so, but not me. Can you go and tell the Taliban to allow women to work? I hope you understand that I, a member of this family, am suffering under the Taliban. And how about Sabet! Do you have any idea how much he is suffering from staying idle at home, instead of going to college? Am I right Sabet?”
“Mother, I agree with you, but I am not entitled to tell father to sell the house and emigrate.”
“I know that you do not want the family to fight,” Rodaba frowns slightly.
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About the Book
The story begun during the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan one year before the country was invaded by the American’s army. It is about the events and the turning points of struggles going on inside two middle class families whose members were divided over the idea of leaving the country.
In one of the families, Sabet, the son, spent some time in prison. Rodaba, his mother, was arguing with her husband, Mehrab, that he should sell the house and let the family together leave the country. Mehrab was unbending. As a medical doctor, he was arguing that despite adverse political conditions he had to stay and serve his patients.
In the other family, Sara, the daughter, was once beaten by the Taliban. She was trying to persuade her father, Hatem, to do the same thing. Hatem, a philanthropic businessman sponsoring a number of charity organizations, also on moral grounds was rejecting the idea of leaving Afghanistan.
Sabet and Sara who were suffering under the prevailing gender-, ethnic- and cultural discriminations, and lack of possibilities for high education, after being married, ultimately decided to flee out of the country without their parents.
About the Author
The author is a medical doctor. He received his academic degrees (Ph.D. med., Ph. D. sc., M. D., M. Sc.) from German Universities. He is a Canadian citizen and has Persian origin. He lived in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which gave him the inspiration for writing this novel.