to face Bagila. “Forgive me,” he said, looking at Bagila with a soft smile. “I see how it is. And I thought he was your son-in- law,” Bagila joked, referring to their manner of speaking. “I have been talking with him like that for a long time… I am the first-born of that horseman. After all, as long as the grandfather is alive, the first child does not belong to the father. I was raised by my grandfather. Grew up in his arms. And after me, my father had two more girls who quickly jumped out to get married, and after them, Sophia Loren didn’t give birth anymore. After the death of my grandfather, my father began to court me and eventually pulled me over to him. So, we play pranks on each other, like peers.” “Who is Sophia Loren?” “What do you mean who?! She’s a famous film actress. But to us – it’s nickname for the old woman that’s married to my horseman dad.” He laughed. “She, along with my wife and children, went to the village. That old woman is absolutely convinced that her grandchildren cannot move around the earth without her.” “Why do you call her that?” “Ha, we don’t call her that just because! A long time ago, the real Sophia Loren came to Moscow when they were screening the movie ‘Sunflowers’. Then my father went to Moscow with me. We, along with several Kazakh writers, met the actress in the hotel we were staying at. My dad saw her too. When we came to our room, I asked my father: “Well, did you like her?” He waved his hand: “Are you overeating donkey brains?! She’s no better than my old woman. If you dress her properly, then Saparkul will easily surpass Sophie.” I asked, “Well, why don’t a pay the bride a price and marry you to her? My dad flatly refused, too skinny, he said. Since then, we’ve been calling my mother that anytime we’re talking to him, just like you heard.” Bagila laughed, a silvery chuckle. “Interesting! No one in our family would even dream of saying that. Everything is in its place. The fa- ther is the father, the mother is the mother, the child is the child. And compared to everyone I know, moreover then not, the place of each family member is marked too clearly.” “It is not necessary
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