The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

“They may be your bosses, but they are not my bosses,” she replied.“Do you understand what may happen?”“Sure I understand. We might be killed.”“What’s the point of both of us being killed?”“I will not leave this house.”Starostin, very familiar with his wife’s character, realized that any further debatewould be fruitless. He would not be able to change her mind. Frankly, he was relieved thatshe refused to leave. He knew that no matter what happened, he would have to becourageous for both of them.They began lunch. Only the men sat around the table. Tamara refused to sit. Theconversation at the table stayed very general. Watanjar, after having looked at so manyphotos from the Soviet Union, asked Starostin, “Comrade Valery, in which Soviet city wereyou born?”“In Leningrad.”“I once visited Leningrad,” responded Watanjar happily. “I really liked that city.”“Which sites do you remember best?”“The Aurora. It has such extraordinary weapons; the 152mm cannon is justextraordinary.”“Yes,” agreed Valery, somewhat surprised. Everybody sees what he wants to see inLeningrad, he thought. Some admire the city’s great architecture, some are eager to see thehouse of the old money-lender woman who was murdered by Raskolnikov, but Watanjarwas most impressed by the large, 152-caliber cannon.After lunch Gulabzoi helped Tamara wash dishes in the kitchen. Watanjar returned to553