PREJUDICED LOVE

PREJUDICED LOVE 

(A Real Story) 

Prologue 

Time ago, when the communist system ruled in our country, the prejudices were of different forms and aspects. Thirty years later, the youth don’t believe it. Of course, they are right because it’s speaking only in general, not with real stories, especially for those related to their inner nature. Here, it’s the original one, follow me…

Makedon and Bogdana were in the same class since the first year of high school, located at the entrance of the village Voden[1], positioned at the foot of the mountain near the lake, facing southeast.  Blue-eyed Makedon was the best in the sciences, while black-eyed and brown hair Bogdana, was distinguished for her jokes and beautiful smile.

During a lesson, Makedon’s eyes spontaneously met with Bogdana's. Suddenly he felt a tremor!  What is it about? He thought, and looked a little more time… feeling special emotions, as never before…

On the other hand, Bogdana’s face became red…

For two days could not dare to look at each other. Only the third day… his eyes looked hers, but this time did not require disconnection...

In the last school year, instinctively began to accompany them every day, as a result, their relationship spread very quickly throughout the area. Their friends were proud of them, wanting to be everywhere together as the stars in the sky.

***

After graduation, the students immediately were integrated into the agriculture cooperative[2]. They could be met only in the dancing parties, organized in the cultural centers[3], were finally decided to get engaged.

In the family of Makedon started the feast. Early in the morning, the radio was playing music. Makedon’s parents Filip and Ilinka were thinking about Bogdana’s father... Filip, Makedon’s father, was a tall man. His weakened body as a consequence of the hard work in the cooperative, while his wife Ilinka, looked older because of the horrible sufferings of a politically persecuted.

Bogdana’s mother and sister were cleaning and organizing the house, while her father was closed in one room smoking cigarette after cigarette… He knew something about the past of that family...  It happened years ago… and perhaps the communist party would have reconsidered, for the fact that they are respected in society. But, suddenly, as were ready for lunch, the courier arrived, notifying Stefan to go to the office immediately. It was an urgent meeting of the local communist organization. As soon as started, was heard the harsh voice of the secretary:

“One of the goals of our party is to keep the image of the communist clean, and that is why I want to ask" he addressed Stefan,

 “Do you know that the uncle of your daughter’s father-in-law is a political fugitive and is working for our enemies? Do you know that the clan of your daughter’s mother-in-law is qualified “Kulak[4]?”

Stefan could not speak a word. He was guilty, had violated the communist principles. All were watching him, waiting for his reaction. If he would not answer appropriately would be subject to the organs of internal affairs. Instantly, he replied,

“I love my communist party more than my life; I’m ready to sacrifice myself at any moment in the service of our principles”

Stefan returned home late in the evening. He was spiritually murdered like never before. As soon as he opened the door, the guests stood up immediately, while his daughter was standing with glasses on a wine tray in her hands.

 “What’s happening?” asked he nervously,

At once, silence fell in the room. Filip and his wife were shivering as if were in front of the shooting squad. In fact, all their lives, when the Jeep[5] of the Ministry of Interior came to their village ... they waited to come and arrest.

“These are parents of Makedon” tried to explain Sandra, and meanwhile was heard the trembling voice of Filip,

“We are asking for your daughter's hand in marriage…”

 “I have no daughter for enemies of our popular power!”

Meanwhile was heard the faint voice of Filip,

“They love each other…”

“Better to kill my daughter than to give to you”

At that moment, the tray fell from Bogdana's hands. The glasses were broken into pieces, and the floor was covered with red wine.

Immediately ran to her room, locking from inside. She grabbed her head with both hands and started to pull out the hair… shouting... What is wrong? My Makedon is an enemy! No, it is not true, and continued to cry until her tears run out… Her mother and sister were staying on the doorstep, praying to open the door. But, no, she had decided to end her life.

On the third day, her father broke into her room. Mother and sister rushed to her. It was difficult to recognize, was Bogdana or someone else! It was a terrible situation. Cries and screams filled the room. She was lying in bed, her hair was disheveled, her face yellowed, and her eyes closed. Mother shouted loudly:

“She is dying… call the doctor!”

The father ran to the sanitary center, and after some minutes came together with him. Her body was so weak, bone, and skin. Her heart was working slowly and her pulse was too low. Bogdana woke up after two or three hours. After a week, she could say some words but could not laugh or look them in the eyes.

When Filip and his wife went out, no lights could be seen around, but surprisingly after a while, the stars facilitated their way. They, something predicted, but not so? His wife did not stop sobbing all the way… it wasn’t the first time!!! Their sufferings were endless. For a moment, she thought... so is written for us, it’s our destiny, no green light for our family. What will say to our son? He is very sensible… She could not even pray to God[6] because it was not allowed!

I the meantime Filip was thinking to end his life. When they arrived at the scary abyss “Zaver[7]”, he stopped and went on its edge. Filip, trying to throw down…while his wife was pulling back praying…please don’t… don’t leave us…

The black clouds returned over Filip’s house. It was like a small summer in late autumn. For a moment, they thought… the past would be forgotten … but no, the proletariat dictator functioned as never before. It was midnight by the time they returned home. Their son was waiting… He saw their tearful state and hugged his father… meanwhile was heard the mournful voice of his mother:

“Her father…”

***

The news was learned by Marjana, one of Bogdana’s childhood friends. She was a little fatter than Bogdana but very agile and sweet. They, for many years, we're like sisters, but later separated following the different high schools. Really, and they had someone fugitive after the Second World War.

“A true friend in hard times,” she said, smiling... and after a pause continued… “Don’t worry! Love will find the way.”

After that "Night" Stefan and his wife were constantly arguing…

“You know, who doesn’t like her!”

“Do you mean she will accept?! No, first love is something that you never forget.”

“How did she find him?”

“The heart is not commanded, and the time is changing, self-young decide for their future. Do not forget love makes the world go round.”

Bogdana’s father didn’t stop advising her,

“Bogdana, you are everything to me, but we don’t have another choice. Our party is the mother of all. Our country has a lot of enemies. They aren’t only abroad, but also here, among us. Between them and us is a large gap. We are for communism and they are for capitalism. You have learned in the school what is happening there, they are suffering for bread, is not free. Let us know that we are not afraid of anybody. Our country is able to afford the most powerful army in the world. Our borders are concrete and iron, and if anybody can attack us, will find a certain death.”

***

Makedon was in agony. He knew that his father's uncle didn’t like this system and escaped before being arrested. A similar problem was and with his mother’s grandfather, who after returning from immigration invested all the money to buy land, and in the time of creating the agriculture cooperative, he had conflicts with the communist party.

He had something terrible in his mind. He prepared a rope in order to go to the deepest part of the lake, where he would tie a stone and would end his life. At the moment of opening the outside garden gate, someone called. It was the courier with a letter in hand. He opened it immediately and his face lighted up with a large smile. At once turned back and ran as much as possible to his parents kissing and hugging.

“It is not true, Bogdana did a game… she loves only me.”

***

After a while, one late evening, Makedon arrived by boat from St. Vasil, and together went away on the other side of the lake, joining with the imperialists and revisionists[8].

Tomorrow in the morning, the soldiers found a pair of pear trousers, shirts, and blouses on the lakeshore, near the border[9], and was spread the news... The young were drowned, but some others did not believe it, alluding to the boat… considering them “Traitor to the Fatherland”.

Epilogue

I am sure you are looking for something to happen…

At about 11 00 of August 1993, an auto entered the village Voden, heading to Filip’s house. Three persons, a man, a wife, and a boy, entered through the garden gate. Filip and his wife were in front of the house under a large apple tree, cleaning the beans. The heart of Ilinka started to beat very strongly. While the persons were approaching was heard the voice:

“Mother”

No, answer…

The same voice was heard again…

“Mother, I am Makedon…”

Meantime, he could not cope… his eyes were filled will tears… when mother touched his hands recognized him, but she could not cry, because her tears were dried up…

This state lasted for about fifty years, dreaming of going to communism. Today it is hard to trust it, but it was a fact, almost all of us believed were following the best way, even convinced that the whole world, one day, would be like us. Someone might say the same were and all eastern countries. No, not like us, we were following the communist doctrine point-by-point. But what did we do? -Nothing. Within a few years, everything was ruined, and our reality speaks out.

Author

Vasil SHUMKA

Korce, Albania

[1]The event took place in the Prespa area, on the Albanian side around the 1980s, where Macedonians live.

[2]In 1967 the communist regime collectivized all the private agricultural lands of Albania, so the only legal forms of agricultural production of the country were state farms, collective farms, known as agricultural cooperatives.

[3] Cultural centers were established in every village for the development of communist education and at the same time were places of entertainment for young people.

[4] In communist Albania, the term “Kulak” was used to label former landowners, persons who had become rich through agriculture and livestock, and whom the regime considered an opponent of collectivization.

[5] All branches of Internal Affairs in the districts in time of communism were equipped with Jeep vehicles

[6] The former Communist Government declared Albania as the world's first and only "Atheist state". Believers faced harsh punishments, and many priests and imams were killed. The churches were ruined, and many priests were persecuted. The people did not have the right to mention neither the name of God and instead had to believe only in the Communist Party

[7] It is the place where water comes out of Lake Prespa and flows underground into Lake Ohrid.

[8] According to the mentality of the time, the Greeks were Imperialist, while the Yugoslavs Revisionist

[9] The Prespa Lake is shared between Albania in the west, North Macedonia in the northeast, and Greece to the southeast