The Math Teacher's Cabin
An Ode to a Distinguished Teacher of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Orifjon Bakirov
The Setting: San Francisco
Eleven years ago. Autumn sun rays were shyly sketching the edges of large, puffy, white clouds. San Francisco's resident wind was also a strong presence, making it the perfect weather for a light jacket.
I arrived at my destination on the mid-section of Bluxome Street at 4th, parked the car, and went to the office.
The Long Day
It was one of those gloomy days at work, with a very long meeting that lasted up to four o'clock in the afternoon. Everyone was overwhelmed and exhausted by the end and decided to call it a day. We slowly began to pack up, though some were still trying to comprehend how we were going to tackle the new product requirements.
Usually, our team walks as a group when going out for lunch, but this time, we were leaving the office as one.
The Walk Home
Saying goodbyes to the peers who went a different way, my friend and I went our own way. This is a daily routine when we leave at the same time. Since he took public transportation that day and declined my offer to drive him home, I decided to walk with him a bit.
We walked past a very clean, quiet cemetery covered in white marble, as the bus stop was right behind it. Reaching the bus stop, we lit up cigarettes and had a casual conversation. I again asked if he didn't want a free ride; my friend assured me that he just wanted to walk today. He took the bus, and I waved goodbye and headed back to the parking lot.
On my way back through the very same cemetery, a fall of leaves started, and light raindrops began falling.
The scent of the rain hitting the dust was very calming, yet the brisk breeze brought a bit of anxiety. The feeling that rushes you toward a warm, cozy place.
The Encounter
A door opened in one of the cabins there, and the man who opened it was my math teacher. He invited me over. I was so glad to see him and rushed toward him. The walls of his cabin were decorated with formulas of abridged multiplication and trigonometry, just like his math classroom at the lyceum where I had studied two decades ago.
Seeing all this was a bit unusual. I asked my teacher what he was doing in this place.
Teacher: "This is the place I have to live from now on."
I asked why he wasn't living with his family.
Teacher: "I can't anymore, and this is my final destination."
While we were chatting, a young student girl came in as well, and she started pulling out her homework. My teacher introduced us and said there were some very bright, aspiring young students who were very into math, and that we have a very good generation who will continue to work in this field of science.
We caught up on pretty much everything about our lives, and I told him about my adventures in my professional and personal life.
The Final Request
It was getting dark. As we decided to call it a day, my teacher asked me for a favor.
- Me: "Sure, anything I can do."
- Teacher: He said that his cabin gets very cold and asked if I could arrange water heating for his room.
I gladly took the request and started searching for heater installation services. After finding one, I decided to call.
So, after placing the call, I was waiting for the other side of the line to pick up...
...but I woke up with a phone on my ear and stood in shock for a few minutes until I realized it was a dream.