The Ceramic Jug

It was holiday and I think it was one of hottest day in Shiraz. I didn’t know what should I do in such a day? I wanted to go outside and walk but there was nothing to see. I already saw most ancient and historical attractions in the city including museums and art galleries. I checked the local newspapers and it wasn’t any interesting a movie or theater in the cinema or amphitheater. I called bunch of friends and most of them were outside of city or they had quest in their house. So I decided to go and see some nature. I never was in the mountain area in the north of Shiraz before. I took a cap and 30 minutes later I was in the slope of mountain. I bought bottle of water and some cookies and started claiming up. After 20 minutes I could saw some small gardens and behind those gardens there was a charming masque -I don’t know even I don’t pray or do anything related to religion but always when I see a masque or church I feel release- I putted my steps stronger and faster to get in the shadow of the garden wall. Sun was shiny and hot and made me close to my last breath of life. In the narrow shadow of the wall, I seated for a while to get a fresh breath. I was searching my mind to what to do next that I heard a noise from other side of wall. I looked around a little bit and found a small hole in the wall. On the other side, two young boy and girl were missing around. I didn’t want to disturb them so I slowly walked away. In five minutes I was in front of the masque. It was a small building with beautiful ceramic painting in the gate. The main door was close and I was searching to find other entrance to get in. Behind the building it was smaller door, half opened. I sneaked into the back yard and there was nobody around. In the center of yard there was a cute blue basin (small pool) with colorful flowers around it. I seated near the basin and put my hand in the water and splashed some water to my face, it was feel so good. My mind was totally into the things that I was doing. Suddenly somebody behind me with angry voice told me “what are you doing here”. I scared and even a little jumped. There was an old man with long white bear and specific hat –we call them Darvish-.

I said: sorry I was freshing up a little bit, I didn’t know somebody actually live here

Man said: you didn’t think somebody actually live here, and then who putted water inside this basin. Do you think this basin is overflowed every day by rain?

I said: sorry, how can I cover it?

Man was though a little bit and said: pick that ceramic jug with green ribbon around the neck and go back there is a public washing tap next to the main road, fill this jug up and come back. As you should know I don’t want it half empty.

I picked the jug and walked back to the road, even the empty jug was so heavy how possibly I could carry it back there with water inside. I was walking fast whole way to down. I found water and filled up as he said but I couldn’t even move it a little bit “oh God what should I do now”. I started to picked up for one meter and putted back. In other hand I should be careful about the water inside the jug because by each step a little bit of water was jumped out. There was a best time for me to estimate the arrival time at least I could use some helps from being engineer. Imagine 10 meter per minute including the resting part and it was about 2 kilometer claiming and takes around three hours “oh seriously I will die after that”. So I decided to do something else. I remove half of water and started going up much faster and I was estimated if I do it this way it will be much easier to go twice. After 30 min I was in the masque and Darvish was waiting for me and before he saw the jug I told him the truth and my plan. He smiled and told me: You don’t need to do it; I just wanted you to know that we always should respect the things around us even the things that the nature gave them to us by free. We talked 2 hours and he told some stories about being Darvish and the benefit and difficulty of it. When I left him it’s was around the sunset and good time for walking back home. On my way to go back near the wall of garden I looked inside again and nobodies were there, probably those young people already had done earlier. I arrived near the main road and went to the water tap again to wash my hand and face. I saw the green ribbon, it was laying down there. Probably when I was putting water, it was untied or something. I didn’t know what should I do, should I go back there or take it to him in other time?

Written by Mohammad Hosseini