This evening, after days of pouting, Ayna* finally started translating her assignments for our research team. But then the other assistant, Gula, texted in to ask for an extension on her tasks:
7:30pm: Hi. I want to tell yu something.Burkits wife asked me to work as a [tour] guide for 6 days.would u mind if i worked them and i will work with u after that?
Ayna caught sight of the text on my phone, and exploded in anger. She told me Gula was lying.
Then Gula calls me up.
“Don’t answer it!” Ayna says.
But I pick up the phone. As I ask what’s going on, Ayna is curled up behind me, hissing in my ear, she is lying, she is sneaky like a fox, she is fox, do not trust her.
“What’s up, Gula?” I asked.
She is sneaky, Ayna hisses.
“Burkit’s wife called and asked if I could lead a tour for two foreigners, starting tomorrow,” came Gula’s soft voice.
She is lying, Ayna tugged at my sleeve.
“I’ll be back by July first,” Gula continued.
She is sneaky like fox.
“How long will it take you to finish the translations? Have you started yet?” I asked Gula.
She is fox, do not trust her, Ayna pouted.
“No, I haven’t started…” Gula said.
“So how long will it take you translate?” I asked.
Ayna made faces then stalked over to look at the boys on the street below.
“Four or five days,” Gula said.
Do not trust her! Ayna loud-whispers from across the room.
I decide there’s no conflict here. “Go on the trip, then, and get it to me by the seventh, Gula. At the latest. So that it’s ready for our professors when they return.”
I hung up and Ayna was glaring at me.
“It’s too late,” she said angrily, “She was lying. She is fox.”