The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

its rows of cucumbers and carrots, that his predecessor had developed on the embassygrounds.The property manager went to see Ravil’ Musin, a TASS correspondent. After a longand painful prelude, he turned to the real purpose of his visit.“I know, Ravil’, that you are a Tatar,” began the manager.“Yes, I am a real Tatar,” agreed Musin.“So tell me then, what kind of banyas do Tatars like? Do you think Tabeyev will likeour embassy’s sauna?”“I’ve never been to this sauna myself,” confessed Musin. “I was never invited.However, I can tell you almost certainly that Tabeyev will not like it. We Tatars like to go toreal Russian banyas, with a hot steam room and fresh birch twigs. By the way, what you calla ‘Russian banya’ is in fact a Tatar banya. The Russians borrowed this from us long ago.”The manager had little interest in the historical precedence of the Russian banya,but he had gotten the information he needed; it was imperative that the sauna be rebuilt.“Ravil’, our cook is going to come by to talk to you. Could you talk to him a bit aboutTatar cuisine?”“Have him come, although I confess I know very little about cooking. I know thenames of Tatar dishes and can recognize the taste, but how they’re made is anotherquestion.”Kabul buzzed with rumors in anticipation of Tabeyev’s arrival. Some informedpeople recalled that he became the head of the Tatar regional party organization at the ageof thirty two. He was the first to become a party leader at such a young age in the post-war647