…”Vazgen and I are a lot alike in destinies too. We have two mothers
and fathers, did you know that? My uncle Karlen was having touble with
having a child from his wife. So, my father Zaven decided to give his
first child Vazgen to them. Vazgen lived with them for a year and a
half. But then my uncle noticed that my mother Greta was unhappy
without her child. He told my father to come and take Vazgen home,
reasoning that it was hard on the mother to be away from her son. When
they came to take Vazgen home, he went under the bed and begged not to
go. They took him anyhow. My father promised to give his next child.
The second was Aram, but my parents could not give him to my uncle
since Aram had been breastfed too long. Uncle Karlen and his wife were
okay with that and said that the third one would be theirs. I am the
third child and I was breastfed too long also. But my parents had
already taken me to Uncle Karlen’s house and my mother breastfed me
there. After a couple of years I started attending school. One day,
while coming home from school, an old man with an evil look on his face
called to me and asked “Hey, does your father still drive a “Volga”? I
told him that my uncle drives a “Volga” and my dad drives a motorcycle.
He said to me: “Hey boy, your father’s name is Zaven, right?” I did not
tell anyone about this encounter. I just kept it to myself.
Aram and Vazgen were very malicious kids. They used to hug me and give
me big kisses all the time….I would hate that and scream “Save me Mrs.
Greta….!” But no matter what, Vazgen still remained my uncle’s son. I
don’t want to state the similarities between me and Vazgen because I
don’t want to boast myself or claim that I am the second Vazgen. But we
both have many things in common. I have a lot to learn from Vazgen.
Vazgen had the chance to show himself to society so that people could
get to know him better. I did not have that chance.”