Elderly Years in Darkness

She served the state all her life but now she spends the rest of her life in the darks. Seventy-year-old Tina Bibiluridze has not had electricity for two years already. Her pension of 38 lari is enough for medicines only.

“It makes no difference whether you will publish or not. Nowadays nobody understands the problems of poor people,” the old woman told me as soon as I entered her house.

The house is old with valid walls and high ceiling. The curtains on the windows are half torn. The glasses on the table are covered in wax and the table cloth is worn cellophanes. There is salt in one glass to fix the candle in it. The old woman has thought of similar candle stand.

 The old woman with blue eyes is sitting in front of me; she put her wrinkled hands on her knees and recalls her past. She has much good to recall, for example she dreams of her past experience when she was lying on the bed and was watching TV.

“I love Georgian movies very much. I could watch them until midnight,” said the woman who has not seen TV and electricity for two years already.

“TV went wrong long time ago but they cut off the electricity supply for me two years ago. I cannot sit at my neighbors all the time, however, sometimes I want to watch Georgian movies so much,” the old woman dreams about it.
Individual electricity meters caused some problems for Tina Bibiluridze like many others. The sum on the bill was too large.

“I always paid the bill but then I received a new bill and I was shocked seeing the figure on it. I had debt of 130 lari for the Power Company. How can I pay the bill? I visited the company several times, but they told me they would not supply me with the electricity until I pay the money. Why and how should I pay such a great sum,’ asked the surprised old woman.

“This is your government!” Tina Bibiluridze got annoyed and checked the tears.

“I was invited at the Gubernator’s office. I was happy; I thought my problems would be finally resolved but in vain. Nobody could assist me,” regrets the woman.

The old woman visits the free canteen everyday; however…

“Although I visit the free canteen, I prefer they gave the money to me. But they need the money themselves and how would they give me the money,” concluded the old woman.

Tina Bibiluridze does not want to explain whom she means by “they”. She is cleaning the table cloth with her thin f. ingers and I notice she is worrying.

“I worked as a commandant at the Akhaltsikhe Vocational Technical Institute for twenty-three years. Before that I worked as a master at the dry clean’s. I have long working experience but it does not make any difference now. Despite all my hard work, I suffer from terrible elderly years.”

“I had pneumonia twice and my pension is always spent on medicines.”

The old woman does not bother her relatives. “Although I have relatives nobody will assist me because they have their own problems. The only relief for me is the rain does not leak in my house,” the old woman can see some ray of hope in her poor life.

 Despite her poverty the woman is always happy to see guests. In her childhood she loved winter but now she is afraid of it.

“I do not know what will happen this ear. I am likely to spend the next winter in bed” said the old woman and I noticed tear in her blue eyes.

Gulo Kokhodze, Akhaltsikhe