A Walnut Tree

An old man looks back on his life. With sadness he tells his grandson about his native land in the Tirah valley. He describes green hills where there was much merriment and music: a video played on a smartphone shows images of an idyllic place. Now the man lives in a makeshift tent in Jalozai, a refugee camp in Pakistan where residents wouldn't survive without aid from the UN. The man explains how he lives like an animal, like a nomad in limbo. He longs for a country that no longer exists: back in his homeland, blissful pastimes like reciting poetry are forbidden and friends and family left years ago. In poems he reads aloud, he expresses his displeasure. He wonders who are the true Muslims – the Taliban or the army. Is he a sinner? Everyday scenes that include peeling potatoes and the laughter of his grandchildren emphasize his melancholy. The old man stands still while the world around him keeps turning. Time and again, the question arises as to whether he’ll risk a return to his motherland.