Sometimes he gives me lectures about the dangers of drinking or smoking, though I've heard he did plenty of both in his day. He sits on a bench outside his home. When he smiles, his gold teeth flash in the sun. There are benches or logs positioned outside most homes in the village. The village social scene takes place on these benches.
Neighbors sit together and talk, watching the children play and the people passing by.
People stop to sit and chat with their friends. One particular shade of light blue paint trims the wood around windows and doors. Another Volunteer once pointed out to me how there seem to be only three colors of paint in Kyrgyzstan. She said the standards enforced by the Soviet government extended even to colors of paint. I pass a group of small boys playing in the street.