I have never forgotten that village with orchards. With its pools in its gardens, its delicious fingers and black grapes in its vineyards, and its beautiful people, that village remained in my mind and longing. It was not my own village. Akçataş was the village where my brother was appointed as a teacher.
After years and years, while sipping our tea at a table with retired friends and chatting, I asked my friend Atila from that village:
-Now, what's your village? You're going every summer.
-Ohoo, where's that village now? Its fountains dried up, its vineyards and gardens were neglected, and most of the villagers migrated to the cities.
-I am sorry, I would like to go to your village for once in the past years; but it didn't happen.
- Come anyway, one day when I was in the village, take a ride to the car. There are some who cheer up their household and make their gardens green.
- A few years ago, I was going to visit my childhood friend Sait, the grandson of Uncle Ali, who is neighbor to the school, and he came to Hacıbektaş market that day and we met there. Soon after I heard that he died, I was sorry.
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-Atila!
-Sir!
-What happened to you today, your never-ending jaw doesn't work much today.
-I don't have a lot of taste, I am sick, it hurts all over me.
-You are more sick than sick. When you come and sit next to us playing okey over there, you have no word but illness.
-We got old, do we have any other words left?
-Ohoo, what's up when it comes to talking. You come and break the morale of us retirees over there.
-Good, well I won't tell you after that.
-Look what I'll tell you, you know the sugar we asked?
-Look at the head! Don't i know The holiday candy of our childhood. When you put it in your mouth, you will eat by sucking, asking. You are not going to chew or eat it right away.
-We don't ask the name for that sugar. It is hard, bright, lights. I'm going to tell you a “no-ask candy story” today. You will also comment on this story.
- Well, your jaws are open today too, tell me.
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I was in the fifth grade of primary school. I studied at the primary school of my village until the end of the fourth grade. My brother, who graduated from the Pazarören Teacher Training School in the year I passed to the fifth grade, was assigned to your village, Akçataş village. He took me with him that year. After completing the fifth grade, I was not sent to secondary school due to financial difficulties, I continued to the fifth grade for another year without registration.
One evening during the second year I stayed in that village, we went to the house of the police, Ali brothers, close to the school. The people of the village were really welcoming. They would be honored even if you went to their home for an evening outing, they would be happy to serve whatever they have at home.
That evening, my brother, aunt and I were their guests. As you know, cologne and sugar are the first treats in such trips back then. There is no variety of candy or chocolate like today. The landlords kept asking us for sugar in a bowl. Even though I wanted to buy two or three, I bought a candy in case it would be a shame. If we asked about the name, I was going to eat it. I did that too.
In the house, there was a person named Ismail, whom they took under their protection, who was also not a relative of the hosts. I think Ismail was a few years older than me; but bodily handicapped. Ismail, who is a small hump on his back; with his speech and gestures he was more childish for his age. Like today, there are no sofas or sofas in homes, we sit on beds or chairs. Ismail was sitting on the same bed with me. He bought one of the sugar we asked.
The adults were chatting and we were listening to them with İsmail. I had already asked for sugar.
At one point, Ismail got up from the bed and went out. I saw Ismail's candy rolled beside me, standing on the bed. "Probably Ismail will not eat this candy." I took the sugar and threw it in my mouth.
A little later, Ismail came. Came; but he was looking for something without sitting down, looking on the bed base. It is clear what he's looking for, we ask him for sugar.
-Where is my sugar?
Uncle Huseyin:
-What sugar, boy, haven't you eaten that sugar?
-No, he was next to me, on the mattress.
-What happened then?
Ismail started to look at me angry and angry. I was already a shy kid. Think about me at that moment. I sweated. Obviously I was blushed. "Ismail, I guess he will not eat." I was ashamed as if I had committed a great theft, I was in the ground However, it wasn't theft or anything I did. However, I was worse than a thief caught red-handed.
They gave another candy to Ismail, who was constantly looking at me saying "My sugar, where is my sugar?" My childish behavior, thinking, "He's not going to eat the sugar if we ask him."
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That's how Atila. Why did I tell about this mundane little memory? While those who swallow the camel with their dough were not ashamed, and those who were paid from three or five places were not bored, taking a little sugar left me in sweat.
You know, you can suck your sugar slowly, enjoying it with its throat-burning taste, and that's how they absorb the money of this country, this people. I guess there is only a negative word like "State owned sea, not eating pig" in our language.
When Ismail got up on the bed, I said, "I guess Ismail doesn't eat it." I cannot see the distress I suffered when I took it and put it in my mouth, the embarrassment I fell with the fuss of İsmail, the sweat I spilled in these colonists.
When he was speaking, Atila would not make the audience say “click” when he got the floor. I was determined not to make him talk today. Let's see how long it would last.
-Listen Atila, I will not give you a turn today.
-My son, can I stop without speaking?
-Let's talk, what conclusion did you draw from this moment I told you?
- What can I say, now those who ask about the marrow of the country are ashamed, why are you sweating and embarrassed because I took your sugar?
-You were sick, you are actually more solid than me. Don't tire yourself, listen today. If you want, crack it "crack", I got the chatter today.