THE BIOGRAPHY Resat Karakuyu was born in Izmir, Türkey, in 1928. Already as a small boy he worked during school holidays as a helper for many Professional craftsmen , and sold newspapers, fruit, vegetables in the streets as well. While still in junior high school, he joined at the Izmir City Theatre, and continued working there after graduating from high school. After the City Theatre burned down, he toured Turkey with travelling theatre troups. Following his military service he decided to get to know the world and signed on as a steward on the national shipping company’s passenger liners. He made the acquaintance of all of Europe’s harbours and even rose to the rank of Second Cabin Officer. In time his curiosity grew to encompass the whole world. As Provisions Officer, he travelled all over the globe for several years on freighters. In 1954 he landed in London and began studying English, but was forced to interrupt his studies repeatedly for want of money. He got a job at a small factory. As a little boy, he had often helped in the production of Turkish sweets, and at his instigation this English company began producing “Turkish Delight”. This candy was a big success for the company, And in no time Resat Karakuyu become company’s general manager and finally partner. Some years later the factory was destroyed by the fire. He sold his knowledge and production recipe to another company, for which he also worked as general manager for a year. Then he left England and found employment in Germany, working at blast furnaces in steelworks and hammer mills, but decided to learn a proper profession at last. He specialized in poultry breeding and worked in Israel, Australia and other countries as a poultry expert. In 1972 he returned to Germany and sought employment as a social worker in Neuss , where he saw to the needs of his Turkish compatriots for ten years. In 1977 he has written his first novel in 2 bands “ The People of Kahraman Lane.” In 1984 he returned to his country Izmir/Turkey, after having lived in England, Australia, Germany and Israel for 30 years. And since than he has written the novel of“Utopia-The World of Mystic Tale”, “Copur Hasibe” ( this 367 paged novel is continuation of “The People of Kahraman Lane”. And it tells the stories about miserable life of poor people during merciless Second World War.), “Running After Adventure” (This 556 paged novel tells agonised and nostalgic stories and the adventures of a young man in Europe’s harbours during 1949-1954). “The Cursed Fog of London”(this novel is over 600 page and describes the typical British life and the lonely life of a young man in London.during the years of 1954- 1959) - He wrote lately So Was His Fate—A novel in 3 bands :“Seeking in Hope” “Fight to Survive” “The Poisonous Snake” and other novels, plays and short stories. THE RESİDENTS OF KAHRAMANLANE CHAPTER – 1 T H E E X E C U T I O N A mouse came out of its hole and waited fearfully on the other side of the street. It was immediately noticed by Stinker Mustafa one of children playing on the street. “ A rat’s running away. Catch it!” he began to shout. “ Where?” asked Köse. “ Look, there it is!” Mazlum : “ Let’s throw stones and kill it.” The children quickly picked up stones from ground and throw them at the mouse. Not a single one of them hit it. When even the last stone thrown by the Stinker Mustafa did not hit it. “ Ha, ha, you didn’t catch it!”, Mazlum said to him. “ Did you? You didn’t either.” “ It crept into the hole. Let’s drill a stick into the hole.” suggested Mazlum. The children looked for a stick in the street. On finding one they pushed it into the hole. Old bath attendant Ali Aga wanting to find out what the children were doing came to them. “ What are you doing?” he asked. “ There’s a rat in the hole, Uncle Ali.” replied Stinker Mustafa. “ Leave it alone boys, its a sin to torment the animal.” Ali Aga told them off and went away. 1 Mazlum turned to Stinker Mustafa : “ Stupid! There’s no rat in the hole, but a mouse.” “ Mouse or rat is the same thing. And I’m not stupid, You are!” Mehmet insisted: “ The animal which ran into the hole wasn’t a mouse. It was a rat.” Köse : “ I saw it with my own eyes, it was as big as a cat.” While the children were quarrelling whether the animal which had fled into the hole was a rat or a mouse, a boy came running up. He was the most forward and unin-hibited of all the children in Kahraman Lane, was the first to find out all the events in the neighbourhood and to pass the news on the adults and children as quick as lightening. A ‘Walking News Agency’. Consumptive Osman panting, with excitement he said: “ Did you hear? Tomorrow at dawn they are hanging two people in Konak-Squ-are!” When the children heard this news they gathered round him and asked curiously. Köse : “ Who are they hanging?” Consumptive Osman, noticing that his friends were getting curious began doing his well known tricks to make them even more curious. “ Ah, I’m tired from running. I can hardly breathe. I am out of breath,” he said. “ Tell us, boy!” Mazlum said. “ Wait a minute. I’ve got to get my breath back. I’m exhausted.” Mazlum threatened: “ Tell us, son of an ass or we’ll beat you up on the spot.” And Köse said angrily: “ Listen, Consumptive! Tell us if you want to, but if you don’t bugger off!” 2 Seeing that his friends were getting cross, he stopped panting. “ A young woman from the country and her lover killed her husband with an axe in the night while he was asleep. They were both taken prisoner and turned over the law. The murderer’s are to be executed in Konak-Square at dawn.” he said and asked his friends excitedly “I’m going to watch the execution. Is anyone coming with me?” Nobody had ever watched a hanging. Therefore they were all agog to watch. But nobody really believed that Osman, the consumptive had told the truth. If he had lied..? To make sure this Köse said: “ Listen consumptive if you’re lying we’ll all beat you up. Tell us the truth, then.” “ God, honestly I’ve told the truth.”, Osman, the consumptive answered “I swear by the dead body of my father, my mother , my brothers and sisters.” Then he got out of his pocket a newspaper which he’d hidden.” Take it and read for yourself if I’ve told the truth or not.” The children pulled the newspaper out of Osman, the consumptive hands. On reading this news on front page they believed it. The newspaper was passed from hand to hand and the news of the execution was spread in the street in a short time. Every-body was discussing this subject. “ Hey, have you heard what’s happened?”, Ayse asked her woman neighbours. “ No, what has happened ?” asked Saime. “ A woman has gone to live with her boyfriend and killed her husband with an axe.” Yıldız : “ Oh, I hope she gets blind. Someone like that has really deserved to be put to death.” “ They are to be hanged tonight. So, if you ask me anything, this woman who has deceived and killed her husband should be put on a glowing ivon .” said a third. Other women heard what they were saying in loud voices in the middle of the street and joined them. “ Hey neighbours, what’s happened ?”, Lea, the Jew asked. “ What do you think? A woman has gone to live with her boyfriend and murdered her husband.”, explained her Saime. “ What a wretched woman. Do you kill a husband whose bread you’ve eaten?” Ayse : “ She killed him with an axe.” Pockmarked Hasibe: ” Of course, they’ll hang her. No injustice goes unpunished. And everyone get’s punishment for his deeds, if not in this world, in the next one.” Aunt Bade, lifted up her hands to heaven: “ Alas, what times we’re living in. If you ask me, its all a sign that the end of the world is near. Children, may great God forgive us our sins and wickednesses.” “ Amen!” said all the women. While the women were exhausting this interesting topic, Osman, the consumptive and his riends were talking on the marble staircase of the house of the Jewish egg vendor, Bohor Efendi. “ Does somebody who is hanged die at once?” Stinker Mustafa asked his friends. “ Why not? Of course”, answered Osman, the consumptive. Mazlum turned to Osman, the consumptive. “ Who is going to hang them tomorrow morning?” “ The famous Kara Ali.. He’s the best one in the world. There’s no other hangman like him.” Then in the corner of the staircase he saw a cat who was asleep and he had a wicked idea. “ Hey , let’s hang this cat!” he said. The boys liked this idea very much. “ Hang it , Hang it !” they shouted with one voice. And they seized the sleeping animal. “ Who’ll be Kara Ali ?” asked Mazlum. “ Osman, the consumptive”, suggested Köse. Osman, the consumptive took the belt off his hips and made a sling by putting the end of the belt through the buckle. He put this sling over the cat’s head. After holding the end of the strap he shouted: “ Set the cat free!”. Then children set the cat which they had been holding up to now free, it had no idea of what it was in for. The belt squeezed its throat together. It began struggling in the air and uttering pitiful cries. Osman, the consumptive held the end of the belt secu-rely and his friends laughed at its unfortunate situation. Some housewives hearing the cries the animal uttered fearing for its life, went up to the boys. Ayse : “ Set the cat free . May God curse you all !” Yıldız took a slipper off her foot. “ Set it free otherwise I’ll come and beat you all up with this slipper!” Aunt Bade : “ It’s a sin. Don’t do it, its a great sin to kill a cat. Once it rescued our prophet’s life.” A passer by , also seeing the boys torturing the animal ran up to them. “ You bastards , wretches ! I suppose you couldn’t find any other game ?” he told them off and gave Osman, the consumptive a strong slap in his face. Osman ,the consumptive dropped the belt from his hand on to the ground. The cat who was now set free fled with the belt round her neck. Osman , the consumptive seeing his belt disappearing chased the cat , to rescue the belt despite the hard clout he had received. A little later he returned to his friend in a bad mood. “ I couldn’t catch the cat. My belt’s gone. And I’ve been hit. All because of you, he reproached his friends. But after a short time the clout and lost belt were forgotten. The children dis-cussed excitedly when they should set off to see the execution. They decided that Os-man . the consumptive should wake them all and they would all go to the scene of the execution. As it was gra-dually growing dark they heard the mothers shouting for their children. When Osman , the consumptive heard his mother shouting: “ Osmaaan, Osmaaan, where are you ? It’s evening and you’re still on the street!” He said : “ Oh dear my mother’s calling . I’ll go. I’ll come and wake you all up tomorrow. You can’t get out of it, you know !” He went home. As it was supper time the other children went home too. After washing his hands and feet under the tap Köse went into the room where all sitting. His mother Pockmarked Hasibe was busy , preparing the table for supper. Köse turned to his father: “ Dad, have you heard , tonight at dawn they’re hanging two people !” “ Yes , son I have.” “ Dad, can I go and see the execution ?” “ It’s not right for children to see such things.” “ Why not , Dad , please , let me see it ? I’ve promised my friends I’ll go with them.” Pockmarked Hasibe was angry that her son wanted to go. “ You and your friends I hope the ground swallows you all up. Execution , .. … execution. I've heard that so often today that my head aches !” she grumbled. Köse asked his mother: “ Mum, all my friends are going. I’ve promised to go as well. I’ve got to keep my word. “ Sükrü, his father, gave way : “Alright ,as you’re given your word go, watch carefully and learn a lesson from what you see.”, he told his son. After he’d got permission from his father Köse sat down to the table which was laid in the middle of room satisfied. The others also sat down to the supper which had been prepared. “ Are you coming as well ?” Köse asked his big brother Dilo. “ You go alone. I’m not coming with. Mum , don’t wake him up tonight. If he wants to wake up let him do it by himself. The silly fool will oversleep and stay here,” he mocked Köse. The other younger brothers and sister laughed because they also thought he would oversleep. Pockmarked Hasibe agreed: “ I won’t wake you up. If you can wake up by yourself , do so.” Köse was very angry with his brother , Dilo who was making fun of him. “ Coward! You’re afraid , that’s why you’re not coming. You’ll see me getting up alone. Nobody needs to wake me up.” he said. “ Quiet , it’s a sin to talk while you eat !” the father chid and the children stopped making a noise and ended their meal in silence. After the meal Pockmarked Hasibe spread the mattresses on the ground. The little children crept into their beds. According to an old childish belief Köse whispered into his little brother’s ear who was sleeping next to him. “ So that I don’t oversleep and wake up early tomorrow”. Then he closed his eyes and fell asleep. He saw in his sleep gendarmeries, hanged people and his uncle Yusuf, who had committed suicide by hanging himself. He woke up full of fear. Although the room was now cold in the autumn nights he was perspiring. In the light of the petrol lamp which was turned low he watch-ed his brothers and sister, mother and father in the beds lying near each other. Köse, by the dream he’d just seen frightened believed that if he closed his eyes he would see the people who were hanged again. He forced himself to stay awake. After lying awake in bed for some time he had to go to the toilet. He got up from his position slowly opened . the door and went out. As he was fearfully pissing in the chamber which his mother had put in the corner for the children to use in such cases , the wooden stairs began to creak. He thought there were evil spirits or the devil and was very frightened. So that the evil spirits wouldn’t harm him he shouted three times “Destur,destur,destur!” At that moment the noise of steps came from the stairs. Köse was stiff with fear and panic. Then someone whispered: “ Köse is it you ? Are you up ?” When he recognizing Osman, the consumptive’s voice his fear disappeared. Osman, the consumptives hoarse voice which had always annoyed him brought him peace. “ Yes , I’m up. Just wait, I’ll come at once,” he said and went into the room. Quietly , so as to wake nobody he slipped into his trousers , shirt and pullover and went out. After he’d put on his shoes which were outside the door they set off together to wake the ot-her children. They called out the names of their friends outside the houses, quietly so that they didn’t wake the sleeping residents in the lane. Mazlum and Mehmet woke up. They all went on to wake Mustafa the Stinker. But despite their long calling in the darkness he didn’t wake up. When the children persistently shouted again and again a door suddenly opened and Mustafa the Stin-ker’s father came out with very sleepy eyes. “ What do you want ?” he asked the children. “ We’re going to watch the execution , Mustafa the Stinker said he wanted to come with,” replied Osman , the consumptive. Mustafa the Stinker’s father was very angry that he’d been waken up for this reason. “ Bugger off , wretched bustards !” he shouted and chased them off. Then he banged the door and went back to bed. So the friends went on without Mustafa the Stinker shivering in cold autumn night before daybreak in the direction of Konak Square. When they were going through the gloomy empty Kemeraltı Street a night watchman barred their way, “ What are you doing in the street at this time of night?”, he asked them. “ We’re going to watch the execution, Uncle Watchman” Mazlum informed him. The children went on. 5 Minutes later they arrived at Konak Square. When they saw a big crowd of people from afar they ran and joined the throng. In order to see better they drove under the legs of the grown up people and worked their way to the front. Now they saw a free place of 25 meters average, barred off by policemen. In the middle were two gallows at some distance from each other, at the top was hanging a rope with a sling. And nearby they watched people in clothes you couldn’t exactly recognize in the darkness , in dark robes and some officials. The people were excited and talking to each other. Everyone had something to say: “ The death penalty is right for murderers.!” someone said. “ The woman was very young and pretty. She didn’t only kill her husband with the axe , but her children, too.” someone else said. “ Really. What an unscrupitous woman!” “ No , dear man , according to what I read in the paper the woman only killed her husband. She cut off his head with the axe.” Another one joined in the conversation: “ I heard that she didn’t kill him with the axe but with rat poison she put in his food.” he said. “ You can’t believe everything in the papers. Perhaps the woman didn’t kill him. Perhaps somebody else did , but the woman was wrongly accused.” somebody maintained. “ May be. Why not? May God protect man from slander.”, yet another answe-red. “ Slander ? We live in a republican age. There are laws in our country , justice, gendarmerie , police and judges. If the woman weren’t a murderess ,the court wouldn’t have condemned her to death.” “God will let such murderers burn in the deepest fires of hell in the other world,” another said. “ Very well said, brother. People like them belong in hell.” another said. There was a movement among the officials standing at a distance from the gallows. The news , “ They’re bringing the convicted ones,” spread in the crowd quickly. Everyone wanted to see better and began to push each other. “ Don’t push so much, we’ll get squashed !” one cried. “ Don’t do that, brother. If we all push each other we won’t be able to see anything!” “ Think of the person in front of you , don’t push so much!” “ I’m not pushing , I’m being pushed from behind.!” the one behind him said. In view of the crowds of people the police, trying to make sure that the execu- tion took its proper order , gave advice: “ Ladies and Gentlemen ! Don’t push. After the execution the barrier will be opened . Then you’ll be able to see enough !” A little later some gendarmes armed with bayonets brought the condemned .man and woman to the gallows. The people in black robes spoke to them . As they were .a long way away it couldn’t be heard by the spectators . When the condemned were put on a stool under the gallows the spectators stopped making a noise. There was deadly silence everywhere . In this calm you could have heard a pin drop. Köse’s heart began to beat in great excitement. White aprons were put on the condemned. Köse , unable to see the condemned who were a long way off in the dark-ness , rubbed his eyes to be able to see better. The officials and people in robes went straight to the gallows. As they were standing blocking Köse’s view he couldn’t see anything despite his ef-forts. At once he heard a woman sobbing. Everyone waited for the moment of hanging in great excite-ment. There wasn’t a sound as if time were standing still... the seconds didn’t pass by. Shortly afterwards the officials left the gallows and went to the next one. As there was space in front of him Köse saw the deserted gallows where somebody was swaying in the semi-darkness hanged by his heck with his feet off the ground. But who had been hanged ? His heart didn’t beat in excitement . He was filled with a feeling of pain , a strange feeling , he hadn’t felt to this day. His eyes were fixed incirtably to the soulness body swinging on the stick. At this moment the second prisoner was hanged. Köse didn’t even notice . Only when one of the onlookers shouted “ The executions are over , the officials are going away!” did he come round. He looked at the second gallow. A lifeless body was also swinging there. The execution was over. He thought that the officials would go home after finishing their work, drink strong tea and have breakfast. Then he thought of the relations the executed people had left behind... But when imagining the parent whose children had been hanged their eyes were flooded with tears , their desperate situation , his eyes were filled with tears and he didn’t want to think about it any more. Slowly , slowly , morning broke and slight rain began to fell. The officials had all left. Only the soulness bodies remained swinging on the gallows in the middle of the square. Shortly afterwards the police said: “ It’s all clear , you can look now !” and lifted the barrier. The people rushed in hurridly. Köse, approached the gallows with heavy steps. On one , a delicate pretty young woman was swinging in emptiness her blond hair came down to her hips , on the other a huge rough young man with a brown face and moustache... both bodies as stiff as a post... .Both heads hanging forwards, both tongues out..... both faces as pale as wax. and both were death. Köse, couldn’t bear watching them any longer. Tears began to flow from his eyes . He felt ill. Without letting anyone know he was crying and telling his friend he went away. With tired steps he crept slowly , slowly into Kahraman Lane . Staggering on the way with tears streaming down his face he remembered his father’s words that evening : “Go, have a look and learn a lesson from what you see.” CHAPTER - 2 T H E W E L L O ne afternoon the seventy-years-old mother of the Jew Lieto sat in front of the gate to the courtyard of the tenant house where she had lived many years. She was a small woman with a round face and light-coloured skin; her white hair was covered with a scarf like most Turkish grandmothers . She sat in front of the iron gate on a stool to cool down and to watch the people who passed by on their way. A little further on a fisherman set up stand , a round wooden tray , in the middle of the street . “ Sardines , fresh finish!” he called loudly , filling the who street with his cry. A woman from the tenant houses across from him asked, “ Fisherman , how much are the sardines ?” “ Dirt- cheap , Lady , a kilogram for 15 kurush.” ( 1 ) “ That’s supposed to be cheap ? Say , are you crazy ? Who’s ever heard of such a thing , sardines at 15 kurush a kilogram .” “ How much do you want to buy , Lady ?” “ Give them to me for 1o kurush , then I’ll take one- and -a - half kilogram.” “ For your good sake , I’ll make it 12.5o kurush.” “ If you make it 1o kurush , I’ll buy them . If not , I won’t take them.” “ Come here Lady ! Come , I don’t want to turn you down.” Then the woman came out of her flat with a copper tray and went to the fisher. She looked the sardines on the stand. She checked to see if the eyes were shiney and if the gills were red. After she was sure they were fresh , she said , “Give me one- and –a – half kilograms.” The fisher laid a kilogram weight and a half – kilogram weight on one pan of the scales he held on the other pan he laid the sardines ,and after having weighed them he shook them into the empty tray in the woman’s hands. He threw the money the woman gave him into the bucket with the other money. “ Eat and enjoy them with your children , and don’t tell anyone that you bought the fish from me for only 1o kurush!” he said. After the woman was some distance away , he continued his sale , calling loudly, “ Sardines, fresh fiiish! Sardines for 15 kurush ! Such a good deal won’t come again ! Doesn’t anyone want to buy ? There are hardly any left ! They are almost all gone !” After a while the Jewish merchants came. “ Ocho berenjenas cinco kurush !” ( 8 eggplants 5 kurush) “ Tomate , pimientoo!” (tomatoes , bell peppers) , they called in their language Judea .Espanol loudly and sold their goods. While they called, the housewives did their housework and talked to one another through their windows from opposite sides of the street : “ How is your daughter Necla doing ? Is she better ?” “ A thousand thanks to God , today she’s better. How are you , Hatice ? The devil was loose at your house again yesterday evening .” “ Don’t ask , Sister (2). Yesterday evening my husband and I had a row . He hit me. “ “ For what reason ?” “ Why , my cursed mother – in – law has cast a spell , that’s why . She wants to separate me from her son .” “ Honestly , I couldn’t have expected that from your mother – in – law.” “ You don’t know what she is for a witch . You can expect everything from her. She cast a spell on us by smearing pig’s fat on the threshold of our room . I swear to God , I saw it with my own eyes. From that day on ,no matter what I do, I can’t please my husband. We are always arguing .” “ May God be with you . A spell is a terrible thing .May God not even do that to my enemy. Go to a Hodja and have the spell broken. You have five children .It would be a pity , your home shouldn’t fall apart. “ “ Even though I have scrubbed the threshold with a wire brush every day , the fat that was smeared on there continues to work. “ “ Woe , once pig’s fat gets onto something . After that you can do whatever you want , it’s of no use . The best thing is to go Hodja . There is no other way .” “ Do you know a good Hodja ?” “ From what I’ve heard , there’s a very famous Hodja named Arap in Karsı-yaka in the village of Semikler . They say that he knows why the people are there befo-re they tell him. There isn’t a spell that he can’t break . He can cure the sick and heal the crippled with the charm that he writes.” “ May God reward you , Necla ! You’ve calmed my soul . Tomorrow I’ll go to this famous Hodja so that my home be freed of the spell and peace be restored again.” “ It’s God’s will that we go together tomorrow . I want the Hodja to write a charm for my sick daughter , too. “ Further on three women were talking with one another in front of a tenant house . Ayse asked her neighbour : “ What are you cooking tonight , Fatma ?” “ I have bought fish that I want to fry in the pan . Besides that I’ll make a salad.” “ Oh, enjoy it ! I have bought bell peppers to stuff . I will fill them peppers with rice and mince meat .My husband and the children really like stuffed bell peppers. And what you cook, Aliye ? Why are you so sad ? Tell us what has happened . Are you worried about something?” Aliye’s eyes filled with tears . “ My husband ‘s boss has fired him,” she answered. “ For what reason ?” “ Because his foot slipped while carrying a 1OO kilogram crate on his back , and let the crate fall to the ground. After his boss had let my husband work a week , he threw him out without paying him a penny because he had broken the things in the crate .All of my husband’s pleading and begging did not help . He has been looking for work for so many days now. Without finding any kind of work and without earning money he comes back home with empty hands.” “ God should take the lives of such bosses . They should crackle in the fire of hell, that’s what I wish them,” scolded Ayse, and gave her one lira. Also Fatma stuck her hand into the pocket of her apron , pulled out her money purse, and also handed a lira to Aliye. “ Take this money . Cook something for your husband and your chil-dren . Don’t be sad . God is mighty . When the servant of God is not in distress , Hizir ( 3) will not appear . Hopefully your husband will find work . There is a remedy for everything except death,” she said. “ May God reward you both . May every stone that you take in your hands . .. turn to gold,” Aliye thanked Fatma and Ayse with tears in her eyes. “ Don’t say ‘may God reward you’ to us. Something that comes over you to- day can also affect us tomorrow. Our husbands are all workers .Our tomorrow is inse-cure . Poverty is a very hard thing . May God help us all !” “ Amen !” said Ayse.” We all have children and family . May God protect our .husbands from such bosses . Aliye, you would do good by letting Pock marked Hasibe take a look at your destiny . Perhaps she has good news for you.” “ Ayse’s idea is very good. Let Pockmarked Hasibe look into your future. You can take her prediction to heart . What she predicts always comes true,” agreed Fatma . “ If you think she’s at home ?” asked Aliye. “ Yes, she is home. I saw her buying from the Jewish vegetable man just a while ago. “ The women walked twenty meters further to the house of Lieto , asked mother of Lieto , who was still sitting in front of the gate, how she was ; and then they entered through the iron gate . On the left side there was a row of rooms , and in front of the door to the last room sat Pockmarked Hasibe washing dishes . They went to her . “ May your work be easy for you ! “ said Fatma to her. “ Thanks , may God reward you . Welcome !” “ Pockmarked Hasibe , Aliye has worries We have come to let you look at her destiny ,” added Ayse. “ Now you have work to do . We’d better come another time,” said Aliye bashful. “ What you are calling work are two pieces of dishes. I’ve washed them and am finished . Your coming fits fine. I just wanted to cook myself a coffee now. Please go in and sit down . I’ll rinse the plates here quickly and come right in .” The women went in and sat down cross-legged on the colourful rug next to the brazier. After a while Pockmarked Hasibe had ended her work and she came in . From underneath the bed she pulled a cloth covered basket in which were coffee , sugar , a coffee-pot , and cups . She filled a metal pot with water from a clay jug that stood behind the door . She sat down with the women , poured water into the coffee-pot , and set it on the fire. “ Pockmarked , your belly has become very thick . When is the birth ? “ asked Ayse. “ I f God will , in two months .” Aliye said “ May God be with you ; may the birth be easy .” “ Thanks, God bless you.! God gives property and fortune to the rich and children to the poor. “ “ You have spoken quite correctly . God gives property and fortune to the rich . But when I have no children to love and caress , what do I do with the possessions and treasure ? We are poor ; but thank God , we have children and family . We are not alone and we do not suffer from loneliness . When we find a crust of bread , we thank God and live happily with our children,” said Fatma. At this moment the water started boiling in the coffeepot that stood on fire. Pockmarked Hasibe shook sugar and coffee into the boiling water and stirred it with a spoon , and when the coffee swelled with bubbles , she drew the coffeepot from the fire , filled the cups , and gave each woman her coffee . Then from the tobacco can she offered her guests cigarettes that she had rolled herself . They then lit their cigarettes and drank their coffee . And Fatma urged Aliye : “ Aliye , think about your wish so that Pockmarked can look into your destiny .” Aliye finished her coffee and left some grounds in the bottom of her cup . Without saying it out loud , she thought about her wish ,. And after she had shook the cup in her hand , she set it upside down on the plate . After waiting some time Pockmarked Hasibe took Aliye’s cup , and by turning it in the hand she examined the designs inside left by the coffee grounds. “ You are worried,” she interpreted “ Because of a man you are grieving ; it is perhaps your husband . Your husband is also in distress . But don’t worry . The bird of luck will soon land on your head . ( 4 ) Aliye was happy about this good news . “ I Hope God hears what is coming out of your mouth ! “ she said. “ Within three times, “ continued Pockmarked Hasibe , “ you will receive good news...” Aliye : “ God , you won’t let our hopes be ruined . You always help your servants at a time when they would never have expected it. “ Pockmarked Hasibe : “ A tall man will make your husband a very good business offer . He must accept it . It will bring your family much of luck ...” “ May God bless this man a thousand times,” said Aliye thankfully. Pockmarked Hasibe continued speaking: “ A small fat man will try to prevent the deal. Your husband must be very careful.” Aliye was now very angry with this fat man who wanted to throw an obstacle in the way of her husband’s fortune “ May God let this fat man burst like a balloon and give him his punishment,” she said. Fatma was also angry with the fat man in the coffee cup.: “ Because he prevents the poorest of poor from acquiring his daily bread , God should make him creep on the ground . “ And Ayse also added : “ His children and all his family will punished by God too, if that is His will !” Meanwhile , something peculiar was happening outside . Lieto’s old mother, as she sat before the gate, suddenly began to sweat and to breathe heavily , as if she were struggling under a heavy load . She was trying with all of her strength to resist this pressure. From pain she started to moan and utter strange sounds . The color of her face changed ; she became as pale as a wax candle . Her eyes were fixed on one point , and she moved her hands as if she were pleading with invisible people .All of a sudden her head fell back as if she had been hit hard. She leaned on her stool without moving for a while , and then began to sway right and left , back and forth , as if she were dancing in rhythm to unheard music .Uttering a shrill cry , she stood up , tore the slippers from her feet and the scarf from her head ,and tossed them away. From the ground she took dirt and mud and smeared them on her face . She pulled her white hair with her hands and beat her chest with her fists , and throwing herself to the ground , she wallowed in the dust and dirt . Through it all she uttered cries that made one’s hair bristle . All who heard the cries, all people from the street, the women who were listening to Aliye’s fortune, Lieto’s wife and his daughters—they all dashed out of their houses and ran onto the street . Frightened, they watched the old woman from a distance. A stranger who happened to be walking down the street ran to help the old woman, who was writhing in the dust and the dirt, and to lift her off the ground. Lieto’s wife Rachel cried excitedly with fright: “ Don’t touch her. Quick , get away from her !” “ That’s a sin ! The poor old woman is writhing with pain on the ground. Help her !Don’ just look at her stupidly from afar !” he said . While the stranger was still talking , Lieto’s mother crawled toward him . Her behaviour was frightening : Her eyes looked as if they wanted to spring out of their sockets , and the whole time she uttered wild cries . “ Run ,she’ll throw herself on you !” some of the people who lived on the lane warned him. The stranger dodged her and moved away . “ Oh God, the woman has apparently gone crazy . I just wanted to help her, “ he said. “ Shut up ! You’ll put us all in danger,” said one of the onlookers and quieted the stranger . A stillness enveloped the whole street . All of the people , the daughter-in-law ,and the grandchildren watched the old woman anxiously without getting close to her . Lieto’s mother , after struggling on the ground , stood up . Crying out wildly , tearing her hairs out and beating her chest with her fists , she made her way up the steep slope of the Kahraman Lane. Her daughter-in-law Rachel and her young granddaughters followed her several meters behind . After she had wandered about in the Ikıcesmelik Street and the side streets , crying wildly , the old woman returned , without yelling , without beating her chest ,tired and completely battered. With heavy steps she staggered back down the hill . She passed through the iron gate and entered the courtyard of her tenant house . She neared the open well close to the gate , and again she cried out . Just as she was about to throw herself into the well , she was caught fast by her daughter-in-law and her granddaughters , who had closely followed all of her movements .The old woman lay motionless in their arms for a long time , and then she slowly regained consciousness . Her face was washed and her injuries were attended to . Fatma , who had watched her , felt sorry for the old woman and said: “ This old woman’s misery breaks my heart .” Than Pockmarked Hasibe explained: “ My mother, who has known this woman since they were young and who lived next door to her for twenty years , has told me that the woman was pregnant as a young girl. Her day came and she bore a child . After the birth , as she lie in bed recovering , her family left her alone once . The demons had been waiting for this chance ,and they grabbed the infant and fled . The woman , who saw the demons take her baby , ran after them , but she did not catch up with them . The demons jumped into the well and disappe-ared with the child . Meanwhile , forty years have passed in which time the woman often has such a seizure and succumbed to the agony of having lost the newborn . She tears out her hairs , beats her chest with her fists , and wants to rescue her child from the demons , because she believes it lives with them to this day at the bottom of the well.” “ May God help her and protect us all from the demons,” said Aliye . Fatma wondered and said : “ Even though so many years have passed , the old woman still suffers so and wants to throw herself into the well ?” “ How could she not want to throw herself into the well?” Pockmarked Hasibe said to her. “That is the heart of a mother . For her child she would not only throw herself into the well , she would even throw herself into the fire of hell ! Foot note Turkish currency 1oo kurush = 1 lira Sister : Friendly informal title used among friends or even strangers. Hizir : A saint from earlier times who is supposed to help people in need. 4 The bird of luck : A figure adopted from ancient oriental stories. CHAPTER - 3 T H E T O B A C C O F A C T O R Y One winter evening when it was growing dark, women were sitting outside the doors of their rooms in the courtyard of Hüsnü Bey’s tenant house cooking supper. “ May you find it easy Aunt Kamile!What are you cooking for your grandchildren tonight ? Saime asked aunt Kamile. “ I’ve bought calf’s foot . I’m cooking soup. And you, my daughter ?” “ I’ve bought some fish . I’m waiting for my husband . When he comes I’ll fry it so that all family eat it hot.”, answered Saime, and asked Raziye, the wife of bath attendant Ali Agha. “ Aunt Raziye , what are you cooking tonight ?” “ Nothing, my daughter . We haven’t any money to cook anything with . I’ll heat up the little soup left over from yesterday , we’ll eat that.” answered aunt Raziye. “ Mother , what we’re cooked whether a lot or a little , we’ll eat together.” said Wrestler Ahmet to his mother-in-law. “ Thank you , son-in-law. What you’ve cooked isn’t even enough for the children . You’ve got a big family , the children mustn’t be hungry . Don’t worry for us , we ‘re old . Whet- her we eat , or don’t eat anything it’s the same for us. “ Ayse joined in the conversation : “ I’m cooking food for the poor, white beans .These beans-may you get blind–have been cooking nearly two hours and still aren’t cooked.. “ “ Didn’t you put them into water yesterday night ?” asked aunt Kamile. “ Of course I dıd. Why should I ever forget that .But they’re not cooked despite that .” “ Who did you buy the beans from ?” asked Saime. “ From Jewish man Jakob . Who else ?” “ His beans are good , they cook quickly .” “ Because I bought them in Borg he’s probably given me bad ones. They don’t cook .” “ Jakob the Jew is a good man he won’t do such a thing . We’ ve been shopping from him at Borg for years . May God reward him. If it wasn’t for him we’d all starve in the win-ter months. “ Raziye defended him. Ayse’s son , hungry and impatient from waiting for the meal complained : “ Mum , when will the dinner be ready ? I’m dying of hunger !” and began to cry. Then Ayse , annoyed that the meal wasn’t cooking got very angry and told her son off : “ Will you burst at having to wait a little longer ? I hope you’ll burst so that I get rid of you !” That made Ali , her husband cross with Ayse ; He scolded her: “ Don’t shout at the boy. None of us have had a bite of bread all day . We’re hungry . We’ve been waiting for the meal for hours.” “ If the beans won’t cook , how is it my fault ?” “ You should have bought beans that will cook quickly.” At that moment Wrestler Ahmet’s son , came running into the house shouting : “ Daaad ! The landlord Hüsnü Bey’s coming !” “ Why are you crying on as if a fire’s broken out ,son? He’s welcome, very wel-come . We’re not the type of people to run away because we owe rent. “ Wrestler Ahmet scol-ded his son. When Ayse heard that the landlord’s was coming , she said angrily: “ As if I haven’t gone through enough with the beans tonight . Now the landlord’s coming . “ “ Of course , he’s got to come for to collect the rent.” Ali replied to his wife. “ Have we got any money to pay the rent ? How can we look him in the face ? I’ll sink into the ground with shame.” “ Me too . But what shall we do , if we haven’t any money to pay ?” “ In this cold winter none of us has money to pay rent .” Saime added. Aunt Kamile, who also had no money to pay the rent calmed them : “ Hüsnü Bey is a man who understands our situation .I’ll speak to him. Don’t worry.” Shortly afterwards the fat bellied landlord Hüsnü Bey came . Wearing a tie and dressed smartly he came in the house and spoke to them all with the words “Good evening!” Saime quickly fetched a chair from her room. “ Welcome Hüsnü Bey , please sit down !” she said and offered him the place . After sitting down gratefully on the chair in the middle of the courtyard Hüsnü Bey began to speak to everybody : “ I suppose you all know why I’ve come here tonight .!” “ Of course we know. It’s the beginning of the month. You’ve come to collect the rent.!” said bad attendant Ali Agha. “ You guessed correctly!”Hüsnü Bey praised him “ In this instance I’ll begin with you , Ali Agha.” He got the rent book out of his jacket pocket. As it was beginning to grow dark he bent over the book in his hand so that he could read better . He turned over the pages : “ So, now I’ve found it . Ali Agha you haven’t paid rent for 4 months . How many of your debts will you pay today ?” Bath attendant Ali Agha went red. “ I’m sorry , Hüsnü Bey! May God be my witness. I don’t deny that I’m in debt . But I haven’t any money to pay ”,he said ashamed. “ You say you know you’re in debt. But you can’t pay it. Ali Agha, a man must pay his debts .” “ Of course he must . Debts are a matter of honour. As soon as I’ve got work I’ll settle my debts.” “ You said that also last month. When are you going to pay this money ?” Tears came into bath attendant Ali Agha’s eyes. He was ashamed , didn’t answer and looked down. When Raziye saw her husband like this she spoke angry Hüsnü Bey. “Have you ever lost your money with us Hüsnü Bey?”Look,how you’re made my old husband cry . We’re no swindlers . In spring when the tobacco factories are opened we’ll pay our debts to you. We’re struggling through this cold winter in debts with the merchants , friends and good acquaintances.” Hüsnü Bey, didn’t know what to say in this situation. He turned the pages of the book he was holding. “ Mrs. Saime, you owe two month’s rent!” he turned to Saime. “ I know,Hüsnü Bey my husband -may he burst ,hasn’t come home yet. I haven’t got any money . I’ll pay you next month,” answered Saime. “ I turned a blind eye to Ali Agha because he’s old. I can’t do this to you.” “ We’ve lived in this house for many years . We’re all poor but reliable with debts. I’ll pay your rent at the beginning of next month .” she replied. “ Do you give your word ?” asked Hüsnü Bey. “ Yes , I do.” Then Hüsnü Bey went to Wrestler Ahmet. “ And you , Ahmet Efendi ! You also owe me 4 months rent.” Wrestler Ahmet got a crumpled note of two and half liras out of his pocket. “ I’ve saved it from my children’s mouths . And I could only put aside so much money!” he said and gave it to Hüsnü Bey. “ That’s not even a months rent Ahmet Efendi !” he answered mockingly . “ I know, but God is my witness I haven’t any more money.” “ You’re a giant of a man. If you press a stone you get the water out. How is it possible that you have no more money ?” “ In this cold and rainy days , I couldn’t earn much money. Good God, therefore I haven’t any more money. If I had I’ll give it to you. “ “ Indeed! I’ll make a condition ; next month the whole debt must be cleared.” “ If I get any money next month, I’ll give it to you. Here in Izmir where there are such cloudbursts it’s very difficult to earn money as a porter of loads . But don’t worry; when the tobacco factories are opened my wife will also go out to work. Then we’ll pay our debts.” Now Hüsnü Bey turned to Ayse. “ Mrs. Ayse,you owe me four months’ rent with this one!”, he said. “ I’m very sorry we have no money to pay. Please have a little patience.” replied Ayse . “ I can’t wait any longer . Either you pay my rent or move out of my house!” “ Please show understanding to us. Where shall I go with my five children in this cold winter ?” “ Go wherever you want . That doesn’t interest me. I want my rent. You should work !” These words, ‘You should work’ of Hüsnü Bey’s annoyed Ayse’s husband, Ali who had stood at one side in silence up to now. “ Where is there work for us Hüsnü Bey ? I’ve been looking for a work for months and haven’t found any. We’re already sold our clothes and furniture so that our children won’t starve.” “ The weather is rainy and muddy . Children and family want bread. We barrow money from here and there and do shopping on credit with the grocer, this is how we survive . Haven’t we pay you last winter’s debts in the following summer when we worked at the tobacco factories?” added Ayse. Aunt Kamile came with coffee she’d made for Hüsnü Bey and gave it to him. “ Take this coffee, my son, I’ve made for you ! Enjoy it and listen to what I’ll tell you,” she said. Hüsnü Bey accepted aunt Kamile’s the cup of Turkish coffee and thanked her. He drank his coffee and listened to aunt Kamile’s remarks. She crouched down on the floor near him and began : “ My son Hüsnü Bey! W’ve been living in this tenant house for 3o years when we came as refugees from Jugoslavia .You were a little boy then. You sometimes came here with your deceased father. May God grant him eternal peace, your father was a good man . He understood the situation of us poor. You’re also good. May God reward you for it. You show us patience and don’t throw us onto the street in misery this winter. May you be healthy. May every stone you hold turn to gold, my son. You know that the people living here are honest and honourable and fully credit worthy. Most of them provide for their children and families by wor-king as porters and doing casual works .In this hard winter months there are no possibilities to earn money . They keep their heads above water by selling the clothes they bought joyously in the summer, getting credit with the butcher and grocer . Nobody has money to pay rent. I have-n’t either, my son. We’re all ashamed of this situation. Please be a little patient. Sometime the winter will be over. Then spring will come and the tobacco factories will be opened, there will be a lot of fruit and vegetable, poor people’s faces will laugh, they will earn money and pay out-standing rent, which is your due.” Hüsnü Bey who had attentively followed aunt Kamile’s story objected: “ I understand your poverty. But is it my fault ? I pay the town taxes for these houses. They won’t wait when the day comes, they fetch the money.” Without getting rent from anyone he left. The day which had been longingly waited for months at last had came and even before dawn thousands of women from 7 to 7o had gathered at the factory gate. The women, knowing that only a small number of workers would be taken stormed at the factory gate at 7’ o’clock when it was opened and pushed each other to get in and secure a place at the work tables. A hard fight began among them. Shouts of the employers, who had to keep law and order outside, : “ Women ! Don’t push. You’ll all get work !” were of no avail. They didn’t stop pushing each other. As a result of this scramble some of them fell on the ground and were trodden on. The others still pushed each other over those who had fallen down and went to the gate , “GA-TE OF BREAD”. The eagerness to get through the gate had turned all their heads and smot-hered their human feelings. Everyone thought of herself. “ Stop pushing me from behind . Are you mad ?!” “ They’re also pushing me from behind . Of course, I’m pushing too. I’ve waited for this day for months!” A little further on a woman was attacking another who had pushed her. : “ Are you blind ? You’re squeezing me and my old mother.” “ You’re blind ! I’m not. If your mother were so worthy as that you wouldn’t have brought her here.” “ It’s none of your business that I’ve brought my mother here. Don’t push like donkeys !” “ I’m not a donkey. But you’re a whore !” “ What ! Did you say, I’m a whore ? I’ll shit your mouth now !” While the women fought tearing their hairs out, a woman shouted and cried at another place : “ Help! Come and help! My daughter’s dying. They’ve trampled on my little daughter !” When the work tables had filled up the gate of tobacco factory was closed. The women who had come in half fainting thanked God whereas those remaining outside went backhome tired and exhausted, their hopes dead. As time went on other tobacco factories were opened. The women rushed there in thousands.. Some of them were taken on, others went away with empty-handed. Those who were taken on were at last with their tobacco leaves they’d longed for all winter. Every day in the early morning hours the streets were full of young girls with pale faces and headscarved, with hunchbacked grandmothers and mothers holding their 7-8 year old daughters’s hands. This army of women came from far and wide to their places of work. In the oppressive heat of July and August at 4O degree and more in the shade ,they sat in buildings whose windows were always kept closed so that the tobacco leaves weren’t spoiled, crowded side by side at work-tables . With eyes burning from tobacco exhausted and mumbled by the heat, they worked perspiring all day and were yellow and sticky from the mixture of tobacco dust and perspiration got tired. Every woman had to sort a certain quantity of tobacco. With the dried large tobacco leaves called “Mother” it was possible to sort the required amount. But it was very hard to get the required quantity from the small leaves cal-led “Tip”. Therefore everyone wanted to sort out “Mother” leaves and found ways to get round the teenage boys carrying tobacco cases. This was no problem for pretty young girls. They flir-ted with them and acquired “Mother” leaves in this way. Naturally a lot of women were angry about this unfairness. When the boy dragging cases brought “Tip” to Ayse again her collar burst. : “ Listen ! How often have you always brought me ‘Tip’. But you take ‘Mother’ leaves to the girls opposite who make eyes at you!” she said furiously. “ I don’t give anyone special treatment. I take them ‘Tip’ too!”, the carrier of the cases protested. “ Don’t lie! You only take them ‘Mother’ leaves. How often have I seen it with my own eyes.” Yildiz : “ My son, bring us ‘Mother’ leaves too. We’ll give you money for cigarettes at the end of week and please you!” When Wrestler Ahmet’s wife Zübeyde said to the boy : “ Bring us also good leaves and treat us well. There are a lot of pretty girls in the street where we live . We’ll find one for you and begin to feather your nest.” Pockmarked Hasibe got very angry with her and reproached her. “ Don’t tell lies and give any hope the boy!” Saime depressed by the boredom of continuously sorting leaves in the closed buil-ding made a suggestion : “ Karakız sing a song to cheer us up!” she said to Karakız. Raziye supported her : “ Sing my daughter. We’ll all be suffocated by heat!” Karakız did not refuse and sang the a very old folksong in her beautiful voice : “ On the way to Üsküdar it started to rain, My secretary had a long robe and its hem is muddy. The secretary woke up from his sleep, his eyes are sleepy, The secretary is mine, I am his. Why does a stranger interfere? My secretary has a collar shirt suits him very well. On my way to Üsküdar, I found a handkerchief, I filled it with Turkish delight. After looking for my secretary, I found him near me, The secretary is mine. I am his. Why does a stranger interfere? To my secretary the long rope and the trousers suits very well.” ( ** This populer Turkish folksong years ago sang by Eartha Kitt ) When she finished all the women working at the work tables shouted: “ Well done, Karakız !” “ Bravooo! May God grant you your heart’s wish!” The foreman heard the noise the women were making. He hurried and was cross with them. “ What’s this noise ! Have you made this place a woman’s public baths? Hear, this is no place for singing. It’s a place of work!” Karakız answered: “ We’ve singing songs as we work.” When old Raziye also said to the foreman: “ Why do you forbid us singing ? Are we prisoners here?” The foreman Ali got very angry with her. “ First you can’t sort the required quantity of tobacco and then you oppose your boss in a cheeky way. I’ll show you who I am. Put on your coat and leave here at once. The-re’s no more work for you in this place from now on!” he put an end to Raziye’s work. Saime kept begging him: “ Foreman Ali, please excuse her mistake. Don’t give her the sack!” “ Until now I’ve turned a blind eye to her because she’s old. “,was the answer. Karakız : “ Foreman Ali, if you throw out anyone, than throw me out. I was the one who sang the song. Aunt Raziye isn’t guilty at all!” That Raziye continued sorting leaves made Forman Ali livid. “ Mrs. Raziye stop sorting the leaves. I told you, get up, put your coat on and leave. Otherwise I’ll fetch the police and have you thrown out of here by force !” Raziye begged crying: “ Forman Ali, my son! I didn’t say anything bad to you. If I’ve made a mistake, please forgive me. I’ve got rent to pay. Please don’t throw me out of work!” “ You didn’t talk like that a little while ago. Now you’re begging like a dog.” Forman Ali answered. Zübeyde was seized with anger that her mother was called “dog”. And attacked the Foreman Ali. “ My mother isn’t a dog. You are, even if you’re a foreman. You are not God. You can’t insult us like this.” Foreman Ali got very angry with Zübeyde : “ Off you go with your mother. Clear off from here !” said and he threw her also out of work. Zübeyde’s collar burst: “ You can’t throw us out of work without justification. We’re poor but we live honestly. We’re not indecent, as you are. If you were decent man, you would not touch the breasts of young girls!” she raged. Foreman Ali seized old Raziye and her daughter Zübeyde by the arm and pulled them up forcibly. Hearing the noise, the employees of other departments came. They all seized both women and wanted to drag them away by force. Zübeyde resisted this and shouted loudly: “ You were also casual worker, as we are. Not very long ago, you dragged and worked as a porter. Have you become a great man ? You, rogue. May God punish you. I hope illness and poverty come to your house!” Both women were thrown out by force. The “Gate of Bread” which they had ente-red with high hopes and hard struggles was closed before their eyes. When both women had been thrown out Foreman Ali, turned to the women: “ Women, here is a place of work. It’s not a place of pleasure. Singing and speaking are forbidden here. Everyone will sort out the required quantity of tobacco leaves. Those who don’t heed my words will be dismissed.!” With these words he left them. The women, afraid of loosing their work went on sorting leaves without making any noise. After a while Karakız said to the women sitting near by: “ God doesn’t leave any injustice unpunished. I hope he give Foreman Ali sorrow and lets him creep on the earth.” “ I’m very annoyed with myself. Because I asked you to sing.”,Saime said. “ No it’s my fault. May God punish me. Oh, if only I hadn’t sing a song!” Karakız regretted. “ Poor aunt Raziye and Zübeyde haven’t any work.” said Yıldız. “ They won’t be able to pay overdue rent this summer. The landlord will throw them onto the street.” Saime added sadly. Cilbir Hasibe : “ We’ll all help to pay overdue rent. With God’s help we’ll not let them be thrown out onto the street. May God punish poverty.” Even Ayse complained of her situation : “ We’re fed up to the very teeth. Breathing this tobacco smell every day. What’ll become of us ?!” Pockmarked Hasibe : “ Because we’re poor we’ll have to slog all our lives in this hell to pay debts with the landlord and grocer, not to be indebted to anyone, to get a faded piece of cloth for a dress or trousers for our children and to buy a pair of shoes for their feet. Spend our lives groaning in this hell and one day close our eyes and disappear from this transitory world and die.” She said and wiped the perspiration which was streaming down her face. The End