Bookstore
Uncle’s Son Faruk Abi
(Publication Date: July 24, 2006)
In my column on Friday, I mentioned that I’m in Turkey.
The other day, we
were going to visit a friend who will soon become a father.
My wife and I went to a
stationery and toy shop.
I recognized him immediately.
***
It was Faruk Abi, the son
of the bookseller from whom I bought my first book.
(By the way, the school I
attended was called Albay İbrahim Karaoğlanoğlu Primary School.)
The bookstore was located
opposite our primary school.
I didn’t much like reading
books in those days.
But my primary school
teacher, Bayram ÇELENK, was like a father to me.
I don’t know; perhaps this
affection came from the fact that he had the same name as my father.
Or perhaps the fact that,
despite my being such a mischievous student, he forgave me every time played a big part in why I loved him.
That summer, our primary
school teacher told us not to read a book for homework.
And I, as a student eager
to do my homework,
went to the bookstore
across from our school.
I bought a book whose name
I can’t remember now and which, when I read it, I didn’t understand at all.
My first adventure in
reading books ended in disappointment.
It caused a deep distance
to grow between me and books for many years.
In those days, when I
heard the word “book,” I thought of written things that you read but didn’t understand.
Thankfully, I read now.
***
Anyway, our subject is
Faruk Abi the bookseller.
Because of my bad
experience, Faruk Abi the bookseller was actually the son of the bookseller who was my brother’s bookseller.
These days, that Bookstore
Uncle’s Son Faruk Abi has a stationery and toy shop of his own.
Now, to me, he’s just
Faruk Abi.
I’m sure that Faruk Abi,
the owner of the shop my wife and I randomly walked into to buy a gift for my friend’s not-yet-born child, is known among the children of that neighborhood as Toyshop Uncle Faruk.
Faruk Abi has a very sweet
son.
I’m sure the children of
that neighborhood call him the Son of Toyshop Uncle Faruk.
Years from now, he too
will be someone’s Abi, and the cycle will go on.
***
The moment we entered
Faruk Abi’s shop, he recognized me, just as I recognized him.
After the usual “How are
you?” and so on, the key question came: “What do you do?”
As always, my answer to
that question would lead to the Cyprus issue and its solutions, but Faruk Abi did something different.
Faruk Abi, who had always
seemed different to me, did it again, as you can see.
He said just one
sentence about Cyprus.
He didn’t go into depth.
He didn’t take an Annan-
like approach.
He didn’t puff himself up
as a sage presenting a new solution.
Just one sentence.
Simple, plain, and clear.
One clear, single
sentence.
(I think you’re curious
enough by now.)
***
What Bookstore Uncle’s
Son Faruk Abi, who used to be that to me, and these days is simply Faruk Abi, said was this: “The Turkish Cypriots struggled for years, and they deserve the very best.”
That’s it.
Clear and direct.
***
This perspective of
Turkish society is such a powerful thing.
It shows that a society
that has faced every kind of hardship and struggled will never be left alone.
From this point on, only
one thing remains.
To act with an awareness
of this strength.
An awareness of deserving
everything.
But without becoming
arrogant.
Without giving in to
humankind’s insatiable ego.
Without letting down the
Faruk Abis who are the sons of Bookstore Uncles.
To act as a dignified,
honorable, and conscious society.
This should be our
greatest goal.
All texts and other
content on this page are original and belong to Cem KAR. They may not be used, even in part, in any way in print or any other electronic medium (CD, Internet, etc.) without permission.