A GENOESE

It was a cold winter night. Wind was too strong. There was smell of snow in the air. The streets were empty. The wind ceased for a while. There was a deadly silence. His footsteps were echoing like screams of a little boy in the narrow streets of Galata. There was a strange hurry in his behaviours; he was checking the streets from the corners. He was nervous as if he didn’t want to be seen by anyone. He looked back again. His mind was full of thoughts. Suddenly, he stopped. ‘No, I shall not go!’ He moved on for a few seconds and stopped again. ‘What if anyone sees me?’ For a while he thought he had seen someone but, that did not prevent him from going there. Then, he came in front of her house. He looked at her window in moonlight. ‘How beautiful she is!’ Her walking... Her parasol... Her eyes... He tried to get rid of her from his mind. ‘Yes! Just two streets left!’ It would be difficult to return home. If the gates were closed, he could not go back. ‘I can stay in Konstantin’s inn’. He could see the top of the recently constructed building. He looked at Christ Tower* with admire and fear. ‘Jesus Christ! Forgive me!’ After walking a while, he entered the street. He saw the dim lights of the building. He came closer and looked at the writing above the gate: Genoese Library. He took a breath and entered the building. His hands were shaking. A man came closer to him. “We are closed sir”. He paused and gulped.” I... I...want a room...below...”The man scanned him from head to foot. “My friend...Umm... Andrea sent me.” Then, he moved his brow. “Follow me!” They walked in the narrow corridors of the library. He looked at the books on the shelves. ‘What a pity not to come here for books!’ They went upstairs. An overweight man probably could not pass from there. He stumbled upon a stone and was about to fall. The man looked back angrily. He said no word. They came to a place with a lower ceiling. He had to lean his head.” We came! Do you have money to pay this?” He shook his head.” Then, go ahead!” He pointed a door and left. He was alone now. He heard the footsteps of the man. And noises ceased. He took a deep breath. Suddenly, her view came into his eyes before the door. She was smiling. “We can’t be together!” “No!” He tried to forget about her. ‘Ahh! Marié’ Her nice hands... Later, he smelled his hands and disgusted. They were smelling fish as always. ‘Will I not be able to get rid of this smell!’ He leaned forward to turning knob and hesitated to open. Then, he heard the beautiful voice of a woman. ”Just gonna stand there all night?” He entered the room slowly with his eyes closed. When he opened, he saw a goddess. Lying on bed...Semi- naked... ‘God! Forgive me!’ It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She looked like Lilith* to him and he was Adam. He could do whatever she says and they could live in the Garden of Eden forever. She pointed him with her finger to come closer. He moved. He moved as if he was in a trance.” Is this your first time young boy?” He shook his head. “Then, let us make it memorable.” She touched his face. He blenched, but she ignored that and moved on. He was trembling. He felt her smooth skin on his body. She was whispering to his ear. He sweated. The voice of his breath was getting higher... And they were relieved. He was sure that that night would be the most memorable moment of his short pitiful life. She was finished with him and got the payment. He looked at her again. Her eyes were closed now. She must have been tired. ‘God knows! Maybe, I’m the 50^th today!’ He stood up and got his clothes on. He looked back again thinking of Marié. He would not be able to see her again for weeks, for months maybe. ‘God damn sea!’ He would be far from people for a long time. He went upstairs and saw that man again. “I hope you had a nice time!” He smiled and went on not saying a word. ‘What an irony! Under the centre of knowledge, there is a brothel!’ He got out of the building and looked back at the building again. He remembered his childhood when he had big dreams of being a naval officer. ‘Look what I’ve become, mom! A sailor! A worker in a ship!’ He came to the street of Marié‘s house. For a while he thought he was mistaken. A man came out of her home. He saw the beautiful hand of her. He took the hand and kissed and left quickly. He could not move for a few seconds. ‘How..? How can she..?’ He couldn’t finish. Now, a living death man was walking. He didn’t know where to go. It must have been midnight. He heard the voices of the gate’s closedown. Then, there was no choice but going to Konstantin’s inn. He looked at his last money in his pocket. ‘Farewell dear!’ A man at the inn’s door greeted him. He was starving. He sat down a table at saloon. Soon, a man came. “What do you want to eat?” “I’m not hungry, thanks”. The man left the table. He gave his ears for the conversation of two sailors. “Yeah! We got Chios*!” He was so soulless to be glad for it. He decided to sleep and went upstairs. ‘Nothing! Nothing is the word describes me!’ Tomorrow, people in the inn heard the cry of a woman, the wife of innkeeper. “There is a death man upstairs! He hanged himself with robe!” Her husband came to room. “Who is he? He must be a sailor as he had rope”. People hearing the event came to room. “What is his name?” No one answered.

*Christ tower: The name of Galata Tower given by Genoese.

*Lilith: In mythology, it is believed that there was Lilith before Eve. As she refused to obey Adam, she was sent from heaven.

*Chios: the name of the island conquered by Genoese in 1346.

BELMA DEMİR

DERYA ARİFOĞLU

ELİF GENÇ

ESİN ALTUNKAYA

ŞENAY ULUDAĞ

ZEYNEP ÜNAL

SUBJECT: GALATA TOWER AND AROUND