Egg
Hello, Hello. Yusuf?
I'm calling from Tire. You need to call home. Right away.
- I'm sorry. We're closed. - Hi.
I was surprised to find a used bookstore open at this hour.
What are you looking for?
I'm going to a party and I need a present. Can I look around?
Do you have a cookbook, for instance?
Should be one, down on the right.
These were inside the book. Someone must have forgotten them.
- Must be recipes. - Keep them.
- No. How much is this book? - The price is on the back.
Could I exchange it for this bottle of wine?
Sure.
- Thanks. Good night. - You too.
Our sympathies.
Yusuf, my son. Don't be sad. Death comes to all of us.
What can we do? It's the will of Allah.
Let Allah protect those who are left on this earth.
Our sympathies.
- My condolences, son. - Thank you.
Got any water? Hurry up and bring some.
- Hello. - Hi, welcome.
- Hair or beard? - Beard.
Ok then.
- There's tea. Will you have one? - Ok.
- Thanks. - Sugar?
Please.
If you're hungry, there's a lot of food. The neighbor brought us food.
How nice of them.
I hung your jacket in your room; and there is a clean towel in the toilet.
- Enjoy your food. - Thanks.
- Would you like some quince? - No, thanks.
- Have a seat. - OK.
They brought them from Bulgurca. There is a lot of quince this year.
- Those orchards are still around? - Yes.
We went there last on the Spring festival.
We had some relatives there.
Aunt Keriman.
Yes, we visited them.
- How are they? - They're very old now.
- Is this Grandmother? - Yes.
- That is your father. - My father has bloomed.
- This is Uncle Necih, right? - Yes.
I still see these in my dreams.
- Aren't you afraid of them? - They're flowers.
- My mother used to talk to them, right? - Yes.
- She used to chat with them all the time. - And you?
Sometimes.
- Who is that, in the middle? - Your Uncle Rahmi...
- Uncle Rahmi died?! - Didn't you know that?
Happened more than four years ago.
- Sure. And you are Uncle Rahmi's... - Granddaughter.
- Granddaughter. Yes. - Ayla.
- Yes.
- I'll bring some tea. - Ok.
Thanks.
Ayla, thank you very much for taking care of my mother.
- I have to leave tomorrow for Istanbul. - I...
- Yes. - Before she died...
...Mother Zehra had promised a holy offering at Birgi.
I mean... Now you've got to do it for her.
Offering?
Yes... She promised to sacrifice a ram.
Let me give you what is necessary. You do it.
But you've got to do it.
- I can't sacrifice a ram. - Why not? It would only take 3-4 hours.
I don't believe in those kinds of things.
This is a promise your mother made.
Think of it as a debt she has.
Do it for Mother Zehra's sake.
OK... Let's sort it out the next time I visit, in the summer maybe.
It's up to you...
Milk! Milk!
I'll buy two liters.
Take this. Come on, come inside.
- Did you give Mrs. Asiye her pot? - Yes.
- Did you visit Emine? - Yes.
Go see if the hen's laid any eggs...
No!
- No eggs... None! - Look carefully!
None!
- Keep it. - Take it.
- Have you got a stiff back? - It is Ok.
- Because of the bed? - No. I guess I am very tired.
Oh goodness!
- Want some milk? - No, I should go out.
There are some things of Mother Zehra's that I need to give you.
Ok, but I'm not leaving now. I have things to do in town.
The passage you have read is from "Pearl", a novel of Steinbeck.
This passage is a very short part that tells the story of Kino.
If you read the whole novel, you will see several events that develop out of one.
And you will meet a wide variety of personality types and...
...characters interacting within a wide place and time frame.
- Yes? - Is the lawyer here?
He went to Izmir on business... Come in. I can help you.
- Is he going to return today? - Not today, tomorrow...
- OK then I'll come back tomorrow. - Mr Yusuf? I can write a petition...
...if it is about inheritance.
- And you are... - I'm Mehmet, Muharrem Yilmaz's son...
Would you like some tea?
Can I have your ID please?
Driving license won't work; we need your ID.
I don't have it with me.
- Because your ID number is necessary. - What should I do?
Can you call someone to fax it?
OK.
- I can't get a connection here. - The office is out of range.
- You can call from the yard. - Ok.
Hello? How are you? All right I guess.
I'm in Tire. My mother just passed away. Thanks.
No, I'm coming back. She's buried already...
...but I have to settle some things up. That's why I called you.
Would you go to my shop?
My ID is in the drawer.
I'll give you a telephone number, can you fax it?
Ok. Thanks. Thank you.
What happened to you, son? Did you fall down?
Smell the onion. Son, wake up.
What happened to you son... You fell down... Did you hurt yourself?
Try sitting up, son. Stand up now.
What happened to you? Are you in pain?
Come on. I will help you up.
Slowly.
Stand up, let me bring you there, drink water.
Slowly.
Come along.
Come.
Come, let me give you some water.
Slowly, slowly.
Let me give you some water.
Drink it, you'll feel better.
You'll feel better.
Do you feel pain anywhere? You fell down.
Which mosque just chanted the death notice?
There was no death notice now, son. It was in the morning.
It is not the time for death notice.
- You must have heard wrong. - It came from that direction.
I didn't notice anything, but they never give a death notice in the evening.
You can see everywhere.
- Look down there... Behind that big tree. - That's our house.
Yes.
And there the school next to the mosque. Our high school.
You can see whoever you want.
Let's sit down for a bit.
- How are your lessons? - Fine.
The last exam went well. I hope I'll do even better.
Good. So, if you pass the university entrance examination, will you leave?
- Sure I'll go. - Where to, for instance?
- Istanbul, Izmir wherever I get accepted. - So, far away.
Far away.
What do you think about me?
What do I think?
Well... You're a good person. I trust you.
- That's it. - I am only a good person to you?
What do you expect?
- Ayla, I'm serious. - Me too.
Let's go.
He came in the early afternoon. He's still sleeping.
I think he'll probably sleep till morning.
So, you tell me, how is school? What are you doing?
Everything is going great. Just like I wanted.
You know Asli? We are roommates in the dormitory.
You're very lucky. She is very lucky too.
I hope you pass the university exam and come too.
I'm studying. I'm trying hard.
Sure. Keep up with your lessons. Study hard.
You know, Aunt Zehra wanted you to go to university.
Anybody here?
Mother Zehra was very kind... But now our poor Ayla is left alone...
Yusuf! Yusuf!
Cevdet! How are you?
- How are you? - How are you Yusuf?
Thanks.
- I'm very sorry about your mother. - Thanks.
- You look just the same, Yusuf. - You too...
- Come, let's have a beer. - But I'm just on my way to Istanbul now...
Nobody is like a mother, Yusuf. You'll understand this better later on...
- How is the store going? - It's the same. Nothing more; nothing less.
You know how Tire is...
- Who else do you see? - You should ask who's left.
- Who? - Only Yavuz and me...
- Yavuz. And what about Murat? - He moved to Izmir.
He married your Gül.
But Gül is back here. They got divorced...
Really?
- Dad. - Let me introduce you to my friend Yusuf.
- Hi. - My oldest boy, Cem.
Go tell her I have a visitor from Istanbul. Go on.
- He is a big boy. - Thank you.
They just don't leave you be...
Your mother used to give us new about you...
We couldn't call and thank you. Sorry about that.
- For what? - For sending us your book.
We were very proud of you...
I actually don't understand much about poetry.
But my wife liked it very much.
- She understands. - Thanks.
She keeps up with all the writers. Faruk, bring us two beers.
Thanks. I shouldn't drink. I'll be driving soon.
Come on, Yusuf, just a beer after all these years.
- I don't want to get stopped. - Nothing'll happen. Don't worry...
I sent my regards to you.
Thanks for remembering me and sending your book.
I read it from time to time.
Some of poems I seem to remember from the past.
- Which ones? - I don't know, "The Well" I suppose?
I wrote that for you.
I caused you to suffer.
I was young.
You used to publish your poems in the magazines.
- I don't write much nowadays. - Why not?
I don't like what I write.
You don't come here very often, do you?
I can't get away.
When I was in Ankara I missed Tire very much. You know?
In Ankara everywhere else looks good.
When I came back I was disappointed. I wondered why I had missed this place.
- Why? - I don't know.
God knows how we thought about this place when we were young.
- You had missed the old days. - Maybe.
How is everything in Istanbul?
Do you remember, you used to say that you couldn't live anywhere but in Tire.
- Did I say that? - You said that.
I used to hate this place, Gül.
Stay tonight. You can go tomorrow.
OK.
Mother Zehra left these.
Aren't you going to look at them?
I'll look at them later.
- What are you knitting? - A pullover.
Mother Zehra was knitting it.
It is the same color as the scarf you sent me.
We wanted it to be same color.
Remember, you sent it for the last religious fest?
No.
I think we blew a fuse.
- Have you got an electric tester? - I don't think so...
I'm telling you we have to get this offering sorted out.
What does it have to do with this?
We have to change the fuse.
- Do you know an electrician? - There is one in the town center.
...but it must be closed at this hour.
- I saw a shop just near the school... - That shop must be closed down hours ago.
I'll have a look.
I'll go... You rest.
It's Ok. You make tea. I'll go.
- Are you closing? - Yes.
We have a problem with the fuse. Could you come and have a look?
Now?
You go on and I'll come on my own.
- You know where my house is? - No.
- Zambak Street, number 1. - Ok.
The cable's burned. You've overloaded it.
I'll fix it for now, but you should change it.
OK.
- Would you like some tea? - No, that's Ok.
Come on. Have some.
- Are you from around here? - Sort of...
- Where from? - From Odemis.
Who is your family?
- You wouldn't know them. - You tell me...
- They called my father Ali the Brickmaker. - Ali the wall- Maker... Is he still alive?
- Yeah. - What is he doing?
He's gotten old. He is at home.
Well... And you are his son.
Send him my regards. Yusuf is my name. He knows me.
Tell him that I'm Yusuf, Zehra's son.
He was at the funeral.
It's Ok now.
Thank you very much.
- Cigarette? - No.
Your father used to dig wells. I used to help him.
He had a wooden stick like fork. He used to look for water.
He knew where the water was and how deep it was.
I saw a well we had dig together recently.
It's still standing but it's dried up.
- How much do we owe you? - Twelve and a half liras.
Keep the change. We bothered you at this hour of the night.
It is OK.
Good night.
YUSUF KOKSAL'S FIRST BOOK AND FIRST POETRY AWARD
- Are you getting it? - No, you answer it.
- You get it. - No, no, you get it.
Allright.
Hello? Hello?
Hello.
- Did you lock the doors? - I did.
- What happened to the wipers? - Someone did it I suppose.
- Who would do that? - I don't know.
- Hello. - Hello. Got a problem?
We need to change the windshield wipers.
I'm going to the toilet.
Would you open the hood?
Lift it up.
This is the road to Gölcük, isn't it?
We went to Birgi from the other way.
This road is shorter.
Mother Zehra was going to take me to Gölcük.
We waited for you. You said that you would come but you didn't.
We would have gone alone but Mother Zehra wanted us to go together.
Since you used to like Gölcük very much.
Yes I did...
She said that we might even go up to Bozdag.
Wasn't meant to be fate.
A hawk! A hawk!
Behind us now. He must have been hunting.
Mother Zehra told me. She saw a hawk once.
It picked up a snake, soared in the air...
...and then dropped the snake onto the tarmac.
It happened when she was a child.
Our bride is very beautiful. Come on girl, sit next to me.
Grandma Hacer didn't you remember me? I'm Ayla?
I know, I know. Why didn't you invite us to the wedding?
This is what Kipçak's Zehra does. She never invites anybody.
- Aunt Günsel but, I... - Which family do you belong?
Your family is mine. I am the granddaughter of Uncle Rahmi.
- How is your Uncle? - Fine. Thanks.
I've gotten old. I'm forgetting everything.
I get yesterday mixed up with today.
- Have you got a cigarette? - I gave up smoking.
Why did you give it up? One shouldn't give up smoking.
- Girl, do you smoke? - No, I don't smoke either.
Girl, get up and go in the house...
...and take some of the jam, cheese, tomato paste; they're under the cover.
- Take enough for your mother and yourself. - Come on girl. Help yourself.
Help yourself. Jam, cheese... Help yourself.
- Do you have children, son? - Not yet.
- Why not? - Well, we just got married.
Look at the kids today. We didn't see anything.
At least they get to travel around, go out. We didn't go anywhere.
Travel, girl. We got stuck here. Never saw anything.
You go where you can and see what you can.
So you're going to a university prep course, aren't you?
Yes, I am.
- How is it going? - Fine.
- What do you want to study? - I haven't decided yet.
- Haven't decided? - I have a couple of things in my mind but...
Well... It could be dental hygiene, or accounting, hotel management...
...could be nursing.
- You don't know exactly yet? - I have to score enough points first.
Brother...
- You should have come early in the morning. - Tomorrow?
We'll come later.
- What happened? - The herd's gone to the pasture.
He says come in the morning.
- Shall I take you to Gölcük? - To Gölcük?
OK.
- Do you have any empty rooms? - Yes.
- Two separate please. - Here are your keys.
OK, thanks.
Ayla, here is your key. My room is on the next floor.
- Go to the restaurant and eat something. - Ok.
- Good night. - Good night.
Could you help me?
Easy, easy.
Come on, come on.
Come on.
Good for you.
Do you permit me to sacrifice this animal for God's sake on your behalf?
I do.
Do you know why my mother made this sacrifice?
I don't know.
Good bye.
- Cheese? - Thanks.