TE16 Turkish Delight

While Thomas is Falling were those experts who were certain about our intentions. How could a newspaper put out such claims without any grounds? All these questions aside, this city wasn’t safe for either of us. Thomas Dumas met Seniha in the May of 1972, when he first came to Istanbul. He had heard so much about this city, about its mosques, baths, towers, cobblestone roads that led to narrow streets, street vendors, bazaars and breezy Bosporus that he had to grab his camera and get there. In other words, the exotic scents of Istanbul lured the photographer. It turned out that it was Seniha’s scent that he was running after. I climbed the staircase to our room thinking about Thomas and Seniha, unaware of what was about to transpire. As soon as I entered through the door, I felt heavier. The room was spinning and a shiver took over my body. I wanted to turn around and call out for help, but I couldn’t move at all. All I wished at that moment was for Maria to come in and save me. Shewas the only onewho could. Suddenly I didn’t knowwhat the time it was, which hotel I was in and where I was altogether. I began seeing unrelated fractions of memories that felt like someone else’s. It must have lasted for some time, because when I was finally able to take a couple of steps and collapse on the bed I was in an extreme fatigue. As my limbs thawed, I thought about poor Maria. 83 It was unfortunate that I was to find out about that, especially when I certainly didn’t have to!