MY CHILDHOOD BUDDY

 

From far away a black and a white spot were seen on the last turning. Whereas the spots became bigger as they were nearing the end, voices from the exhaust were heard. And the final line…

This time the winner was Alihan in a race that was repeated almost every week. Winning the race didn’t bring him joy anymore. Still, he would boast tonight to his father how he had done justice to his car. He was 14 years old and the latest model of a black car had been bought for him. Kadir’s father when he heard about this said: “My son will not be outdone.” And he bought him a white car. Alihan’s father was in the textile business whereas Kadir’s father, Mr. Ünal was a jeweler in the Grand Bazaar. Alihan and Kadir were both neighbors and classmates. Both had been spoiled by their parents. In the bazaar everybody knew and loved Mr. Ünal. Then, he aspired to switch businesses and got into the textile business. He sold all the gold and partnered up with a textile company. What he didn’t know was that the company was about to go bankrupt. It took him one year to understand this and loose everything. Alihan and Kadir were not neighbors anymore.

Life for Kadir and his family had changed drastically. Except his father, everybody had started to work. After finishing high school with difficulty, Kadir started to work in a restaurant. Because of his father everybody knew and liked him. Whether it was summer or winter he had to work constantly. He couldn’t continue his education after high school. He had dropped the car races that they had held almost every week. Because his father found refuge in escaping abroad, Kadir became the father of the house.

Alihan, on the other hand was also sent abroad to study in ease at a private college. He was his father’s gem. And his allowance was tripled and a house was rented for his convenience. Alihan kept increasing his expenses in the name of studying abroad. Word got quickly around to bookies. Hiding their intentions, they befriended him. 12 years later when he looked into the mirror, he saw a man who had lost everything. He returned to his hometown. He was no longer able to sleep. On his aunts’ insistence he went to the hospital to find a cure.

Just around the same moment Kadir was excited to hold his first daughter for the first time. His wife had given birth. He was happily running around in the hospital corridors when they met at a tight corner. It was a hearty embrace not lacking their childhood enthusiasm. Kadir invited Alihan for a drink in the canteen. When they arrived at the canteen, they found out that their retired high school teacher was the manager. The three of them sat down together and talked about the past 12 years while sharing a cup of Turkish tea. The old teacher was listening quietly to the stories and these words were spoken softly;

Paying the price is a cure (remedy) whereas keeping somebody in a comfort zone is the worst thing a family can do to their child.