BOSTON MEMORIES!
Today is my birthday. In a strange mood of completing the age of 54, I sat in front of my pc and started to think which memories I should share with you. I took out my notes…
I am here in Boston for a month. More than anything else, I have missed my friends a lot. When you are on your own, you can analyze your thoughts and feelings better. Even when living with my beloved son in this beautiful city, I never forget the times I have shared and drunk tea together with a friend and how much those valuable moments mean to me.
One feels the joy of spring everywhere. The colour of the parks has turned to full green and trees blossomed. Spring flowers, pink magnolias, tulips are all over and geraniums are hanging over the windows, violets everywhere… I couldn’t resist anymore so I bought myself a bicycle in Boston, and decided to enjoy of living in the open air this way.
What happened in the meantime? Let me remember with a short tour:
* I have found myself in front of Cambridge Hall within a big crowd. For several days, I have been following the TV’s flash news about the recognition of the marriage of two people from the sex by law here. I have witnessed the events in front of the City Hall created by a colourful group of people cheering up; waiting for their turns to get married; giving poses to the cameras; making speeches…. I wouldn’t be surprised if they got into rows to divorce soon…
* I saw a child who got ill and stayed breathless in the children’s park behind our house; however, just before I descended my foot from the bicycle’s pedal, two police cars, fire brigade (they come first like ambulances here), another policeman on bicycle and of course an ambulance came for help right away. I watched this in great bewilderment. In our country things also happen this way (!)…Despite this speed, media still try to attract the attention of the authorities here claiming that the ambulances do not arrive as quickly as they should.
* I have discovered a café nearby Harvard School. It is a three-floor large wooden house... It has a small terrace with wooden floor decorated with white umbrellas. A Tunisian family runs the place. The branches of an old plane tree with its newly spread leaves have extended up to the terrace. I read my magazines there while I drink tea. While I listen to the music of the amateur accordion-man who came to the courtyard next door, I also take these notes that I will put in my webpage.
* Sunday by the side of Charles River… It was over 30 degrees and we were baffled by it. Trees have spilled out their blossoms with the help of the blowing wind and developed green leaves… We are by the riverside with bags on our backs, rush mats, drinks, magazines, and walkmans in our ears…We live the joy of Sunday stretching out on the grass together with dogs, ducks, swans and Boston people yearning for the sun. The sun creeping through the small leaves makes us sweat. I love summer. The dog that belongs to the couple lying in the sun beside us puts its nose into the bags and smells everything searching for food. It is a sweet yellow-white dog and he ignores his owner’s calling him. He comes and checks me out; I look at him but I am not annoyed; he approaches and lies down on the shade beside me. We make plans to go to the cinema in the evening.
* We are in the cinema watching TROY… We will see the worldwide-known wooden horse legend of Homer that we know since our childhood from the tone of the Hollywood writers. Brat Pitt, in the role of Achilles, surpasses Diane Kruger, acting as Helen of Troy, famed with her beauty since ages. They have put so much effort and labour to this 3 hours film. Sorrow of war is always the same, even in the years of 1193s B.C.
* With the approaching elections, arguments speeded up. Bush says on the TV ‘Sorry, we were wrong in Iraq’. The torture photos taken in Iraqi jails are continuously in the media! Wars reflect the same ferocity at all times. Is it that easy for humankind to become so barbarous? No matter how much they try to forbid cameras or mobiles, truth will always find a way to come out.
* The results of the Cannes Film Festival have been announced. Michael Moore won the golden palm statue with his documentary film “Fahrenheit 9/11”. This film, where Moore criticized the Iraq war skillfully mixing comedy and fear, states that Bush won the 2000 elections by deceit and tells how insensitive the White House was before September 11. I hope we can watch this film, the distribution of which was withdrawn by Disney at the last minute due to political reasons.
* We live a very colourful summer, all the rainbow colours are fashionable this year. Shop windows and streets have all cheered up. Handbags with flower designs, coloured ornaments, and our Şile fabric hippy blouses with decorated collars are very fashionable again. Meanwhile, autumn fashion shows have already started. Fashion designers present their new autumn and winter collections. I don’t want to know about it; we have not lived the summer yet. No one can compete with these fashion people.
* We go to the airport to meet my husband. The weather suddenly gets cold. We get our raincoats out again from the far corners of the wardrobe because of the rainy and thunder stormy weather. They say the weather will be like this for a few days. Monday is the Memorial Holiday here. I hope that the weather allows us to get away to some places and do different things.
I will be here to reply any questions that you might arise regarding these memories I have shared with you.
I will continue chatting with you.
Hoping to meet again, bye for now….
Tülin Erkaya