4th Jul '10
my trip to istanbul. upon waking up on july 3 and taking my keys from my desk, my father says: why are you taking those? those can't open anything in turkey.
later, in line for my lufthansa flight at bradley international terminal, i say to the girl in front of me: is this all for lufthansa?
she says: yeah.
me: so, where are you going?
her: i'm going to montenegro. for a cooking internship.
a few minutes later, she — melinda — she says: any siblings you're going to miss?
me: not exactly. two parents i'll miss. what about you?
melinda: yeah, quite a few.
me: really? how many?
melinda: fifteen.
an hour later, on the plane, the 80-something spaniard next to me: are you from the US?
me: i am, yes.
him: did you see the world cope?
me: i did, congratulations to spain.
him: thank you. argentina should lose. they think they are better than everyone.
me: really?
him: yes, you talk to an argentinian, they think they are better than you.
me: one of my best friends is argentinian.
him: does he think he is better than everyone?
me: not really, no.
him: then he was not born in argentina.
me: okay, that's true.
him: i tell you i know these things.
ten hours later in a bar in the international airport in frankfurt, melinda says: cognac? this reminds me of my dad.
me: wait, what time is it?
melinda: 11.12. why?
me: when does your flight board?
melinda: oh. um. 11.05.
me: yeah, mine boards at 11.
melina: you have an entire pint of beer.
three hours later, driving on a highway in istanbul, a 10-year-old smoking a cigarette jumps off of the highway divider and in front of our car, prompting my driver to say: something in turkish that i cannot understand or remember.
