"Once upon a time in a land far away the other side of Mount Qaf." "This is a fairy tale, so enjoy and listen well." "Anyone who doesn't listen shall dream about a blind cat." "Once upon a time, there lived a girl called Ayperi whose beauty was the envy of the sun whose hair was a rainbow, whose skin was white as a cloud." "But she was a blacksmith's daughter, not a fairy princess." "News of her beauty spread far and wide and from distant lands young men came calling." "They fought by the sword for Ayperi." "The sultan of sultans, the master of all realms He too had a daughter of marriageable age." "Now, she may have been of marriageable age but not a single young man came to the sultan's door." "The girl cried and cried until her tears ran dry." "The sultan flew into a rage." "He sent his soldiers to Ayperi's house." "When Ayperi's father saw the horses galloping closer he told his wife and daughter to flee." "Ayperi refused to go." "She embraced her father." "The soldiers burst in and killed both Ayperi's parents before her very eyes." "A soldier swung his sword toward Ayperi's face." "A single drop of blood fell from her cheek." "Flowers grew where the blood spilled on the ground." "The soldier looked at Ayperi and dropped his sword." "'Run!" "' is all he could say." "'Run away from here.'" "Ayperi fled." "She travelled strange roads." "She drank of strange waters." "Finally, she found a tent." "When she entered the tent, the old man inside said 'Welcome, Ayperi.'" "Ayperi was astonished." "'How do you know my name?" "' she asked." "The old man was a wizard." "'Only your hero can save you from captivity, ' he said." "'When the moon hangs in the night sky like a dinner plate...' ...'He will dodge giants...' ...and dash through flames to come." "This hero will sacrifice everything for you.'" "'He has a scar on his cheek just like yours.'" "'Now, he will kiss you and so end your captivity.'" "Then what happened?" "Huh?" "I'm talking about Ayperi." "Then what happened?" "They swept her off, of course." "That's what they do." "But she defied the sultan." "They'd crush her." "Dad, what kind of story is that?" "What's wrong with it?" "It's a nice fairy tale." "It's saying how important education is." "If she'd studied, she'd have a job and not depend on anyone." "Study and become a great man people respect." "Dad, don't tell fairy tales." "Tell jokes or talk about your army days." "But don't tell tales." "Anyway, why the fairy tales at this time of night?" "What's the problem?" "We shared a father-and-son thing." "Cut it out." "You woke up a sleeping kid to tell him a fairy tale." "Mom kicked you out of bed again, right?" "Yes." "She told me to go sleep with my drinking buddies." "Oh God." " Get up." " Come here." "Turn around when you sleep." "You stink of booze." "All I had was three beers." " Dad." " OK, four." "I'll be a hero one day, won't I?" "When I grow up." "When I'm as big as you." "Actually, when I'm Jilet's age." "You're a little too old." "And Jilet has a minibus too." "That's why." "Will I be a hero like that?" "Hey?" "Dad?" "What was all that about a blind cat?" "Thank you, Buse." "Unal, your family cell phone dealer, is back with you." "You haven't washed your face again." "You're telling a grown man to wash his face." "Shame on you." "Isn't that something I had to do as a kid?" "How old am" " Mom, did you put tape on the cola?" " Yes." " Why?" " To cover the brand name." " They do it on TV." " Stop watching TV all the time." "You've put tape on everything." "Plus what's with cola at breakfast?" "Is there no tea?" "Your mom's your slave, huh?" "I struggle to set the table, make breakfast." "And instead of thanking me he asks where the tea is." "Struggle?" "You just dumped everything on the table." "Oh my God." "Enough, Mom." "How am I supposed to eat this?" "Just yell at me." "That's all you do." "Could you have done this if your dad was here?" "Do you expect me to slave away in the kitchen all day?" "OK, Mom." "I'm not yelling." "Speaking of Dad..." " Today is Friday." " Do your ablutions and go." " Go to noon prayers." " I will." "That's not what I meant." " Shall I marry you off?" " Riza!" "Don't get all bug-eyed and say 'Riza' like that." "I have to ask." "Dad said to ask you every Friday after he died." "Shall I find you a decent husband?" "Get out of here." "Don't push me." "I'm going." "It's not like there's any food here." "Ah, there's this." "You ate all you'll get, Riza." "For God's sake." "Take the trash out." "Mom!" "The water guy!" "Get back." "Mete, run." "Wait, he hasn't passed yet." " It hit the post." " It was a goal." "We gave you a goal when it happened to you." "Let's stop if you're gonna cry." "What are you yelling about?" " They're crying over our goals." " Can't you play somewhere else?" "An old lady lives here." " Madame never gets mad at us." " Even so, keep it down." "OK." "Balotelli." "Oh, Balotelli." "Kick it." "Goal!" "Hasmet, how's it going?" "Who are you?" " It's Riza, Hasmet." " I didn't recognize you." "Cologne?" "No thanks." "I don't use it." "You should quit too." "I'll be fine." "Cemal, keep him back." "What's wrong?" "He's just sitting there." "Just give us some tea." "He might go wild." "They say barking dogs don't bite." "He's not barking." "He's clearly sneaky." "Nafi, are you really scared?" "He's so cute there." "What are you scared of?" "I'm not scared, Yasar." "I just don't trust him." "What if he decides to bite as I'm passing?" "We've chained him." "He's just sitting here." "Give me that tea." "See, I'm petting him." "He's not doing anything." " OK, then hold him back." " Here." "I got him." "Stop it, Cemal." "I'll spill the tea." "Good morning." "Nafi, I took a tea." "Payment?" "I'm keeping a record." "Stop it." "Cemal, stop it." "You broke a 30-year-old set." "Good morning." " Here's your tea." " Thanks, Riza." "Come a bit earlier." "They complain when you're only a bit late." "It's hard to calm them down." "You've got the key." "You could take over." " Nope." " OK, I'll go." "Riza." "No dawdling on the way back." "No, don't worry." "I'll come straight back." "He's out of control." "Waiting outside the school every day." "I wish he'd talk to her and end all this." "What could she ever see in him?" "Shame on you, Sefike." "I can hear every word." "What about your son?" "He's outside the girl's school every day." "Anyway, I'm tall." "Why wouldn't she like me?" "Honey, camels are tall too and it does them no good." "You don't say?" "What has this got to do with her?" "Why did we stop, son?" "I'm in a hurry." "A marriage prospect is waiting." "A prospect?" "At your age?" "What about my age?" "Your age is into triple figures." "You smell of false teeth." "What more can I say?" "You gave me a pebble for payment." "I said nothing." "And you had the nerve to demand change." "Use the bus." "It's free." "Why take the minibus?" "OK, uncle." "I understand affairs of the heart." "I'll take you there." "You'll give her those flowers." "I wonder who she is?" "Riza." "I'll be right back." "Ah, Riza." "Ah." "There's no point talking to him." "He only has eyes for that girl." "We're fed up with waiting every day." "We're late to our gathering." "We'll have missed the gossip." "You need to do something." "We can only take so much." "What are you looking at?" "Get going." "We're late." "They brought this in but I can't find any dents." "Fresh tea." "Fresh?" "What are you, a bun man?" "Give me a token." "Dad complains if you don't." "Go get two tokens." "Five black guys in a souped-up Sahin." "Our hood's turned into Harlem." "I wonder when they discovered Sedat Sayan?" "Sedat Sayan, isn't he...?" "Hey, lover boy." "What is it?" "Didn't you talk to her?" "I couldn't." "Don't yell at me." "Just ask her out." "The worst she can say is no." "Don't complain to us if you can't even talk to her." "I will." "But what should I say?" "Say 'Selam aleykum.'" "What?" "Give her God's blessings." "She'll have to respond." "She'll reply 'aleykum selam'." "That's a good start." "Sure, then we'll have tea at the mosque cafe." "Don't give me advice." "Give me tea." "Keep on like this and someone else will get her." "Just talk to her." "Why are you making it hard for us?" "If I could just get started." "She got on the minibus the other day." "She forgot to pay." "Ah, here's my chance, I thought." "I started talking." "Is there anyone who hasn't paid?" "Has someone forgotten to pay?" "Yes." "Someone has forgotten to pay." "Are you trying to save two lira?" "I have to make a living." "This is how I earn my bread." "Oh, sorry, sorry." "It's not important, miss." "They told Riza to flirt but he crapped right in the minibus." "Why do you ruin everything?" "What could I do?" "I didn't know what to say." "Each time, I hope she'll pass me a fake note or something but she doesn't." "I've started giving her extra change." "She doesn't say a word." " She pockets it." " She does what?" " She takes the money?" " She does what?" "She puts the extra change in her pocket." " That girl's a real jackal." " I got that much." "I don't know what to do." "I froze up." "I can't strike up a conversation." "If she came and said hi, then I'd have so much to say..." " ...but she doesn't." " Hi." "Move back." "I'm a doctor." "We lost the patient." "My condolences." "My condolences." "Excuse me." "Yes?" "We have a school magazine." "Maybe you do." "We're researching public transport and minibuses in Istanbul." " I'd like to interview you." " Why?" "Don't be ridiculous." "The reason." "There are lots of minibuses on this route." "But yours is different." "It's interesting." "It caught my attention." "So that's why I chose you." "Ah." "So that's why." " Uh-huh." " OK." "Let's do it." "I'm listening." "Not here, like this." "Isn't there somewhere comfortable we can talk?" "Sure there is." "Is this a good place for an interview?" "There's the mosque teahouse." "We could go there." "It's quiet." "Noise isn't the issue." "It's quiet here." "But can't they stop staring at us?" "We'd be more relaxed." "Fine." "Get back to what you were doing." "Don't look at us." " How's that?" " Better." "Then let's start." "Right." "Why a minibus driver?" "Silly girl." "A minibus." "It's a lifestyle for me." "I mean, it's a passion." "A form of artistic expression." "I've always dreamed of being a minibus driver." " Since childhood?" " Since I was a boy." "Cut the crap." "Passion and art and all that." "Just say it's because you dropped out of school." "Nafi, don't butt in." "Mind your own business." "Am I lying?" "Isn't it true?" "His father tried to get him to study." "But it didn't work." "He never cared for school." "Now you're sitting here." "Nafi, get back to work." " Go serve tea." " Ah, my lovely girl." "So you don't finish school, but at least get a skill." "When he was a kid, I took him on as an apprentice." "Who can't learn to hammer in three months?" "Well, he couldn't." "Cemal, why are you sitting here?" "When your dad comes up, it's my right to say a word or two." " He's a friend of the family." " Really?" " Friend of the family?" " Like kith and kin." "I'm more than a relative." "I was his godfather." "I held his hand at his circumcision." "I was his dad's best friend." " This isn't about my dad." " What is it about?" " Riza's minibus." " Ah." "That's another story." "Why are you honking, maniac?" "You scared me." "It's a great horn." "What do you think?" "Shall I honk it again?" "No, don't." "Everyone's looking as it is." "I told you a thousand times to come without that minibus." "Would it kill you to spend two minutes apart?" "How can I?" "It's our future." "See what I got you?" "Come here." "Let me tell you something." "We'll be out of here within two years." "In what?" "In that?" "Don't laugh." "That's our bread and butter." "I named it Neriman." " You did what?" " I named the minibus Neriman." " After you." " Oh?" "Are you saying every guy going to Taksim from Surici..." " ...is going to ride me?" " What kind of talk is that?" "I'd burn anyone who tried." "Good, burn them then." "But don't get burned yourself." "I'm burning for you, Neriman." "Cemal, who's Neriman?" " Welcome, Yasar." " Thanks, Riza." "Yasar, Neriman left long before you came to the neighborhood." " A long time ago." " Yeah." "Jilet really loved Neriman." "But it didn't work out." "It wasn't meant to be." "Jilet took it hard." "What happened?" "Anything happen to Jilet?" " Now that Neriman left" " Hey." "What are you banging on about now?" "I wonder what irrelevant subject you'll bring up next." "Sorry." "They told you a ton of nonsense." " They talked your head off." " It's not a problem." "And I learned a lot about you." "I hope it was useful." "Still, you didn't need to know about my circumcision." " Did you really cry that much?" " I sobbed." "Wouldn't you cry over losing a piece of your own flesh?" "It would've been OK if I'd been given enough anesthetic." "But when I wasn't..." "Anyway, it was ages ago." "Have you ever been up here?" "On a school trip once." "But it was different back then." "I remember it being nicer." "It's changed a lot." "Dad always said, 'Cities are like people.'" " 'They change over time.'" " This is more than changing." "Look at the city." "It looks like it's dying." "So do people." "My dad died." "Why wouldn't cities die?" "Skyscrapers are like a city's tombstone." "Tombstone." "That's the perfect description." "Really?" "Skyscrapers are like a city's tombstone." " Those skyscrapers, they're like" " I heard you, Riza." "Saying something the 15th time lessens its impact." "That's why I stopped reacting." "I keep saying it.... ...because it affected me, and so I won't forget it." "Good for you." "There's something I still haven't learned." "All the minibuses are new except yours." "Why's that?" "It's not really mine." "It's Jilet's." "His real name's Ali." "They mentioned him." "I saw him supervising at the stop." "He used to be a driver." "I wanted to be just like him." "Then he had an accident." "He never sat behind the wheel again." "He gave me his minibus." "It seems wrong to trade it in." "Not that it would sell for much anyway." "Don't the passengers complain that it's old?" "No." "They all like me." "Dad was a shopkeeper here." "Everyone knew him." "They practically raised me." "So they'd never complain." "Good." "Umm." "I'd better get going." "Thanks for everything." "It's late." "I can drop you off." "Thanks." "There's no need." "Umm, my fiancé's gonna come and pick me up." "He'll take me home." "See you." "Fiancé?" "I hope you're happy together." " Who are you?" " Who am I?" " Did you come to save me?" " No, but" "Help me." "I will." "I'm happy to help, but who are you?" "Ayperi." "I'm Ayperi." "To this new partnership and eternal friendship." "I hope this will be a long partnership making both sides happy." "My friends, this is just the beginning." "There are many more areas awaiting renewal in this beautiful city of Istanbul." " He's asking if there'll be problems." " Don't worry." "We have all the necessary permits." "We already began the process of buying all the houses and offices in that particular neighborhood." "But to do this, we need money of course." "If we could only sign this contract..." "We won't sign any contracts until all the houses are bought." "Good for you." "You're a smart guy." "He realizes you can't be trusted." "Neriman." "Eat your dinner." "I'm tired of sitting." "Business, business, business." "This is a business dinner." "Then why did you bring me?" "Dad." "Are we just going to sit here?" "Raise your glasses." "C'mon." "Watch your step." "What's wrong, Timur?" "Am I too common for you?" "We're on the verge of a million dollar deal." "I need these guys." " Don't ruin this." " You're in the business of destruction." "You don't create anything." "All you do is steal people's dreams and memories." "I give them reality." "Dreams won't fill your belly." "You know that better than most." "Don't forget where you were living when we met." "Now you're Timur Aslan's wife." "You better watch your step." "Motherfu--!" "I mean, you're not my mom." "I thought it was my mom." "Do you feel better?" "Come sit down." "Why aren't you resting?" "Why did you get up?" " Where am I?" " At our house." "When you fainted, I brought you here." "Cigarette?" "That's the wrong way." "It's" "Oh!" "It's bitter." "Not for eating." "I can get you bread and cheese." "You're him, aren't you?" " Who?" " The hero who will save me." " Hero?" " Who will dash through flames." "Flames?" "Forget about flames, I can't even light my cigarette." "Then who's my hero?" "Ah, there you are, son." "Come have a seat." "I'll pour you some tea." "Mom, what's with the spread?" "What do you mean?" "It's the same as any day." "How many olives shall I put on your plate?" "Put on my plate?" "Have you missed prayers?" "Is that it?" " What prayers, Riza?" " Eid prayers." "This is an Eid feast." "My goodness." "He's such a joker." "So, Riza?" "Who's your fried?" "Like I said yesterday, I don't know her." "She had no place to stay, so I brought her home." "Really?" "She can stay here as long as she likes." "As long as she likes?" "That's not what you said." "Sweetie?" "Where are your parents?" "They're both dead." "Ah, poor lamb." "May they rest in peace." "I know what loss is." "My husband died." "That was 20 years ago." "I know it well." "We all gather at the grave and weep for the dead." "What problems do the dead have?" "They have it easy." "No bills to pay, no making ends meet." "No house, no car, no cares." "What about the living?" "The dead rest in peace." "How about the living?" "How can she raise a child?" "What will she eat and drink?" "How will she make ends meet?" "Nobody thinks about how this bread gets here." "It's tough." "I killed myself so he'd get an education." "But the animal dropped out." "He sneaked off and became a minibus helper." "Why not become a school helper at least, right?" "How did they die?" "A traffic accident?" "The sultan's men shot Dad with an arrow." "Mom was stabbed when she tried to run away." "They said my husband had a heart attack." "He drank a lot." "Riza, stop by the bakery for some dough, will you?" "Sure." "Why are you yelling?" "And what's the stool for?" "What am I supposed to do?" "I wonder if my words will reach your ears otherwise." "Is she going to stay here?" "Will you take her away?" " You said she could stay." " Didn't you hear what she said?" "The sultan's men." "Her mother stabbed." "'They killed my parents.' She's a nutcase." "Then you'll get on fine." "You must be bored of TV." "Make friends." "I'll ask around if she has family." "Be quick." "If anyone finds out we'll become a laughing stock." "Mom, who'll find out?" "Nice one, Riza." "I hear you kidnapped a girl." "I didn't." "That's what I heard." "I found her in the old city walls." "She said she had nowhere to go, and kept talking about a hero." "Was she running away from someone?" "I don't know." "Ask around the neighborhood." "Maybe someone knows her." "Go tell the police." "Let's find out who she is." "Yes, sir." "Anything else?" "Let me say something." "You've really spoiled this boy." "He's making us do his work for him." "Are we supposed to ask everyone if their daughters are missing?" "Too right." " What's her name?" " Ayperi." " Ayperi?" " Damn you, Hasmet." "Don't creep up on us." "I caught a whiff of cologne." "He didn't surprise me." "Hasmet, do you know her?" "I've heard her story." "On the night of a full moon." "Dodging giants and flames." "He'll sacrifice all for you." "He'll end your captivity with a kiss." "My dad told me this story." " But isn't it a fairy tale?" " You never know." "Lots of stories are passed on." "You can't know which are true and which are legends." "Even if this one's true, how many ages have passed?" "What's Ayperi doing here?" "Where did everyone go?" "Let them go, Riza." "This is your story, not theirs." "You'll never have to worry about family holidays." "They're here every holiday morning." "Relax." "Don't touch that." "It's still like new." "Please." "What do you mean new?" "It's an antique." "What's that supposed to mean?" "Nalan, watch your mouth." "Riza and that TV are the same age." "Well, Riza's an antique too, Selma." "Anyway, he's found a girl." "You'll see him married yet." "That's enough." "You don't know when to leave." "You saw what you'll see and heard what you'll hear." "You have plenty to gossip about." "It's time to go home." "Isn't it, Sefike?" "I've had a model made of our Surici project." "For you." "Here's the future of Istanbul." "So, how do you find it?" "He's asking where the buildings are." "We present you with a page as white as our hearts." "It's your job to fill it." "If you make the payment we could immediately begin demolition in the first area." "Shall we sign the contract?" "He wants to know if all the buildings have been bought." "Screw you and your problems." "Just say 'yes'." "Son, are you crazy?" "How could you translate that?" "What I mean is..." "Shall we sign the contract?" "Congratulations." "Mom, is Ayperi here?" "You ask about Ayperi without even asking how I am." "She's in there." "I have to open the door even though you have a key." " Mom, what have you done to her?" " Help me." "It'll be dry by morning." "Don't worry." " Did you find anything out?" " No." "What would happen if you didn't find a hero right away?" "All I have is my name." "And what the wizard told me." "The hero who will dodge giants and flames to come to you when the moon hangs in the night sky like a dinner plate." " How do you know that?" " Dad used to tell me." "I thought it was a fairy tale." "But how can you have been alive all this time?" "How old are you?" "Never mind, you'll find out." "What about the wizard's words?" "Not every bearded guy is a wizard." "Perhaps he was a madman." "Anyway, wizardry is a terrible sin." "But my story's half-finished." "And I don't even have a place to stay." "You can stay with us." "Stay with us." "I got used to sleeping here." "Even if winters will be tough." "Mom wanted to close the balcony in." "We'll do it and I'll sleep here." " OK?" " No." "I know nothing about this place." "Everything is strange." "We'll find you somewhere else then." "What's strange?" "I'll teach you." "I fried you some pastry." "Have it hot with tea." "Enjoy it." "Hah, look." "This is good." "Have some." "Careful, it's hot." "Sprinkle some sugar on it." "Some sugar." "It's better." "Let me do it." "Fold it over." "Fold it over." "Like this." "Now eat it." "Eat it." "Nice, isn't it?" "It's good, isn't it?" "I'll teach you everything." "Enjoy." "This is Madame's house." "She lives alone." "We'll rent you a room." "You can stay with her." " Would she let me?" " Who?" "Madame?" "Madame's a sweet woman." "Of course she will." "She's getting a bit old." "They want to buy Madame's house." "She refuses to sell." "They keep offering her more." "She's so sick of it she opens the door with a shotgun." "She gave Ayperi a room and doesn't want any rent." "We need some furniture though." "Like a bed." "Second-hand will do." "Nafi?" "Cemal?" "Nobody's listening." "Wow." "What a beauty!" "She's gorgeous." "She sure is." "God outdid himself." "Wonderful." "Stunning." "Riza." "Riza, how did you manage to kidnap that girl?" "I told you, I didn't kidnap her." " Aren't you listening to me?" " Riza." "She's a keeper." "But keep her away from wolves." "They'll gobble her up." "Hey." "How can you say that?" "Do you think I'd fancy my friend's sweetheart?" " She's like my sister." " What do mean 'sweetheart'?" "We don't even know if she's real or not." "She looks like a saint." "Come get a little saintly with us." "Stop it, Dad." "Don't tell your mother." "I don't want any needless trouble at home." "Needless, you say." "Quit jawboning and start thinking." "I need secondhand furniture." "As a hero, I have to help her." "Hero?" "For goodness sake." "Don't laugh in my face." "You're still laughing." "Hero." "I need to teach her everything I know." "What did he say?" "What do you have to teach?" "Listen to you." "Anyone would think you guys had a couple of diplomas." "You have a primary school diploma posted next to your tax notice." "What are you showing off about?" "PRIMARY SCHOOL DIPLOMA ANNUAL TAX NOTICE" "What is it?" "Studying is everything, huh?" " We studied at the school of life." " Right." "These streets are our classrooms." "We learn from our mistakes and we end up in summer school." "And no matter how well you do nobody ever congratulates you." "These streets don't get you a certificate, son." "Our neighborhood is a fount of wisdom, you say." "If that's so, I'll drop out of school right away." " Are you going to school?" " What?" "What about Open University?" "I'm a freshman in Economics." "Cemal, why's my son such an idiot?" "I tease him and he falls for it." "Yesterday, her car came to our auto repair shop." "It was love at first sight." "She had a long skirt and flowing hair." "My boss called out" "Mustafa." "What are you doing?" " Are you giving her the eye?" " No, boss." "F**k you, asshole." "What if the local women are afraid to walk past the shop?" "You'll scare off our customers." "Here we go again." "Watch out." "He's dangerous." "She turned that beast into a lapdog." " Let me take him home." " OK, see you." "My late wife used to moan about me drinking too much." "If she sniffed alcohol at the door I wasn't allowed in." "It was that bad." "So I got into this damn stuff." "Then in '92 I opened this shop." "So I both sell it and drink it." "Take a swig." "OK." "Great." "Nice job!" " Hey, Cemal." " Huh?" " Are you teaching her bodywork repairs?" " Yes." "OK, we wanted to teach her stuff, but isn't this going too far?" "Nafi!" "What happened to our tea?" "Look at her." "You're mistaking her for one of you." "What fairytale princess walks around with a greasy rag?" "That's a plane." "It's called a plane." "A kind of public transport." "It looks small from here." "In fact it's huge." "How can such a big thing fly?" "Like this." "There's a pilot inside." "And whatever the pilot does I guess he says a prayer and hands over to God." "Then he flies off." "How do I know?" "I've never been on a plane." "It's the engine, tail and wings." "Who?" "The wings and tail wings give a plane lift." "And the engines provide thrust." "But the real story is wing surface pressure differences." "Sure." "That's right." "When did you learn that?" " I just did." "I was curious." " Nice one." " Shall I talk about aerodynamics?" " No." "Don't." "I should go." " OK." " OK, good night." "By the way Madame wanted my ID and a photo." "She'll be asleep." "You can give her them." "What's wrong?" " Is that you?" " Yes." "What's so funny?" "But it's a passport photo." "You know how passport photos are taken?" "It's, 'Sit like this, look like this, smile like this.'" "They-- You're still laughing." "But look at you." "It's hilarious." "You don't even have an ID card." "I mean..." "When I say no ID card..." "So what?" "Who cares?" "I have one and so what?" "It's no big deal." "It's faded from going through the wash so often." "It's a pain to carry around." "That's OK." "You still feel like you belong somewhere." "It says Erzurum, but have I ever been there?" "No." "To feel you don't belong anywhere is awful." "Never mind daytime but nights are terrible." "You can't sleep." "That's the humidity." "Mom and I can't sleep either because it's so humid." "And then there are the mozzies." " Sure you can't sleep." " Riza." "Don't pretend you don't understand." "I'm saying I don't belong here." "I can't sleep because I'm scared." "Scared that when I open my eyes I'll find myself someplace else." "Or that I won't wake up again." "You know Yasar's restaurant?" "It used to be my dad's." "He used to sell cleaning stuff." "He drank like a fish." "At night he'd drink with friends by the city walls." "He'd get home late." "Towards dawn, in fact." "I was little." "Mom put me to bed, but I couldn't sleep." "Every night I'd wait for Dad." "I'd try to count to 1000 before Dad got back." "Why?" "I don't know." "I thought counting to 1000 would bring Dad home." "Well, did it?" "Yes." "Sometimes." "I'd be so happy when I heard the door." "I'd fall asleep grinning right away." "Sometimes I fell asleep before getting to 1000." "Then I'd run to the bedroom next morning." "I'd peek through the door, see Dad and relax." "But then one day I counted to 1000 and no Dad." "Then I counted again." "Still no Dad." "I counted again." "And then again." "And again and again." "Then I guess I fell asleep." "But when I woke up Dad wasn't in the bedroom." "Sometimes I still fall asleep counting to 1000." "I know I won't see Dad when I wake up but that's OK." "You get to sleep better that way." "But I can't count to 1000." "What's so hard?" "Just count to 100." "Then another 100." "And on like that." "Or can't you count to 100 either?" " I never tried." " But you know aerodynamics!" "You were bragging about how planes fly." "Well?" "So you don't know your times table either." " Let's try." "Six times seven." " OK, but..." " ...is this really you?" " Hey, c'mon." "Aren't we done with that, Ayperi?" "Look, it isn't that trivial." "It matters." "There are fines and stuff." "We need to get you one." "I wonder how we do that?" "What do we say?" "That you've never registered before?" "Huh, Ayperi?" "What do we say?" "Madame?" "You're still up?" "Come on in, dear." "Come and sit over here." "What's all this?" "My life in a nutshell." "Despite my years that's the sum of my past." "Just a chest at most." "Is this you?" "And that's my husband." "He died long ago." "His heart, they said." " A heart attack." " Ah." "They say the same about Riza's dad." "Pay no attention." "The poor man died of Selma's nagging." "He couldn't take it any more." "I say that, but I used to nag too." "My poor love never complained though." "Those were good times." "He built this house with his own hands." "I've lived with his memory for years." "When I'm gone you two will live here." " You two?" " You and Riza." "He's a good boy." "He has a clean heart." "Talking of Riza, he sent you these." "Come on now." "Don't change the subject." "This chest..." "This chest..." "Don't leave it lying around when I'm gone, OK?" "Either burn it or bury it." "Don't let it be forgotten in a corner." "Sleep well, my child." "'Hello'?" "Greetings." "What can I do for you?" "What's he saying?" "I don't speak any languages." "Just my own." "I'd say you're tourists, but tourists don't come here." "A cab driver ripped you off saying this was Sultanahmet, huh?" "What are we gonna do with you?" "Yasar!" " Yes, Cemal?" " Over here, son." "He says he's English or something." "He's asking for Sultanahmet." "Can you give directions?" "Sure." "No problem." "Ha, hello." "Now look." "See the yellow minibuses there?" "Take one of those." "Get out at Aksaray." "Then take the tram." "That'll take you right to Sultanahmet." " OK?" " Well I'll be damned, Yasar." "I had no idea you were so good at languages!" " How would the guy understand?" " What was so hard?" "I just gave one-word directions." "He'll have understood if he isn't dumb." "He must be dumb." "Look." "He's staring like an idiot." "Doesn't anyone speak English?" "There has to be someone in Surici who speaks English." "What's he saying?" "All I understood was the name Timur." "What English do you know, teacher?" ""Good morning, class." "How are you?" "Sit down, please."" " That's about it." " So you can say hello." "Kind of." "People talk to aliens and we can't talk to three tourists." "What's going on?" "Just trying to figure out the tourists, Dad." "It's nothing you can handle." "Hey, can your dad speak English?" "God knows." "It's like the shock of seeing Mum and Dad in the same bed." "Well, good luck with it." "They're gonna build homes and offices here." " They're contractors." " What, looking like that?" "Contractors are rough Laz types." "So are they razing the whole neighborhood?" "It's not them." "A guy called Timur, he's bought the place." "He'll demolish it, they'll do the building." "Everyone's going on about Timur." "Who is the guy?" "He owns Tarslan Holding." "The guys are partners." "He may own Tarslan Holding but my grandfather was Ahmet the Wrestler!" "Now look." "See that shop?" "That's my property." "No one can kick me out." "Don't gesture at me." "I'm the grandson of a wrestler!" "Nafi, did you translate that?" "It's important." " OK, Yasar." " Yasar, calm down." "That's my shoe gone." "Nafi, what are you doing?" "Why kick the guy for nothing?" " I looked at you." "You said OK." " I said OK?" "Yes." "I looked at you." "You made a sign." " To kick him." " I was waiting for you to translate." "Nafi, why kick the guy before you've heard him out?" "It's pretty damn deep." "Just a second." "In the name of Allah." "OK." "Problem taken care of." "Relax." "OK, no one saw or heard a thing." "Now go home." "Why did you leave your friend and come back here?" "What use are you?" "Why didn't you whack him?" "Dad, they're scared as it is." "Don't yell at them like kids." "It's all your fault." "I told you to buy that woman's house right away." "Why the hell did they go there?" "Now fix this before things get any worse." "But how?" "The woman isn't selling." " It's this house, right?" " Yes." "Why's no one answering?" "I tell you it's him." "My savior." "Your savior?" "You said the same to me." "This is different." "He's the man the wizard meant." "He said he'd dodge giants to come." "His father owns tower blocks." "But that isn't the same as dodging giants." "He has a scar on his face too." "What was he doing at Madame's house?" "They want to buy her house." "The demolition can't start without it." "So they buy her house first, start building and then buy the other houses in the area." "Good for them." "Look at the guy." "He not only buys the neighborhood, he tries to steal my girl." "You know what really hurt?" "Ayperi asked if I'd talk Madame into selling her house." "So what did you say?" "I asked how many fares the 20 lira was for." "So you ran away again." "What could I do?" "I had no idea what to say." "Look, son." "Some brotherly advice for you." "Don't get in too deep." "I did and it cost me heavily." "I loved her." "Very much." "What did I get for it?" "A gimpy leg." "Men who'd once stand up to greet me don't even look at me now, Riza." "Today or tomorrow, what's the difference?" "They all push off one day, Riza." "Without a thought for how you're doing." "They just go." "It's that easy?" "Sure." "Strike while the iron's hot, Riza." " But that's shameful." " If you love a woman don't let her go." "And if you do let her go then don't cry for her." "C'mon, have your soup." "You're so missing the point." "I'm telling you, I love the girl." "I love her." " So what?" " What do you mean?" " But I love her." " OK, so you love her." "And I have work to do." "Look, you're holding me up." " I'm her hero, aren't I?" " Drop it!" "I taught her about life." "I saved her from captivity." "I saw the girl first." "So you think that gives you a right to her?" "Well, not exactly actually." "How did we get on to this?" "Search me." "I brought you the magazine to see how it came out." "Then you started talking." "I couldn't get a word in." "So I just listened." "Sorry, I've given you a headache." "I guess something marks me out as a listener." "Anyway." "Have you talked to the girl?" "To Ayperi?" "Have you said you love her?" "No." "I'm not so good at things like that." "Well, heroics won't get you anywhere." "If you love her you must talk to her." "There's no other way." "By the way, the interview came out great." "Were you here all the time?" "You were so quiet." "I didn't hear a sound." " You gave me a fright." " Is Riza dating someone, Madame?" "Ah, now I see." "There's a reason for your daydreaming, isn't there?" "No, no." "I was just asking." "Haktan." "Is work busy?" "I need a word." "Work can wait." "What's going on?" " Ayperi." " What's up?" "Did she say no?" "No way!" "That sucks." "Why?" "Never mind." "She's not the only one." "Do you ever look in the mirror?" "These girls wouldn't touch us." "Forget women." "They're all the same." "Why do we lose?" "Because we have pride and no money." "You should be cruel to them, a shit, a dick, an asshole." "You know what?" "Give them rain, they want shine." "Give them shine, they want rain." "Like they say, treat them mean, keep them keen." "Stop!" "What's got you so fired up?" "Kubilay and I discussed how to cheer you up if she said no." "That's what we came up with." "But saying it all at once didn't work." "Some friends you guys are!" "Why not say from the start she'd never look at me?" "True." "We never thought of that." " Anyway." "C'mon, we're going." " Where?" " C'mon!" " Where?" "Mustafa." "You're in charge." " Why did you hit the kid?" " C'mon." "Just come with me." "Riza." "Haktan." "Not only are you never at prayers, you stone the mosque." "Stone the mosque?" "How could you think that, Hodja?" "We came to find our friend." "Haktan, sorry." "I'm butting in." "Hodja, can we just clear up the issue of prayers?" "I'm here every Friday, but in the yard." "It's too hot inside." "True, it does get hot." "We still don't have A/C." "A central cooling system, that's what needed." "The Friday collections barely made enough for a fan." "What can you do if there isn't the money?" "Riza, wait." "I'm butting in." "Hodja, can we give our friend a shout?" " Kubilay's in there." " He's studying." " Wait for his class to end." " What class, Hodja?" "He's still on Koran for beginners after 20 summers." " Hodja, I'm butting in." " Go ahead." "What do you mean?" "I almost finished last year but the vacation ended, I forgot everything and had" " Why are you here?" " It's the girl." "Really?" "Did she say no?" "Too bad!" "Never mind." "She's not the only one." "There's plenty more fish in the sea." "It's her loss." "Hey, OK." "I said all that." " My sympathies, Riza." " Thanks, Hodja." "But I haven't talked to her yet." " You haven't?" " No." "You could've said so!" "You conned us all this time." "I thought we'd get Kubilay and go drown your sorrows..." " ...in a bar." " Hodja, I know nothing about this." "It's his idea." " I'd drink cola anyway." " Drink buttermilk." "I come to ask for advice about how to talk to Ayperi before meeting her." "And you drag me running to the mosque." "You couldn't run if it was prayer time." "Look, if you're meeting the girl, get changed." "Don't go looking like a bum." "What do I have on?" "Stuff I always wear." "Exactly." "You look like a bum." "Look, go in a suit." "The imam's right." "'The imam's right.' Great, where do I find a suit?" "Sorry, Hodja." "I have one." " Really?" "Are you serious?" " Sure." " Who on earth is that?" " Might be Selma!" "Selma, welcome." "You have all the neighborhood here." "What are you scheming?" "Scheming?" "We're just nattering." "Welcome." "Good day to you!" " Welcome, Selma." " Thanks." " Slippers, Selma?" " No." "You know I've sworn off them." "Relax." "My soles are clean." "So, you have a gathering and don't ask me?" "C'mon!" "It's not about not asking you." "But you don't even like the gatherings, do you?" "Not at my house, no." "I do at other people's houses." "So ask me along." "Are those lentil patties?" "My favorite." "So, Selma?" "When's Riza getting married?" "He and Ayperi are so close." "Shrews!" "Have you talked about nothing else all morning?" "Make it official between them, Selma." "They're together all the time." "The girl's moved in with Madame." "Will they live there when they're married?" "How do I know?" "They're young people." "Did you find nothing else to talk about?" "Nothing like that." "What else is there?" "They say your hubby has a mistress." "Try that." " What?" " He's rented a flat in Aksaray." "She's Russian or something." "They say Mualla's son is inside for drugs." "He's a dealer or something, that's his business." "Nese's girl went to study abroad." "That was eight years ago." "Some school she's at!" "Well, well, well." "Look at Sevim." "Look at goblin girl Sevim." "She hauls aphrodisiac home by the ton." "Are you horny?" "What's with the hand?" "Look at your hand." "Sexy." "It's the aphrodisiac." "God forbid." "Don't laugh, Sefike." "They say you never leave the sorcerer's." "Whoever you're casting spells on." "Don't think I've forgotten you." "I lent you a gold quarter." "That was a year ago." "'I'll pay you back when hubby's work picks up.'" "Hubby's work hasn't picked up, huh?" "Oof!" "Are those lentil patties?" "This is it?" "You animal, Kubilay." "Your suit will fit, huh?" "Fit where?" "I'm taller than you." "Look at me." "In the name of Allah." "Riza?" "What are you doing here at this time?" "Look at you!" "Where are you going?" "I'm going to umm, you know." "To a wedding." "A guy from the minibus stop is getting married." "You're wearing your friend's suit to go to a wedding?" " Turn around." " Yes." "It's Kubilay's." "Does it look bad?" "I pulled the things down." "Oh, son!" "You wanted to look a million dollars but you look a dollar at best." "What a clown." "Take off those pants." "I'll let them down if I can." "No, Mom." "I have to go right now." "Bye." " Riza, what are you gonna pin on?" " Pin on where?" "If you'd come with me just once, you'd know how weddings work." "But no." "You never do." "Here." "What do I do with this?" "Thank you so much for eating with me, Ayperi." "Bless you." "I pin this on the girl?" "No, not on the girl, on the groom." "I pin it on the groom." "OK, on the groom." "Mom, did you just pull this out of your bra?" "Yes." "So?" "Now, Riza." "Listen to me." "Don't drink any juice at the wedding." "They lace it." "It'll kill you." "God forbid!" "Sit quietly on the side." "But keep an eye out for pretty girls." "If you see one, check her out." "We'll go ask for her hand." " OK, Mom." " Riza." "Don't lead the 'halay' dance." "If there's any trouble everyone scrams and the leader gets it." "Stay quietly on the side and clap politely." "OK, sweetie?" "Riza!" "What do you do with the gold?" " I pin it on." " Good." "Put it in your pocket." "Any holes in the pocket?" " No." " I almost forgot." "Wait." " I had to prize them from Nalan." " Mom." "Witch, she's great at these." "Here." "Wait." "Wipe the corners." "Now go." "You look great." "Be careful now." "Hello." "What's this worth?" "Let me see." "A soda and two wafers." " What?" " Is this a grocery store?" "Am I a grocer?" " If you want to cash it in, sure." " Not exactly." "Can I trade it for a ring?" "A solitaire, say?" "God give me strength." "Trade this?" "Where did you nick it from?" "I didn't." "My mom gave it to me." "Sure she did." "C'mon, the truth." " Mom gave it to me." " Sure, but..." " C'mon." " Mom gave it to me." " She said it was" " Sure she gave it to you." "C'mon, don't you know me?" "You must be new here." "I'm a local." "Born and raised in Surici." "Riza, son of Bekir." "Ask anyone." "Don't get me wrong, but the things I've seen." "Guys bringing golden teeth they've pulled from their living parents." "But if you want a ring and want it for happy reasons here you go." "It's on me." "Here." "A good deed done." "Don't expect a big reward for it." "The stone's tiny." "Look, have this back." "Let's do this." "Give me that one." "Are you crazy?" " OK, that one then." " No." " OK, this one." " Not a chance." "Look, this one's nice." "Give me this one." " No, son." " This is perfect." "I'll just sign over the shop, huh?" "You gave me a gold quarter." "A quarter, dammit." "I guess jewelry gives you stress." "Do you hate being around gold?" "OK, I'll take it." "Hand it over." "In that case wrap it." "Give it here." "I said wrap it." "This is a cardboard box." "It's like I'm going to a nephew's circumcision." "And what's with the cotton wool?" "The ring's beautiful." "It's beautiful, but I wish the stone was bigger." "But is a fairytale girl gonna know about stones?" "Lord, spare my beloved any tears." "Make me suffer a thousand times a day." "But spare me hopeless days." "Add a thousand woes to all the woes I have." "No man is perfect and she's no different." "Perhaps the fault is mine the sin is mine." "To me, life means loving her as she is." "Let her be alive That's all I ask." "No man is perfect and she's no different." "Perhaps the fault is mine the sin is mine." "To me, life means loving her as she is." "Let her be alive That's all I ask." "Dad." "I guess things aren't going so well." "Don't worry." "At least you're alive." " Look at me." " But nothing's working." "Nothing I try ever works." "My feet always lead me down dead-end streets." "So stop looking at your feet and watch where you're going." "Don't live like everyone tells you to." "Take a few risks." "Easy to say that." "How come you went so early?" "Went?" "I died." "Idiot." "And you're blaming me." "No, Dad." "Please." "I didn't mean it like that." "Shh, dick!" "As if I don't know you." "You were the same as a kid." "Keep living like that and you may as well die." "Jump off there." "Go on." "Dad, it's shameful to talk to your child like that." "A child so dutiful he never visits his dad's grave." "What do you mean?" "I came last Eid." "Only ever at Eid." "How about weeding my grave, son?" "Maybe you could water it." "OK, don't come." "But pray for my soul at night." "I had you so you'd pray for me after I'd gone." " But your mind is on skirt." " Dad, can we not say "skirt"?" "I mean, I love her." "If you love her, why are you up here?" "You know what idiocy the girl is having to laugh at while you hang out there?" "Strangers are about to walk off with the girl and the neighborhood." "You have to do something, Riza." "Life is very short, son." "Very." "Dad?" "Riza." "What's up?" "Nafi?" "You owe a lot for tea, son." "Just a reminder." "I wouldn't ask if I wasn't struggling, but times are hard." "You guys will force me to sell up soon." "A teahouse with ready customers." "You guys have tea." "So why don't you pay?" "Don't worry, Nafi." "I won't let you sell up." "No one can take the neighborhood or my girl away from me." "People." "People!" "People!" "Don't talk all at once." "Don't talk at all in fact." "Have tea." "Yes, have tea." "Kubilay, give them all tea." "But it's a big crowd." "Make them pay upfront." "OK." "Why are we here, Cemal?" "Is the national team playing?" "Sit down, Yasar." "As if you ever leave the teahouse." "And still there isn't time to come to prayers at the mosque, huh?" "Hodja, you see all the tradesmen you see here have apprentices." "I don't though." "You may have noticed I've had one eye on the shop..." " ...since I sat down." " Guys!" "The reason I got you all here is a serious issue involving the whole neighborhood." "What?" "You may have heard." "Some guys want to buy Madame's house." "So?" "What's with answering all together?" "So it isn't just Madame's house." "The guys want to buy every property in the neighborhood." "What's he saying?" "Guys!" "Then they plan to demolish the whole of Surici." "Guys!" "Hey, quiet!" "For God's sake, Mehmet!" "Why are you so happy?" "You rent your place." " Where are the guys, Riza?" " This is so cool." "We can sell our shabby old place for a new one." "The guys paid double the price for our neighbor's house." "They've all gone." "I would have too if your dad hadn't been my closest friend." "I didn't even know him." "Can I go?" "Let me go check the shop, boss," "Get going." "Jilet." "Are you with us on this?" "Leave me out of this." "Always the woman thing." "The woman thing's finished him." " There." " So it's just us?" "I'm with you, Riza!" "What's to lose except my chains?" "F**k." "No chains." "Who nicked my chains?" "They even nicked the guy's chains." "They've killed the working class." "It'll be small traders next." "No one has savings." "We all have a ton of debts." "A person has to eat, Cemal." "Let's find a way to persuade Madame to sell her house." "I thought if we stood together we'd get Madame not to sell and building wouldn't start." "So I'd save the neighborhood and be Ayperi's hero." "I say everyone has giant debts and he's still stuck on Ayperi." "Riza, where are you going?" "Where do you think?" "He realized his mistake." "Riza, they'll get that house from Madame somehow, I tell you." "Trust me they will." "Look, there'll be no one left in Surici soon." " Let's sell up and go." " Look, Yasar." "You know Riza?" "He was trusted to me by my closest friend." "Same with Surici." "It was trusted to me by my dad and granddad." "I have memories in every street, every neighborhood." "I can't sell my memories or my home." "I can't betray that trust." "If you want to sell, sell." "I can't." "What's left to lose except our humanity?" "You've given me goose bumps, Cemal." "Last time I had them was in a sermon at Friday prayers." "I can't sell this place now." "Not even if I wanted." " I've cracked it." " Are we selling?" "The hell we are." "We're going to talk to the priest and then to the imam." "Both men preach peace and brotherhood, one in the mosque, one in the church." "That way no one can sell up." "How's that for an idea?" "So you're suggesting we play on people's piety." "Exactly." "Only it seems all wrong when you say it like that." "But our intentions are good." "And so the end justifies the means." "Let's go unite the people of Surici." "C'mon!" "Hodja?" "In the name of Allah." "Cemal." " Is that an organ?" " Nafi." "Just don't open your mouth in front of the priest." "OK?" "In fact, why don't you wait outside?" "And we'll do the talking." "Huh, Nafi?" "But why?" "Welcome, gentlemen." " Thank you." " How can I help?" "Is that wine?" "Nafi." "Reverend, if you have a minute, there's something we wanted to ask you." "Of course." "What is it?" "Well, Hodja, umm." "As you know, Reverend they're buying up homes and businesses in Surici." "Yes, I was at the teahouse too." "I've just noticed something." "Nafi, why are you holding your shoes?" "What could I do, Hodja?" "Leave them outside?" "They'd get nicked." "Why did you take them off?" "Good grief, there's no pleasing him." "Should I have kept my shoes on, Hodja?" "Nafi, why don't you shut up?" "What can I do, Cemal?" "You saw, he started it." "He's there with his goblet and bitches at my shoes." "Nafi." "What?" "Nafi this, Nafi that?" "Don't I have a right to speak?" "Nafi can f**k you." "What's the problem?" "Excuse us, Hodja." "Out." "Get out." "Out with you!" "Go on, out!" "OK, Hodja." "Don't push." "We're out." "You come and fool around in a holy place." " Do you have no respect for faith?" " Oh, Nafi." "We've blown it with the priest thanks to you." "Well, well, well, look who's here!" "What's up, gentlemen?" "Come to confess, have you?" "Huh?" "Oh, right." "No, the mosque was our next stop, Hodja." "Quiet, Yasar." "You especially." "Who couldn't leave his shop?" "Now we blow it with the imam!" "Hodja, don't lump me in with them." "I send my son to prayers daily." "Stop talking nonsense, Nafi." " So it doesn't count?" " No!" "Each man is himself." " And with you, Hodja?" " What?" "Does it count sending someone in our place?" "A family member as a stand-in?" "My son, say?" "Nafi, cut the crap." "C'mon, let's go." "Wait." "I need to be sure for myself." "I have to get this clear." "Hodja, I'm asking if it counts or not." "No!" "Go ahead, fool around, Nafi." "How will you explain on the other side?" "I'll run away." "I'll run away, Hodja." "I ran away from school, from the army so I'll run away from there." "Let's go, Yasar." "He's lost it." "God, these hodjas always have it in for me." "Wait for me!" "This Riza guy." "Wasn't he gonna persuade Madame?" "Forget that, but apparently he's rounding people up and telling them not to sell." "I'll talk to Riza." "Don't worry." "You'd think we were doing something bad." "Madame, open the door." "What's going on?" "Why are you beating on the door?" " They want to buy Madame's house." " If she sells, they'll start building." "What's it to you?" "They'll knock down the house, move bulldozers in and you'll gawk at them like idiots all day, huh?" "No." "If building starts here, they'll also buy our houses." "I see." "Now it makes sense." "This is all about self-interest, huh?" "Aren't you ashamed?" "A crowd this big outside a house means either a funeral or a wedding." "Not even creditors are as pushy as you." "Break it up!" "Don't make me crazy!" "You forget who I am." "I put my own boy in hospital with a slippering." "Don't make me crazy and break my vow." "I'll grab that slipper I'll wet it and use it to drive you all beyond the city walls." "Break it up!" " Thank God you have a home." " Quiet!" "They made me crazy that blessed day." " Quiet!" " She's mental." "Madame?" "Guys, look." "The teahouse is deserted." "Everyone's worried about their property." "We're up to our ears in debt." "You go on about Riza the whole time." "So is Riza gonna save us?" "Well, where is he?" "Where's Riza?" " Look, Yasar." " Selam aleykum." "Aleykum selam." " Welcome, Riza." " Thanks." "Guys, this is for you." "It may not save the day, but at least it'll help a bit." "You can pay off a few debts." "Riza." "Son, where did you get this money?" " Thanks." " You too." "Goodbye, Kuheylan." "So you sold your minibus to save us?" "Wow, my friend." "OK, Yasar." "I'm not as cut up as you." "Don't cry." "Yasar." "Yasar." "Riza." "My friend." "Yasar." " But you're squashing me." " Yasar." "OK." "Didn't I say?" "Hey, didn't I say?" "Didn't I say Riza would get us out of this fix somehow?" "Too right I did." "Oh my friend." "Boss, some foreigners are at the shop." "Foreigners again?" "I'm sick of foreigners." "Nafi, don't go anywhere." "And behave yourself, OK?" "Be careful now." "Wait." "Let me grab some tea." "Man, who are they?" " The Shanghai Five." " Who?" "The Shanghai Five:" "Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan." " And Uzbekistan joined later." " But that makes six." "Tajikistan?" "Nafi, keep out." "They're Chinese." "Dad." "Do you want tea?" "We've got it coming." "I swear we have." "What's with holding his leg like that?" "The guy's bendy." "Nafi, slink back towards us." "That's it, c'mon." " OK, you're here." " OK." "Stay there." "When did he get out the sewer?" "Dammit, Nafi." "You could've listened before booting him." "There you go." "He's back with kith and kin." "See?" "It's my fault again." " Why aren't they charging?" " We will then." "We'd be in the wrong." "Let them attack first." "Kubilay." " Go swear at them." " Wait." "Don't push." "First let's try talking." "See what they want." " What a wimp." "Go do it." " Just like your mom's brothers." "I'm not a wimp." "Violence solves nothing." "Be a man." "We can do these guys in." "I can't wait any longer, Cemal." "I've dreamt of this moment for years." "I'm grandson of Ahmet the Wrestler." "In the name of Allah." "Oil me, Cemal." "Oil him." "There as well." "Mashallah!" "Go." "Go for it!" "Wait a second." "Hold it." "Hold it, friend." "Why are you doing that?" "Enough!" "I'm a Surici boy." "Did you see?" "Wait, come here!" "Look, don't mess with me." "You're finished, Tajik." "He's gonna beat me up." "I guess he's gonna beat me up." "Hey, you." "God." "Wait, hold it." "My phone." "Hello?" "The bank?" "Yes." "A loan." "OK, but..." "So how much are the repayments?" "Ma'am, if it's gonna take" "Now really isn't a good time." "I'll call you later." "OK, thanks." "OK." "The bank." "Insisting on giving me a loan." "Don't run away." "Hey, you're making me dizzy." "I'll get you in a wrestling grip." "Don't go anywhere." "Hey, you wrecked the car!" "Nafi." "Nafi, did you see that?" "Hey, Nafi." " What?" " Nafi, watch out." "Nafi." " Nafi." " Cemal." "Cemal." "Cemal, is" "So am I dead?" "Was it really the time with so much going on?" "Just when I thought I'd cleared my debts and got back on track." "Was it that kick that did it?" "Not a kick, he hit me with some sharp object." "I'm not the kind of guy to die from a kick." "Huh?" "Go where?" "Ha." "Give me two minutes." "Let me just get that guy who hit me." "Go to the end of the street." "I'll be right there." "For the love of God." "Really." "Look, trust me." "Give me that scythe." "Where is he?" "Where the hell is he?" "What are you doing, Cemal?" "Artificial respiration." "You don't do that if someone faints." "You smack them." "Get up please." "We're family men." "For goodness sake, that's unheard of." "Just show me the guy who hit me, will you?" "I'll beat him to the grave." "Come here, you." "Good boy." "Grab him by the leg." "He just wants to play." "Don't fight him." "He'll play with you." "Play with him, boy." "Play with him." "F**k off." "Hey, get off." "Get off." "It's so high." "God." "Oh God!" "Go on, go fall for strange hearts." "Are you showing off in our hood?" "I'll beat you right here." "This is our neighborhood, OK?" "This is our neighborhood." "Are you OK, bro?" " Are you OK?" " Yeah, fine." " Thank God." " Amen." "Long live the brotherhood of people." "F**k off." "F**k right off." "And don't come back again." "Guys from the Far East try beating me on my turf." "Everyone should know their place." "I guess we're all here." "Almost." "Didn't I tell you not to run away?" "Didn't I say I'd get you in this grip?" " OK?" " OK." " Riza." " Huh?" "What do you think you're doing?" "We beat up some guys." "What's up?" "You told everyone they want to buy Madame's house and not to sell their places." " Yes." " People keep coming to the house." "They all say, 'Sell up and let's take it easy.'" "She'll end up shooting someone because of you." "Why are you interfering in this?" "Why do you want to stop Madame selling her house?" "Why come between me and my hero?" " Why not let him save me from captivity?" " Captivity?" "Captivity, huh?" "So living here means captivity, huh?" "We've been no help to you, huh?" "These people treat you like an old friend." "They've put their lives on hold just to help me be a hero to you." " A hero?" " Yes." "A hero, of course." "But I'd never make a hero, right?" "A hero has to have money, a fancy car, tower blocks." "The woman you want to sell up treats you like a daughter." "She's given you a room, but it isn't good enough for you." "Of course not." "Who'd choose Surici over a life in fat cat's tower block?" " Riza." " You keep out of this." "Because she's learning about life." "That's right, huh?" "That's why living here is captivity." "Money is sweeter." "Boss." "Madame is dead." "You only talk about other people." "Tell me a bit about yourself." "How can I describe myself?" "It's normal for them to do that." "When I talk about them I'm telling you about myself." "Because we're all the same." "We're all stuck in Surici." "We won't go down in history." "It's like these city walls were built to keep us in." "We don't know what's outside the walls." "All we know about the world is what's been shown to us." "Mom." "Mom." "Shall I turn it off yet?" "Your father bought this TV the day you were born." "Go figure how happy he was for having a son." "Some days he used to come early just to fall asleep in front of the TV." "We installed a remote controller." "He just couldn't manage it." "He used to get annoyed and throw it away." "When you're all alone at home you need a sound, a companion." "This is my companion." "Times change." "People change." "The world changes." "And nobody asks what we think about anything." "Like they've forgotten us." "Sometimes, just to keep going we try to leave our pasts behind." "This is no place for dreamers." "We know our dreams will turn to sorrow and slap us in the face." "What changes our lives is the decisions of strangers we'll probably never meet." "I'm leaving." "Don't ask why." "You already know." "Goodbye." "As they shape our lives..." " CLOSED FOR FUNERAL." " ...we don't speak out." "We just try to stick together." "Because we're all we have." "Because we're friends." "Because we're lovers." "Because we're all alone." "We're stuck in time just like we're stuck here." "Jilet." "Jilet." "Don't you recognize me?" "Yes." "Of course I do." "Neriman." "The great flame of Surici." " Jilet, look, I" " Jilet is no more." "They call me Gimpy now." "Because I limp." " I" " Don't say another word." "Some things don't work out." "It wasn't meant to be." "But I gave it my best shot." "I was just a minibus driver." "But you're Neriman." "Surici's great flame." "And in that flame I lost a leg and my name." "If you're going to say something, call me Gimpy." "Jilet." "Jilet, wait." "Jilet." "Jilet." "Jilet." "Jilet." "Gimpy." " What about Ayperi?" " What about her?" "Do you really love her, Riza?" "Dad used to say Ayperi's face lit up the night like the moon." "And it really did." "After meeting her, I noticed the sky, the sun, the clouds for the first time." "She's the kind of girl who makes every day special." "But how to look into those eyes and say 'I love you'?" "Erdil?" "What are you doing here?" "Your dad sent me." "My dad?" "Why?" "Did you set the house on fire?" "She's inside." "Guys." "Shall we have a game?" "Huh, Nafi?" "How about backgammon, Cemal?" "Hey, Haktan." "How's it going with the girls?" " Broken any hearts lately?" " Yasar." "Stop chattering." "Button it for a minute." "OK, Cemal." "Nobody was talking so I did." "You'd think there was a funeral." "Oh, a funeral." "It's true, someone died." "Stop it with the long faces." "Boss, Madame's house is on fire." "Just once, come with good news." " Unlucky bastard." " It's on fire." "OK, don't get worked up." "We'll call the fire company." "Call them, Haktan." "But Ayperi's in the house." "Ayperi's inside?" "One." "Two." "Three." "Four." "Five." "Ayperi!" " Riza." " Ayperi!" "Son." "Don't, Riza." " She's burning up." " Riza." "She's inside, in the fire." "Are you crazy?" "Ayperi!" "Riza." "Riza." "Riza, are you OK?" " Are you OK?" "Huh?" " I'm fine." "I'm fine." " Are you OK?" " I'm fine." "Ayperi, are you OK?" "I'm fine." "I knew you'd come." "You came before I counted to 1000." "The chest." "Madame's chest is inside." "Ayperi, listen." "We won't go down in history." "But it that's OK." "I love you." "I love you very much." "And I really love you." "So much that it's like a fairytale." "Like a kid waking up on a holiday morning." "Like a football shirt with number eight." "Because dad said if Metin, Ali and Feyyaz had uniforms then I" "Turn around everyone." "C'mon." "Turn around." "Turn around." "Nafi, turn around." "Shame on you." "Shame on you." "He's kissing her on the lips." "I haven't kissed my wife of 30 years like that." "Nafi." "Nafi." "Come on, Nafi." "Madame left this for you." "For me?" "PROPERTY DEED" "It's a title deed." "She left me her house." "Ah, I have a house." "I have a house." "It's my house." "My house is on fire." "My house is on fire." "My house is on fire." "Help me put out the fire." "Cemal, Yasar, for goodness sake." "Give me a cigarette, I need a smoke." " Call the fire company." " OK." "My house is on fire." "Cemal, Nafi, Yasar."