The Stranger with a Suitcase
13
There are lots of people that you don’t know. They are strangers. When you see a stranger you don’t think his/her life or the situation that s/he’s in. 2 years ago while we were going to Antalya, because of the traffic my father went to ridgeway. There was a long road and the nearest town was at least 35 or 36 km away. My father was driving, I was listening to classic music at the back seats and my mother was sleeping at the front seat.
We were passing some trees, cornfields. The weather was so hot and there was so much dampness but luckily we had air conditioner in our car. I was thinking of the sea and the hotel we were going to. Suddenly we saw a man walking with a suitcase. He was not old but nearly 40, he had boots and a jean and he wore a shirt. What was he doing on the road at this hot day whit a suitcase? He couldn’t go anywhere by walking. As I say the nearest town was 35 or 36 km away. My father opened his window like he heard my questions and called out to him. He asked“ What are you doing in this empty road? The stranger said“ I’m trying to go to the nearest town.” My father couldn’t believe what he heard. There was at least 40 minutes by car. How could he walk in this hot day? So he offered the stranger to take him to the town. I think he felt pity for him. The stranger happily agreed. He said“ Thank you a lot.” I saw the thankfulness in his eyes and then he jumped into our car. While we were going to that town the man told his story.
“I got married a year ago. I was a rich and a happy man. In the mornings I went to my job and then came back to my home. I got well with my wife. We loved each other. At least I thought like that. Few weeks ago we got a fight with my wife. She wanted to divorce. I felt over, it was a stupid fight that’s all. Yes we had some problems but who didn’t? With all that talks and shouting and lawyers we divorce Somehow she took all my money, throw out me flat broke. It happed so quickly that I couldn’t believe it at first. I just had a suitcase and some of my stuff in it. That’s all! How could a human did that? You couldn’t do that to a stranger and my wife did that to me. My wife! Luckily I had got some coins and 100 or maybe 120 Turkish liras. Also I had got some money on my cellphone. With the money on my phone I called to a taxi stop and wanted a job. The taxi drivers got sad and said“ You could sleep at the station, and at the mornings you can work” So I was going to the taxi stop on the town to sleep and work.” We listened the stranger with a silence. For a while no one talked. Listening to this story really affected me. He got a really sentimental story. It must have been so hard to be broke because of your wife. My father must thought the same way like me so he offered some money to the stranger but we couldn’t convince him to take the money. “I’m not a beggar!” he said. “I’m going to work and earn money.” It was really strange that the stranger was so proud (in a good way) and such a good man that he didn’t accept our money.
While I was thinking and listening the talks of my parent and the stranger’s we came to the town. He thanked us again and all we could say was “Good luck!” With his head up he went to the taxi stop, opened the door and went in. I didn’t see anyone who was that brave. He refused to give up and he continued his life. At that moment I looked my parents, they were staring each other saying how lucky we are to have each other. The thing that happed to us was a miracle. If there weren’t any traffic, my father didn’t turn aside to a ridgeway and we didn’t see that poor man at the road so we couldn’t help him. For some reason someone wanted us to help him. Since then I couldn’t forget his face and his story but I was really angry to myself that I couldn’t ask the stranger his name. Neither my parent’s did. Because of that we just say him “The Stranger”.
Selin Sabırcan