It is 06:05 am and I am sitting in my apartment in Fethiye with a boarding card at hand. The Havas airport shuttle bus passed in front of my house about 45 minutes ago. I told the driver Ramazan that I will not be able to come.
It has been raining in Fethiye for a day now. After a very hot summer, finally rain is here.
Well, why I am not able to go to Istanbul? Because of the rain. Not because of a storm, for I am sure that the flight will not be cancelled. I am sitting in my living room in Fethiye writing because my roof and windows are leaking!
In Fethiye I live in a new building that has been built less than two years ago. Last winter was my first winter and I had many leakage problems. Since I do not live in Fethiye all of the time, I need to say that some of rugs were damaged since they “floated” in the house as we say it in Turkish due to rain waters. And it happened several times. I had informed the builder who has kept an apartment in the building to also partly live in Fethiye.
During the summers, I usually live in the Sovalye Island right across Fethiye. And this summer, although I did not see it, I was sure that the roof was repaired. As I woke up this morning to get ready for the plane at 5 am, I stared walking on a wet floor and started hearing the drippings from the ceiling. The water was dripping from the light bulb in the bathroom (and unfortunately it still is.)
So instead of taking a shower and getting ready to go, I found myself trying to clear the water from the upper floor of my apartment. Of course, I was thinking: “I am leaving for a week, how should I leave the house that the water does not accumulate, and also damage my furniture and paintings. The water drips from the wooden ceiling, which was beautiful when I bought this apartment, but now with huge bumps and discoloration due to the leaks. Then I decided to go to the lower floor to the living room to close up. It was then I realized that I was stepping on a wet floor again. This time water was leaking below my windows. The whole living room was wet. For a second I was very happy that I did not have wood flooring.
Before this apartment of mine in Fethiye, I had always had wood floorings and I still do in Istanbul. When I had bought this apartment in Fethiye, I had seen the tiles next door and decided to have wooden floors. Yet, before I could tell the builders, they had put the ceramic tiles and the topic was closed before I could interfere. This morning I was glad that it happened that way.
I like my furniture, but I have learned that what cannot be taken away from us, ourselves, is what gives us true value and makes us happy. I have one treasure, at least for me, in my apartment in Fethiye, my piano. It is a Schimmel Classic. I do have 2 pianos in Istanbul. A Russian piano, a Lirika, my father bought me when I was seven. That piano waits in my mother’s house. At home in Istanbul I have an electronic piano, a Roland, that I am able to play day or night without bothering the neighbours. So this Schimmel is my third piano.
Actually I was planning to buy another Roland for Fethiye. As I said, using the piano with headphones is very convenient and the sound quality is rather good. I remember the day, which was about approximately a year ago, that I went looking for a piano for Fethiye. I looked at various Rolands, and then suddenly I saw this shiny black piano sitting at a corner with a black baby grand Yamaha and another black Steinway grand. I was planning to spend a certain amount, but I could not resist going to that section. I played just a little, actually very little. The sales rep kept saying “you may play as you wish you are our previous customer”, since I had bought a Roland from them and a few guitars for Fethiye and Istanbul. I loved the piano, but it was expensive. Then the sales rep said “this is a lovely piano, and something your grandchildren can play.” That phrase hit me. It made me feel wonderful. I was choosing a piano for Fethiye and this made me feel as if I was going to grow roots in Fethiye with this piano. I left the shop to have a coffee and to think about it. After I ordered my coffee, I could not wait to finish it and when to the shop, told them I was buying the piano and gave a small amount as a down payment, and told that I would be back on Monday with the rest and asked them to arrange for the transport to Fethiye. This was on a Saturday.
At around Monday noon I was at the store again. The sales representative was there, and even before saying hello he said: “You will not believe it, a gentleman came on Sunday. He wanted the piano and said he would pay in cash and take the piano right away and that he can arrange for the transport. He was so insisting. But you had given us a down payment. We could not believe it. We sell many pianos, but these kinds are not asked for this frequently and so quickly. You and him- so similar.” I smiled to myself. I knew what made me not finish my coffee on Saturday. And my friends know I love coffee.
Well, back to the rain in Fethiye. So it is around 6 am. I am walking on a wet floor in my living room. My piano is in a corner that is surprisingly not touched by the water. So I had to decide. Would I leave it; should I be leaving my apartment with a dripping ceiling in the top floor and a floating floor at the bottom floor? I had planned to be gone for a week and had not checked the weather forecast. And apart from that I needed to clean and clear this water on my floors and furniture first. I decided not to go. I had talked with the Havas yesterday and had asked him to pick me up from my apartment which is on the Havas route. I did not want to keep him waiting; I got my umbrella; waited for him to come; and when he did, I told him that I would not be able to go due to my leaking ceiling. He said “be in health” and left for Dalaman.
I had a few meetings arranged for this afternoon. What will I do now? First, I will sleep a little at least until the office hours. Before starting to write, I more or less finished my cleaning.
This does not happen to me very much. I think this is the second time in three years that I am delaying going to Istanbul due to rain. And the first time with a boarding card at hand. I know and accept that there is a reason for everything and we will see what that may be.
May the abundance and fruitfulness of Rain be always with us.
With love to you all.
Z.
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Affirmation of the Week:
“ I pay attention to thoughts and ideas that come to me as answered prayers.”
By Doreen Virtue
Quote of the Week:
“Impulses of intelligence create you body in new forms every second. What you are is the sum total of these impulses, and by changing their patterns, you will change.”
Dr. Deepak Chopra
Zeynep’s Book Recommendation:
“Positive Thinking” by Vera Peiffer. The Turkish translation of this book may be found under the name “Çekim Yasasının Temeli”.
