A bus station in Şanlıurfa, thirty miles from the Syrian border. An OLD MAN approaches CONNOR, who is carrying a duffel bag and waiting for a bus, every inch a dumb American.
Old man: Has the bus to Erzurum left yet?
Connor: I don’t know. We’re going to Ankara.
Old man: Where are you from?
Connor: I’m an American.
Old man: Ah…Barack Obama! New Negro American President! Bush is finished![1]
Connor: Yes. Soon, new president.
Old man: I think Obama is good. Israel is filthy! Israel is foul!
Connor: Yes, I think Obama wants to make a filthy[2] Israel.
Old man: Palestine? Good! Israelis? Filthy! I think Israel is foul!
Connor: I agree. Soon, all of Israel will be made filthy, God willing.
Old man: The Jews! The Jews are bad! The Jews are evil!
Connor: Ah…I’m sorry, what?
CONNOR realizes “pis” might not be an English word.
Connor: Is that the bus to Erzurum, over there?
Exit OLD MAN.
[Back] ¹ Since Nov. 5, I haven’t had a single conversation with a new acquaintance that has not started with this very exchange.
[Back] ² NB: The Turkish word “pis,” meaning “foul,” “filthy,” “shitty,” or “disgusting,” is a homophone for the English word “peace.” The Turkish word for “peace” is “barış,” which I’ve known for a while. But when the English kicks in, man, it kicks in.
2 responses so far ↓
Joseph // November 19, 2008 at 7:01 am
Hilarious encounter with linguistic breakdown. Don’t know if you noticed but the man’s very conservatively dressed wife was frustrated with him and kept trying to get him to stop talking. Finally she threw up her hands and said something in Turkish and got on their bus. while you were realizing the lingustic error the man gazed after his wife with a, “ah crap I pissed her off again” look and eventually followed her.
Mike // November 24, 2008 at 4:22 am
One of the funniest things I’ve read tonight. Nice to know you’re still alive.