Being Children in old Kadırga

https://youtu.be/mYFVprAhiWQ

Betül Ayhan (Interviewee)

-My mother’s memories are more important but I have also spent a very well childhood here.

We had a mobile ice cream seller who comes to this neighborhood, I think his name was Hakkı, and he was coming with his bicycle. We were (as kids) waiting for him all day, he was selling real ice cream, homemade, it was in a small cauldron/pot, which had a kind of manual roller in it (to mix the ice cream).  We would take money, stand in line, and wait for the ice cream seller. We used to race with the girls next door to get on the ice cream seller's bike…. Besides that, I remember eating bread and cheese in front of the house doors.

Nurcan Yalman (Interviewer):

-Tomatoe paste on bread?

Betül Ayhan:

-Yes! That too..

We used to play ‘hopscotch’ a lot, playing house, dodgeball, “istop”(*), playing jump rope, “Violet Violet! Who comes from us to you!?” game, do you remember they were holding hands and you try to break that barrier by knocking on them… I used to play marbles a lot, and play with crown caps…

I've read a lot of Texas Tommiks, Tom Braks, I have read also many pocket- photonovels.

(*) İstop is a ball game: the ball is thrown into the air by saying a name, the person whose name is called has to catch it. If he can't catch it, everyone runs away and he tries to hit them with the ball. If he catches it, he immediately calls the ball another name and throws it into the air).

Nurcan Yalman:

-You love reading then

Betül Ayhan:

-yes I love it.

NY:

-You know what they say when you start reading with these kinds of books, you gain the habit to read.

Betül Ayhan

-Yes, I do… For example, tomato paste, and pickles were made here, for instance, the house opposite made very good pickles, they were from Kayseri.

Her Mother (Türkan Ayhan):

-Next house of the opposite one was also from Kayseri. They both were making pickles, and “tarhana”(**), I was telling them that I will bring them materials (needed for tarhana and pickles) and do it for me too. But in any case, they would give anyway. Her husband was working in Gedikpaşa, and she was making “mantı”(***)  at home very often, I'd say "what are you doing, Rabiye?”, while I was cleaning the windows upstairs, and I would say, “save a plate for me too!” and she would bring me my portion.. then they bought a house at Koca Mustafa Paşa, they moved from here, but we visited each other very often. Because they were young when they first come here and since I was older, they were always entrusted to me. For instance, we used to go shopping together, they would say ‘you, be our mother’. Rabiye was young, she was walking ahead and I would say if you walk that fast how could I catch you up, you should have to match my pace, then we would walk together. They would always take me with them.

(**)Tarhana: sun-dried sour soup made of curd, tomato, and flour.

(***) Mantı: turkish ravioli, dumplings boiled and covered with yoghurt, garlic tomato souce.