Hello Ester (Afternoon, Day 7)

It seems there is no avoiding Mehmed Esad. I didn't go to the address he gave me for lunch so he came to see me instead. Yep, the knock on the door was from none other than my old comrade-in-arms. You may say he was showing some temerity in coming but he said he had his reasons. He said he had important news for me and asked to come in but I did not want to let him in.

‘The room is a mess’, I said, trying to dissuade him. ‘Wait in the restaurant, I'll be down in a tick.’

When I went down to the restaurant, he had already made himself comfortable and was helping himself to a hearty meal. He was so at ease and so self-assured that I may as well have invited him over for lunch. His audacity was quite unbelievable. And on top of that, he actually had the nerve to rebuke me for not showing up!

‘Why didn't you come round, Şehsuvar? I almost died of hunger waiting for you.’

I sat down on a stool in front of him and gave him a piece of mind.

‘I don't actually remember telling you I'd come, Mehmed.’ He didn't seem angry or offended.

‘You angry with me? Is that it?’ He smirked and said, ‘And there I was thinking we were old friends’.

I placed my hands on the table.

‘It's not a matter of friendship but of time. You sent me a letter but you didn't give me enough time.’

He shrugged his shoulders.

‘Fair enough, old friend. No need to get tetchy’.

He wasn't angry or anything, just a little taken aback.

‘Nobody's getting tetchy. I'm simply trying to explain the whys and wherefores.’

‘Understood. Fair enough. My mistake. No need to rub it in. Tell me, what are you eating?’ He held the menu out to me. ‘I'll say one thing; the food here is outstanding.’

‘I'm full’, I said tersely, in stark contrast to his convivial demeanour. ‘I had lunch with someone else.’

He narrowed his eyes and stared at me.