Grandma Cane
They say “you live up to your name”. One’s name is a deciding factor in their path and character.
Her name is Cennet (Paradise) but frequently called “Cane”. Over the years Grandma Cane helped many people. Orphans, those she knew and otherwise… Feeding and taking care of them. “This isn’t the type of thing you want to talk about” she starts, not really interested in sharing the details, but everyone would point to her door whenever a traveler or a stranger showed up in town.
“I’d take them in and feed them. Prepare their beds and listen to their sufferings. Then they would leave” says Grandma Cane.
“One of them show up, naked. Walking around barefoot. They call him “Mad Hacı”. No children back then. We used to sleep in the tent outside. We gave him a little spot, he was sleeping in the tent, us on the other compartment. Heard this creaking noise and as soon as I opened my eyes, I realized he was tearing apart all the linens. I woke up my husband and he told me “don’t worry, he must be in his bed”. Told him “I’m not scared but all the linens are gone. He’s tearing them up”.
We approached him immediately. My husband asks “Hacı, what are you doing?”. “I’m sewing, I’m sewing” he replies. I guess it was because he wasn’t really stable. The linens, sheets… Everything was gone, torn to pieces. I fed him the following morning, he left again soon afterwards.
I ask “why do you do this for those you don’t know?”. She says “you know…” shyly, “my mum was the same my dear. She looked after many orphans, helping them as much as she could”.
Grandma Cane frequently says “Tışt Na”. According to her it means “No problem. You drop it and it breaks, no problem. One way or another it’s alright. It all passes. No problem.” Puts her hand up and repeats “Tışt Na my dear. Tışt Na”.
