Two Lonely People: A Short “Love” Story

He looked back, but saw nothing; he turned forward and continued walking. He wondered what he couldn’t see but didn’t dwell on it, focusing instead on his path. There was a blue sea in front of him, and as the wind blew on his face, he focused on the ferry ahead. He heard sounds from behind but couldn’t listen; he veered onto his path and kept walking. He wondered what he couldn’t hear but nothing came to mind; he didn’t bother with it, not wanting to miss his way.

He finally reached his destination; this once bustling place was now in need of a customer. Normally, such things didn’t bother him; one place opens, another closes. This was Istanbul, after all, where everything could change suddenly, one of the few cities that could quickly adapt to such changes. But for some reason, it pained him now to see the bar, where he had spent his youth, about to close. Was he happy in all the memories he had there? Was he still on good terms with everyone he used to go there with? Were the food and drinks that great? No, but he was sad anyway; when he walked in, he saw that the same tables, the same posters were still there. How had this bar remained unchanged in a city where everything outside had changed? Has it started a protest against time? He didn’t think so. How could this small, decaying place, which even its patrons couldn’t stand, endure Istanbul? Ah, there was so much on his mind; this was the effect Istanbul had on a person. An unending headache and thoughts that never left your mind. It was an exhausting city, leaving a tired look on everyone’s face. It was a place where the best memories, the saddest farewells, and the most absurd ideas were born and lived. As he sat in the bar thinking about these things, he didn’t notice a familiar face approaching his table. The surprise on his face said it all, or so he thought.

“You’ve forgotten me.”

Forgotten? Do you think I’ve let you slip from my mind even once? I came here with the hope of seeing you again, at least with the hope of reliving our memories in my mind. Forgetting you would be the greatest crime, the greatest sin in my heart. I keep you not in my mind but in my heart; can’t you see all of this from my eyes?

“Sorry, I didn’t recognize you.”

“Me neither.”

No, please don’t go. Don’t leave me again, don’t make me relive these memories. Hear me, listen to everything I’m saying! Don’t stop listening to me like you did back then!

As the woman walked away, she didn’t look back; she had never been one to show her emotions. She couldn’t let him see her eyes filling with tears. Ah, was history really just a repetition of itself? Because this moment so closely resembled their university memories. A lonely man and an even lonelier woman… What else could be expected from two people who had lost their ability to hear and see? What was love, anyway?