LAST LESSON “... I told them: My dear students! I am going; my time here is up. I don’t know if our paths will ever cross again. I have tried to teach you many things during our time together. You have learnt many things. For example, how the world turns, how airplanes fly, why ships don’t sink, how mountains are formed… You have learnt about the evolution of man, how we are born, how we die. All kinds of things, right? But as I go, I want to ask you for something: Forget all the things I have taught you. The world turns. Yes; but maybe, here, on this mountain, it’s more true that it doesn’t turn. I taught you lessons in life sciences, my dear children, but the real life lessons you will learn here, on your own, in this mountain-top village between two borders, and when you leave your village to go to the army or to work. Don’t forget that the things written in books or taught in lessons are not always so true… What may be right for me, may not be for you. If this is true of many things I have taught you, forgive me. It’s because I come from a very different place, my children, and as you can see, I am leaving with the melting of the snow! Although I am not so sure where I will be going, I leave. You are the ones who will remain here. It is you who walk barefoot on the snow and survive. We are those who cannot survive on home-made bread, herbed cheese and bulgur, and by drinking tea all winter. We have fruit, vegetables and meat. I am saying all these things to show you the differences. My children! Please don’t misunderstand me. I never said it was a sin to tell a lie, or that lying does not become a human being. Don’t misunderstand me: lies can be told. That said, the things I have told you about all winter are correct: My dear children! Humans can live without dying of an unknown disease when they are only 3 months old. Leprosy or trachoma is not fate… That’s all. This is all I have to say! That’s it; the lesson is over, you can go now… Off you go… Why are you not leaving? You have passed your grade. I told you that the lesson is over… You can go now! OK, if that’s the case, lets finish our last lesson outside… Let’s look for the wildflowers that herald the coming of spring. Let’s look for the twigs and branches that will keep us warm tonight, let’s wake the last sleepy bears out of hibernation. Come on, my children, let’s go outside...” Ferit EDGÜ, “Hakkari’de Bir Mevsim” [A Season in Hakkari] (pp. 188-189). Ada Yayınları: Istanbul, 1977