The albatross journey

51 - Unexpected encounters

Can

Just back from my morning run by the lake I take a shower and then go down to the kitchen to make some tea and eat something. On my way back I see the windows open on the ground floor of the semi-detached house next to mine, apparently Sanem woke up early this morning, I wonder what she's doing right now. At a certain point, as if in response to my thoughts, I hear something coming from the adjoining house, I open the kitchen window and hear the notes of Antonio Vivaldi's "Spring" coming clearly to me. I smile with pleasure, I didn't know that Sanem's gentle soul was as passionate about classical music as I am. She always manages to surprise and enrapture me, there is nothing to do, there is no aspect of this girl that I do not come to love and adore. I have breakfast in the company of Vivaldi and, in some way, also of my Sanem, who I feel close to even just for the fact of sharing with her the listening of a piece of a musical genre I have always loved, it seems to me as if at this moment she is giving me the most precious birthday present.

I am totally enraptured by the next piece, "La gazza ladra" by Gioacchino Rossini, when I hear a knock at the door.
Who could it be? I don't know anyone here.
I open the door and am literally speechless when I see who is waiting for me on the other side.

- Günaydın good morning,doğum günün kutlu olsun oğul happy birthday son -

I shake my head in disbelief, I can't believe to find my father at the door of my house in Ankara, but it takes me a moment to realize, today is my birthday and he wanted to be with me. I hug him tightly, moved by this thought, he has always been the fixed point, the certainty of my life, the only family I've ever had was me and him.
In a fraction of a second I realise that Sanem could see him if he left the house right now, I pull him hard until he enters the house and close the door. I see him look at me dumbfounded and making my way to the kitchen table I begin to explain the situation and how, for now, Sanem doesn't know I'm her new neighbour.

Sanem

I have made two borek, one to take to Mihriban for our lunch together today and one to give to the new neighbours as a token of welcome.
I take the two pans out of the oven and put them to cool on the window sill while I hear the door of the house next door close with a sharp thud. I look out to see if by chance they have gone out into the garden, but I don't see anyone, obviously they must have just returned at this moment, well, before going to lunch at Mihriban's I will ring the bell next door to leave what I have prepared for them as a sign of welcome.
I finished during the morning, while I was baking the borek in the oven, the work that I had set myself to finish by today, I turn off the computer to move upstairs to take a quick shower and change to go out.
I finish curling my hair in soft waves while I look in the mirror with a critical eye at the red dress with floral prints that I chose for this informal lunch, it leaves my shoulders bare but this end of October is turning out to be unexpectedly mild and I think I'm fine, I'll bring a shawl to cover myself later if I should feel cold.
I'm ready, a veil of lipstick and off I go running down the stairs to the neighbours before leaving, I enter the kitchen and first thing I go looking for a tray on which to transfer the borek once removed from the baking tray but, when I turn to the window to get it, I find myself in front of an unexpected scene. A beautiful tiger cat, sprung up from who knows where, is definitely enjoying the veal filling of one of the boreks I've prepared and continues to do so undeterred without being disturbed in the least by my presence.
I shout an incredulous -Nooooo- but now it's done, I run towards the window and at that point the four-legged thief runs away disappearing in an instant to leave very little of the original content of the pan behind. I sigh looking at what little is left as I throw it straight into the bin, I can't go to Mihriban empty handed, the welcome to the neighbours will have to be postponed once again unfortunately. I put the other one in the tray, which fortunately has survived the feline raids, and cover it with transparent paper, grab a shawl and leave the house with the intention of making a wider trip to Mihriban via the beach and enjoy a walk on this beautiful sunny day at the end of autumn.