Portrait of a Turkish Family by Irfan Orga Read Free Book Online Page A

will be all over.’
    The doctor looked at all of us standing so docilely with our fathers and began to shout with laughter.
    ‘What!’ he said happily. ‘Eight children in one room and not a sound to be heard!’
    He looked at me.
    ‘You are the youngest,’ he said, ‘so you shall come first.’ He took my hand and peered into my face. ‘I don’t really believe you are afraid,’ he said gently. ‘There is no need to be afraid, you know! I never hurt good boys and your father tells me you are a very good boy indeed. Come!’ He insisted to my stubborn, disbelieving face, ‘You will see, I shall not hurt you.’
    He took my arm and led me to an adjoining room, a small bare room to strike fresh terror into an already terrified heart.
    The Colonel stood me on a table, which had been specially placed in the centre of the room. I faced the window, the Colonel on one side of me and my father on the other. The doctor busied himself with a black bag and boiling water and after a minute which seemed a year approached the table.
    ‘Now just be a good child and stand still,’ he commanded, but it was unnecessary for him to waste his breath for I could not have moved if I had tried. My legs were rooted immovably to the table and my body icy cold. I turned my head away as I caught sight of a little shining instrument and the doctor said heartily: ‘Come, Hüsnü bey! Let us see what sort of a man your son is.’
    My father lifted my robe, baring my legs and the lower part of my body.
    ‘Open your legs!’ commanded the doctor, his voice no longer sugared but the voice of a man intent upon performing some duty. ‘Wider!’ he roared.
    I tremblingly obeyed. I remember that the Colonel held my ankles from behind me whilst my father pinioned my arms tightly. The doctor came nearer. I closed my eyes and was ready to die. There was a slight stinging feeling and suddenly it was all over.
    I had been circumcised and my fears had been groundless. Nevertheless I screamed lustily. Screaming was such an exquisite relief to my overwrought nerves that I continued, long after the need for it was over.
    The Colonel carried me back to the large room, meeting the second victim in the doorway. I was put into bed and clowns played their music and turned somersaults for my benefit and I felt proud and important.
    I had intended to eat many sweets but Nature had her way with me and very soon I slept.
    When I awoke the circumcision was over for everyone and the music of the orchestra came faintly and sweetly from the salon. The clowns had all gone. It was night and the stars looked very near and brilliant in a cloudless sky. Laughter and music and the chink of glasses came stealing up from downstairs and all the other boys slept. I was drowsy and contented and I turned on my side and went to sleep again.
    The next morning I awoke to sunlight and peals of laughter. The foot of my bed was heaped with presents and I sat up quickly and began to undo them. The terrors of the previous day had vanished and everyone boasted of his remarkable bravery – all, that is, except the fat boy. And he turned out to have a sense of humour for he told us that when the doctor came over to him, he had neighed like a horse.
    In the midst of our laughter a coloured servant came in with a tray of breakfasts. There was the customary white cheese, grapes, boiled eggs and bread and butter, wild cherry and rose jams and tea, served in small glasses with slices of lemon.
    She mocked our inability to get up and walk, remarked on our appetites which, she said, were surprising since yesterday we had rejected every offer of food and she had thought perhaps we were delicate children. And all this said with a twinkle in her eye to abash us for the cowards we had been less than twenty-four hours before. After breakfast our mothers visited us, promising that upon the following day we would be taken to our homes. I asked my mother why she had not been to see me the previous evening