Midye Avcilari, Inciralti Balikci Barinagi, Aralik 2008, Izmir - Mussel Hunters, Inciralti fishermen`s cove, December 2008, Izmir ...
The Mussel Hunter
Like an astronaut on a spaceflight, he was moving slowly. Tied to an old wooden spacecraft with a mossy rope, he was wearing a water-resist suit completed with a handmade waistcoat and a grey beret. A red sack was elegantly floating behind him on the infinite foggy blue. His legs were not seen, while his wet hands were slowly dipping the shovel, scraping the sand and then filling the worn sieve.
As if in California Gold Rush, his eyes were shining brightly with each black jewel appearing among the sand on the sieve. He was diligently combing out his treasure and filling the red sack tied on his waist.
Shouldering on the shovel and proud of his shiny treasure in the red sack, he hit the road with the old boat. The infinite blue was turning to a golden color as if the bright stars of a close galaxy were blinking in the seashore.
He had never seen a sea or mussels until he left the far village to earn enough money for his wedding. His fiancée gave him the waistcoat and the beret with tears on her eyes and warned him not to get cold. Yet, water drops were flowing over the yellow rubber boots, forming a small lake around his feet. He wrapped himself to the soaking wet waistcoat.
He dreamt of their wedding ceremony with golden jewels on her beloved’s white wedding dress. They will be sitting in one of the bright seaside cafes to order stuffed mussel served with lemon. He will gently open each black shiny shell, squeeze the lemon in them and put in her tiny pink mouth. She will be feeling the delicious taste of the each black jewel, while watching the slowly moving mussel hunters in the infinite blue.
Shouldering on the shovel and proud of his shiny treasure in the red sack, he hit the road with the old boat. The infinite blue was turning to a golden color as if the bright stars of a close galaxy were blinking in the seashore.
He had never seen a sea or mussels until he left the far village to earn enough money for his wedding. His fiancée gave him the waistcoat and the beret with tears on her eyes and warned him not to get cold. Yet, water drops were flowing over the yellow rubber boots, forming a small lake around his feet. He wrapped himself to the soaking wet waistcoat.
He dreamt of their wedding ceremony with golden jewels on her beloved’s white wedding dress. They will be sitting in one of the bright seaside cafes to order stuffed mussel served with lemon. He will gently open each black shiny shell, squeeze the lemon in them and put in her tiny pink mouth. She will be feeling the delicious taste of the each black jewel, while watching the slowly moving mussel hunters in the infinite blue.
© Mussel Hunter by Sibel Gögen (April 2009 )
Midye Avcilari, Inciralti Balikci Barinagi, Aralik 2008, Izmir - Mussel Hunters, Inciralti fishermen`s cove, December 2008, Izmir
Copyright © 2009 Sibel Gögen
