İkinci Bahar

In the summer of 2001, while assigned to NATO in Izmir, Turkey, I met a beautiful young math teacher on the night she finished her degree. She was a wonderful girl—happy, bright, sweet, caring, and a lot of fun. She hung out with me a lot because, as she put it, "I feel safe when I am with you."

She was very important to me, and maybe I was a little in love with her. I counted on her to get me out of my lonely apartment. She was also a great listener and conversationalist.

When I left, she was the last friend I saw, and watching her leave in the cab was one of the saddest moments of my life.

I have lost contact with her since leaving.

I have often thought how I would like to go back to see all my friends from that summer, but I knew I would never go unless I were assured of seeing her.

I have decided to write this short story about a man returning to Turkey to find his young friend.