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Book 7: ASHES OF ROSES

ANDIE, RICKY & SOO

Met Soo, Ricky & Andie at Barcelona bar in Kaş—— These three were very important to me that summer and I remember them fondly and with gratitude.

BIG TOMB IN KAŞ

The Queen was buried in the top & the King beneath — 2495-year-old tomb in front of Osman Carpet Shop — Looted by Italians after WWI — Smack in the middle of town unmoved – on the sides are untranslated writings in an undeciphered alphabet — Boncuk—— Big Lycian tomb at the top of the Main Street in Kaş, peach-colored stone glowing in the lights.  It looked simple enough to draw but it took me five hours. ‘Boncuk’ is a common Turkish cat name. It means ‘bead,’ & also ‘wanderer.’

VIEW FROM THE TOMB

Kaş All down the thousand-year-old street—— Presumably the Lycians who built the tomb had a street, but this one is probably less than half that age. I was sitting on the tomb when I drew this, from golden afternoon to dusk. Soner & Paşa are carpet and jewelry salesmen, and all the cats are Boncuk, who wandered up the street as I was drawing.

ANDIE & RICKY

Inseperable, indispensable, irreplaceable. —19 July 2000—— We’ve lost touch but last I heard they’re still together and still based in London.

OLDEST BALCONY

The oldest balcony in Kaş — Trici & Cengiz — The view from Gallery Kaş Uzunçarçi Cad #15  —Uyüncü Kilim — “All you need is love” — “All together now”—We sang Beatles songs & Cat Stevens & “Bridge Over Troubled Water” while I drew — Cengiz — Small world! He went to school with Mike.

DURMUŞ PREDICTION

20 July 2000—— Worked the desk at my hotel, a real sweet kid, so this drawing was disconcerting. Later I learned that my pen saw something I didn’t.

GODS’ EYES

Kaş Restaurant waiting for Rayan — Embedded Gods’ Eyes fragmented in the warm gold flagstone of Kaş——

THREE LOCAL FACES

Duran — “From Turkey… but my grandfather was from Seoul, Korea.” “So that’s why you don’t look like anybody else“ —Veysi——

AT RED POINT

“My name is Gülsaken… Gül is Rose- means ‘Throw the roses away!’ Why would they name me that?”—— She was upset! For 21 years I’ve wished I’d thought to say, “Because who needs roses when they have you?”

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