CROSSINGS

Dialogues: Encounters with the "Other Side"
by Turgut Durduran

The dialogues I am inventing here are fictional dialogues, based on possible set ups between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Brief introduction about the characters will be given before each dialogue. After each dialogue, I will try to give a brief account of my analysis of the main points in the dialogue. This is part of a series of dialogues that will be coming in the following issues. The names, or characters are either completely fictional, or are changed from the reall cases.
Dialogue 1: Two University students who ended up being in the same university abroad. Giorgos, a Greek Cypriot engineering major, junior. Huseyin, a Turkish Cypriot political science major, freshman.
  • Giorgos:
    (talks to a couple of offices, calls a couple of numbers and figures out who the newcomer is, wants to get to know his fellow countryman; a Turkish Cypriot)

    Hello, I heard you are also from Cyprus and wanted to welcome you.

  • Huseyin:
    (thinking Giorgos is Turkish to)

    Selamlar, ben Huseyin.

  • Giorgos:
    (confused)

    No no, I am not Turkish, I am a Greek Cypriot.

  • Huseyin:
    (A Greek Cypriot, interesting, I always wanted to meet them)

    Ohh, I am sorry. I was confused.

  • Giorgos:

    My name is Giorgos, my family is from Famagusta, they fled to Larnaca after the occupation.

  • Huseyin:
    (one of those fanatics, why does he think I would talk to someone calling my country occupied? Let's see what will happen.)

    Really, my name is Huseyin, I live in Famagusta, (loudly) Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Nice to meet you.

  • Giorgos:
    (Another Denktash freak, I hope he does not live in my house, may be I was wrong to think we can build a friendship)

    Just out of curiosity , do you really think there is such a thing, i.e Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus? It is illegal and non-existiing state, as declared to be so by all international bodies. I hope you do not live in my family's stolen house, enjoying the efforts of my father in building that house.

  • Huseyin:
    (Getting really angry, thinks it is time to get rid of this guy)

    Why are you bothering me? I am not intending to deal with fachist fanatics. Ofcourse, I live in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and it exists, and it is legal. Greek Cypriots always wanted to exterminate us from the island, and they are all brainwashed , they can not even stand to hear the name of my country. I also hope your father was not involved in masacre of my uncle's family.

    • ...And the dialogue continues as an exchange of flaming sentences.

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