10An old Jewish coin and a Roman arrowhead.
YAYLADAGI, HATAY.
A. ARRIVES ON A BUS FROM ANTAKYA. (NO MEMORIES OF THE TRIP.)
AT THE MOMENT OF A.'S ARRIVAL, 1 SHELL LAUNCHED FROM SYRIA FALLS WITHIN THE PERIMETER OF THE CITY. THE WORKERS DON'T STOP WORKING, THE KIDS CONTINUED PLAYING, THE DOGS BARK. A. DOES NOT NOTICE ANYTHING.
HE IS ONLY TOLD LATER ABUT THE SHELL.
A. SPENDS THE AFTERNOON WITH AZAD, IN A SMALL HOUSE AZAD RENTED WITH HIS WIFE NEXT TO THE CAMP. BEFORE MOVING INTO THE SMALL HOUSE, AZAD AND HIS WIFE LIVED IN THE CAMP, IN A TENT WITH THE REST OF THE FAMILY. YEARS AFTER HAVING FLED TO TURKEY, AZAD STILL GOES THROUGH THE WOODY HILLS INTO SYRIA AND VISITS HIS VILLAGE (THE RUINS OF HIS VILLAGE).
THE WOODY HILLS HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS THESE PAST WEEKS.
AZAD'S SMALL HOUSE. TWO ROOMS. MEZZES ARE SPEAD ACROSS THE TABLE. AZAD, HIS WIFE (UNNAMED) AND A. EAT.
THE END OF THE MEAL.
AZAD
FROM OUR CONVERSATION, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU LIKE HISTORY…I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING.
AZAD GOES INTO HIS ROOM AND BRINGS FORTH A SMALL BOX. IT IS FULL OF COINS HE HAS FOUND AROUND HIS VILLAGE WITH A METAL DETECTOR : GREEK, ROMAN, BYZANTINE, OTTOMAN SILVER FLOWS THROUGH HIS FINGERS.
AZAD
ALL OF THIS IS SYRIA…IT’S NOT ONLY ONE OR THE OTHER. IT’S ALL OF THIS.
HE SEEMS TO HOLD SYRIA’S HISTORY IN HIS HANDS.
A. MUST LEAVE AFTER DESERT. AS THEY PART, AZAD GIVES HIM AN OLD JEWISH COIN WITH AN ARAMAIC INSCRIPTIONS AND A ROMAN ARROWHEAD.
AZAD
YOU WILL REMEMBER ME
A HEADS TOWARDS THE SHELLED MOSQUE.
(From "Room in a wall")