Okuma – Mahmut’s Cheese

Emektar öğretmen Kazım’ın yıllar önce verdiği sözü tutma hikayesi basit bir İngilizce anlatımla / The story of how an old teacher keeps his promise in simple English

• Hikaye ⇓
• Test

“Whenever you need help, call me at 0533 418….”

That is what Kazım told Mahmut when he saw him last.

Mahmut was going to go to university. He had studied hard and now he was sure of himself. He believed that university would provide him a good opportunity to build a nice future. It also would provide him a chance to make real his dreams. He had always wanted to be a computer engineer. He loved computers. In fact, all his friends loved computers but his love was different. He didn’t like them for games. He loved computers because he admired them. He also admired the people who made them. He thought that they were great men and he wanted to be one of them.

Kazım was a teacher in Mahmut’s town. He had been a teacher for 18 years. He was good at knowing people’s characters, and he knew that Mahmut was on the right track (=doğru yolda). He had trained many brilliant students in Akçatepe, the town where he worked. Mahmut would be just another one of those. However, Mahmut was more important for him. He had never seen a student who was as confident as Mahmut and so determined to achieve his goal. He had decided to support him like his own son (He didn’t have a son himself). He was famous as a good teacher but Mahmut would crown his success.

Three years later…
“Now I need help and I can call Mr. Kazım at 0533….” said Mahmut to himself. He was really in trouble. He had been at university for two years by now and was a good student as usual. However, there was a problem now.

“Hello. This is Kazım speaking.”
“Hello Mr. Kazım. This is Mahmut.”
“O dear, how are you doing?”
“I am fine, Mr. Kazım. But there is a problem. I am calling you because you told me that I could call you if- ”
“Of course, I do remember my promise. Just tell me what the problem is and how I can help you.”
“Well, it is not a big problem actually. I bought some cheese here in Istanbul and I want to send it to my family. But I want to keep it a surprise. I would like to post the cheese to you so that you can get it from the post office and give it to my father all of a sudden and say ‘Surprise!’”
“Yes, I can do that. Are you sending the cheese tomorrow?”
“Yes, sir, tomorrow. Thank you very much.”
“You know, you are always welcome my dear.”

The next day Kazım got the cheese from the post office as he promised, and took it to Mahmut’s father and said, “Surprise!”. Mahmut’s father was very surprised indeed. He took the cheese immediately to his wife. They sat down and ate all the cheese in half an hour. They were both very happy.