May God bless the Court of Accounts, it is good that it exists

Years ago, I went to an engineering congress in Japan.

Things were good back then.

We were able to attend international congresses and had the chance to get to know the world.

The university covered both the registration fee and the plane ticket for us.

Not to mention the daily allowance.

Some learned professors would stay in cheap hotels and skip meals, channeling a portion of their allowance into their other academic activities.

They would buy books and such.

I, too, skipped quite a few meals and focused on my other scientific activities.

Upon my return, I submitted the file containing the congress attendance certificate, the plane ticket, and the passport entry-exit pages to the finance department.

2-3 weeks later, I was called by a Court of Accounts auditor.

At that age, I wasn't very familiar with concepts like the Court of Accounts or the Council of State.

"What's going on?" I wondered.

"Professor, please stop by the Court of Accounts office in the rectorate building," someone said in a polite tone.

Perhaps they had sensed my anxiety from my voice.

Anyway, I went in a hurry.

Sweat was pouring down my head.

My eyes were barely staying in their sockets.

I went to the office.

I buttoned my jacket and knocked on the door softly.

"Come in," someone inside said.

I entered.

"Sit down, Professor," he said.

The auditor's calmness had put me at ease, at least a little bit.

He ordered tea and got to the point.

The congress registration fee was set in dollars, euros, and Japanese yen on their website.

It was also written on the attendance certificate.

I had paid in dollars.

If I had paid in Japanese yen, I would have paid 25 liras less.

Let there be no misunderstanding, 25 liras in today's money.

"So?" I said.

"You must pay back this 25 liras," he said.

I felt a bit relieved.

"If you like, I can pay 50 liras," I said, reaching for my wallet.

"No," he said.

"Deposit it into this account," he said.

"Okay," I said.

"Professor, there is one more issue," he said.

Since the atmosphere was soft, I wasn't very excited this time.

"Professor, your plane landed in Istanbul at 7 in the morning," he said.

"Yes," I said.

"Even though I flew all day due to the time difference, I landed in the morning instead of the evening," I said.

"There is no problem, Professor," he said.

"You must also pay back the lunch and dinner amount included in the last day's allowance."

"Please deposit that into the same account as well," he said.

I immediately deposited the 75 dollars into the provided IBAN and cleared the account.

"Oh, before I forget, there is one last issue," he said.

"Your congress provided you with free lunches."

"It says so on the website," he said.

"Yes," I said.

"We ate lunch twice," I said.

"For free."

"We must deduct those from your allowance as well," he said.

"Very well," I said.

He calculated it from the ruler and I paid it immediately.

The nightmare was over, but I had the opportunity to get to know the state a little better.

I learned the accounting system of the Turkish State on the cheap.

I also learned what the Court of Accounts is for.

Even if I did sweat a little.