Buğra Gökce's 'Sunday breakfast' longing! 'Cracking an egg into the pan...'

“Palace”-instructed investigations into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) led to the arrest of Istanbul Planning Agency (IPA) President Buğra Gökce, who has now written a letter from the Marmara Closed Penal Execution Institution in Silivri, where he is being held.

In his letter from prison, Gökce wrote, "Isn't it such an innocent request? There are thousands of prisoners in jail longing to crack an egg into a pan and eat it."

The following statements were included in Gökce's letter, which was published in the BirGün newspaper:

"ISN'T IT SUCH AN INNOCENT REQUEST?"

"Those who love me know that I have always loved breakfast tables. I am one of those who sincerely believes in the words of the master Cemal Süreya: 'Breakfast must have something to do with happiness.' This Sunday morning, I woke up thinking about the Sunday mornings that have passed since my detention and subsequent arrest. Sunday, March 23, was the day we received the 'arrest' decision and were transferred to Silivri, arriving in the middle of the night. On Saturday afternoon, we were transferred from the wretched, dingy holding cell in the basement of the Vatan Police Headquarters to the Çağlayan Courthouse.

That night, again sleepless and hungry, we were taken from the -7th (minus seven) floor holding cell of Çağlayan, first to the prosecutor and then to the judge in the morning. I hadn't been able to take my medication. Thankfully, my lawyer, Ms. Berivan, saw my miserable state and brought me a sandwich and my medicine. Under police supervision, I had my Sunday breakfast with half a sandwich and took my pills. It was one of the worst days of my life, that Sunday... There are so many details, from the media outlets announcing our arrest before we even knew it, to being kept in the parking lot for hours without even being able to go to the bathroom! But I am going to talk about breakfast."

"14 SUNDAYS HAVE PASSED SINCE MARCH 23..."

"'14 Sundays' have passed since March 23. Some even coincided with holidays! Sunday breakfasts have always created a special day and a special joy for me. If it's both a holiday and a Sunday, it's even more special! My family knows this very well. I can hear Filiz's words, 'Hey, breakfast is ready, come on now,' and Beyza's call, 'Big brother, the table is set, you cook the eggs, we're waiting.' Truly, very few things can fill me with the joy of living as much as that carefully prepared, rich, and crowded family breakfast table. By rich, I don't mean the 'spread breakfast' that has turned into a table of waste, of course. I mean the simplicity and richness of breakfast with cheese, olives, tomatoes, peppers, and eggs that every family carefully finds and prepares within their own means, fresh and appetizing, with a soul.

Everyone around me knows that I love eggs, and that I adore menemen! (My friend Vedat Milor also knows, and in my opinion, menemen is made without onions!) I always used to cook the eggs on Sunday mornings. Sometimes sunny-side up, sometimes an omelet, sometimes menemen... Yet, how could I have known that I would long for an egg? Here, you can buy boiled eggs in bulk from the canteen once a week and eat them later by heating them up. There is no other chance to 'crack an egg'! As soon as I get out, I told my wife and family during our first open visit that I would 'dip my bread into the yolk' of an egg!

Although, when I think of Tayfun and Can, I feel embarrassed to say these things with our 3-month history. It has been over 3 years for them! Especially for Osman Kavala. In the same prison, it has been over 9 years! Perhaps these friends have more pressing tables than a large breakfast. I would like to do this for them with respect."

THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS LONGING FOR EGGS...

"Isn't it such an innocent request? There are thousands of prisoners in jail longing to crack an egg into a pan and eat it! This is why I say that those who come here and do not understand anything about the deprivations, hardships, and restrictions should not make 'arrest' decisions. As part of their training, Prosecutor-Judge candidates should be transferred to prison as 'detainees' for 10-15 days, just like us, under the same conditions, starting from the moment of detention! They should see that arrest is not a decision to be made easily for everyone in a split second. After all, they are making a decision about a human being!

That crowded family breakfast contains such rich meanings. No matter how busy everyone has been throughout the week. It is a ceremony where the family, perhaps in its most extended form or perhaps in its nuclear form, comes together to share their bread, evaluate the week and the day, and share the future and hope. The enjoyable part, I think, comes from that crowd and all the family members being together. Its flavor might be related to it being prepared carefully, all together, and growing a hope for a future together. Its joy is very closely related to the conversations about sharing the excitements and beauties of life. What separates it from a typical act of filling one's stomach, I think, comes from experiencing it together with family, conversation, and friends...

With a humble contribution to the master Cemal Süreya, I say that 'a breakfast table set with extended family and friends' is definitely related to happiness. In fact, a large family breakfast is a reason for happiness and the joy of living!

Now, for the 14th time in Silivri, I will have my own rich breakfast with my boiled egg from Tuesday, heated in steam, along with my tea, cheese, olives, and the tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers I will chop into my boat-shaped plate. I will not forget the lump in my throat when I think of my loved ones, and I will try to move past it without dwelling on it. I will dream of the many beautiful breakfasts we will have when I get out, and the first breakfast where I will gather my family in its most extended form. But I will be the one to cook the eggs! No one should take offense, I will definitely dip my bread in the yolk!"

News Source: 12punto