Friday 20 February 2015

Wrong Place at the Wrong Time


Despite the subject of my last post, I like to keep BacktoBodrum upbeat and positive.  There are plenty of disquieting stories in the press about this country I have chosen to call home, but to me that is all they are - articles in the news, I have little or no experience of what they document.  My life here in Bodrum bumbles along pleasantly; book clubs, writing group, Greek lessons, archaeological and literary lectures, lunches and coffee with friends, knitting, cooking and dog walking.  You get the idea  -  so what happened to me last week is rather strange.  I wasn't going to write about it - in fact for 3 or 4 days I began to think it hadn't happened and I'd either dreamt or imagined it.   Jake and I set out for our mid-morning walk, later than usual because the weather wasn't very inviting.  We'd only gone about 200 meters when my eyes started to water. They often do this in the wind so for a milli-second I didn't think anything of it but then my lungs started burning and I could hardly see. I'd noticed a puff of smoke billowing from the football pitch and scenarios starting whizzing through my mind. I was convinced I was breathing in tear gas but there was no noise, no crowds of demonstrators to be subdued. I took a few steps forward but realised I wasn't going to be able to breath so turned on my heal and ran home. Strangely the dog was unaffected and didn't take kindly to having his walk cut short and resisted all the way. The street was empty so no one witnessed this crying, choking, middle-aged woman dragging an angry dog up the street.  A surprised husband wondered why I'd returned so quickly but my explanation wasn't given much credence.  This was Bodrum on a Thursday morning after all.  My throat was sore for several days and despite all my herbal remedies I couldn't shift it or the annoying cough that came with it.  I searched the local press to see if there had been a silent demonstration but couldn't find any news.  On Monday evening I mentioned it to Chris, fount of all knowledge, owner of The Bodrum Echo and she had the answer.  The police had been practicing!  On Tuesday morning's walk I noticed a police van at the football pitch and looking in, saw rows of body armour lined up.  A good opportunity to find out what they were up to and point out that they were guilty of poisoning an innocent dog walker. They admitted that they'd been practicing with pepper gas and that the wind had unexpectedly blown it further than expected but they were so apologetic that I had to smile rather than be annoyed with them. I even got three  "sorry"s  in English.  When I told my daughter, she could only laugh that the only time in my life I've been pepper gassed, is when I'm walking the dog in a deserted street.  I could make light of this whole experience but when put in the context of incipient "homeland security" laws,  it has left a very bitter taste to go with the sore throat.


I'm not sure what photo is a suitable accompaniment to being gassed but
this is how my throat felt.  


21 comments:

  1. melisa recommends wrapping your mouth in scarf with vicks

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    1. I'll have to keep a jar of Vicks in my pocket- just in case

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  2. Not at all a good omen....

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  3. Hmm...quite worrying. Hope you've recovered now xx

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    1. Yes thanks, but worried now I see the bill has gone through.

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  4. Poor you :( Maybe you should change your route to avoid the football pitch - why on earth were they training in town? Practicing riot control techniques doesn't bode well for Turkey.

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    1. We live next to the football pitch, so can't be avoided. Should we be pleased that at least they have practiced.....

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  5. . . the writing is on the wall in every single so-called Western, democracy. Here in Turkey, the West's sort-of ally, the MSM politely call it 'authoritarianism' - elsewhere, France, US, UK etc they are protecting their people from terrorism (an instrument of FUKUS/NATO's own devising/creation). With such things as Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and its Trans-Pacific partner being negotiated and implemented in secret, you are witnessing the corporate takeover of the world - global fascism! Let's face it, elections are a sham - a choice between Tweedledum and Tweedledumber. Police are being militarised wherever you look because when the masses eventually realise that they are totally disenfranchised they will get arsey and rise up and some organisation or other will be required to gun them down and prod them back into their pens. Welcome to Dystopia - it is, after all, what we deserve - the warnings were writ large and most of us said and did nothing. Remember those who, as information about spying/phone tapping/illegal detentions/etc, leaked said, 'Well, if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear'?
    Your experience with CS/pepper gas was not actually a mistake, just a mis-timed lesson because you, along with the bulk of the population are actually the target! It could be called a useful little side-show because I'm betting that a majority of those who experience such 'tools of the policeman's trade' will hesitate before dissenting as another of their not-cherished-enough freedoms disappears.

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  6. B to B, Geçmiş olsun! (although, unfortunately, I don't think it's going to ultimately pass any time soon). What in heavens name were they 'practicing'? How effective their pepper gas masks were? Could this be an example of what will happen if the new internal 'security' bill passes? Let's hope not.

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  7. So sorry and gecmis olsun. I know how that feels. I was subjected to gas while shopping a few years ago - a small protest had started. It was pre-Gezi. One never sees that coming.

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    1. I was surprised how immediate the effect was. No time to retreat.

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  8. A sign of things to come, perhaps? Stay safe, Annie.

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  9. Practicing for the upcoming summer elections maybe??

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  10. Oh dear Annie that's not good. Check list on leaving the house now - coat, lead, dog treats, gas mask??? Hope you're OK....when's you-know-who's big day? Must get Dave to get in touch - he's hopeless!

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    1. Big BIG b'day is 23rd . He's refusing to acknowledge it.

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  11. Very scary and disturbing, BtoB. I do so hope that it isn't a sign of things to come, but it probably is. :(

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