G for Gamze

Gamze donned his overalls, bright Blue in colour, and stored his day wear in the locker. He glanced at the dog-eared photo of his two children which was hanging by its last sticky bit of cello tape to the back of the locker door. Two children, too soon, and the last unplanned. He quickly moved to his station for the first shift at 6 am sharp at the textile factory.

Shrieking air horn alert. Derrummm...of the generator. Nothing could stop the process short of a lost limb or an earthquake. Both of which have occurred in the not too distant past. 

Five months ago, Gamze's predecessor had left an Orange overall strap unbuttoned. That was the last of that overall, and him of course. The system shut down automatically, and he was literally hanging by his overalls at Station No:1024, white spun cotton aisle, Orange team. Apart from his dignity, he was unhurt, but he was summarily dismissed for violating protocol.

Since then, Gamze, decided to live near the factory so as to be on time for roll call. 

"It's funny how a job can change your life" he thought. He had always been a cheerful, laid back sort of chap, and he had dimples to prove it. Perhaps that's how he came to be named Gamze. It means dimples. "Mother must have had her fun with that" he mused. 

So for the past four months, Gamze lived on the Asian side of Istanbul, while his wife, Feriha, lived and worked on the European side with his mother and their youngest child. 

Gamze was aware that Feriha preferred his second name Cagan, which meant holiday, as it played to her fanciful ideas of leading a life of adventure and travel. Early on in their courtship she had said, "Dimples is such an effeminate name, a mama's boys' name. I need man." 

He did not make much of it then as he was in love and took it as part of foreplay. The physical separation was an adjustment, and he did wonder if Feriha would actually act on her words and look for a replacement.   

Gamze was popular among the women workers. One particular machine operator, Handan, usually found herself sitting with him for lunch and tea. The older women would tease, "Careful Handan, he's married with two children."