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ISHAN CANDAS
If there is one person that might be called a HERO in our Turkish story, it would be ISHAN CANDAS, my companion and my official driver for the five years in Turkey. He was a small man, only 5'6" tall, and weighed about 150 lbs. He wore his chauffeur's uniform as proudly as an Army General. For many years he had been the chauffeur for the Governor of the Izmir Province, and was now working for the American Consulate.
Ishan watched over us as a hen would watch over her brood of young chicks. He helped us find an apartment, took us to the markets, helped us get anything on the markets that we might need, and tactfully made suggestions to me on proper protocol, when we visited experiment station directors, and governors of the various provinces. He knew them all and his English saved the day for me.
I have known better drivers than Ishan Bey, he was so short that he couldn't see over the top of the steering wheel, he looked thru it. He never looked farther ahead than 50 feet and he would scare me to death two or three times every day. He would nearly hit an ox team and cart, or a flock of sheep, before coming to a halt. I wanted to get a cushion to get him higher in the seat, but it was an insult to him that I would make such a suggestion.
For me to hold my position was important to him. I rode in the back seat, and he always opened the door for me. When we were on long trips, he would be comfortable if I rode in front, but when in the city, I rode in the back seat. We were a curiosity in some of the small villages, and the youngsters would like to look the car over, but they had better not touch it, Ishan would holler "YELLA" (get out of here) and they would scatter like rabbits.
Ishan's ability to speak English, his knowledge of the area, an ability to help a foreigner adapt to Turkish life, made it possible for me to operate in the community with out Naki. I can explain best with a few stories.
When our furniture arrived in Izmir by ship, it had to clear customs. I was told by the consulate, what papers I had to have, and how to go about getting it from the dock to out apartment. Armed with the proper credentials I went to the Dock, Ishan knew just where to go, and with his help, I began my negotiation, with the customs officers, but nothing moved the furniture. When night came I was still not able to get the furniture released.
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Metzger Memories
