Your life story

Ela, for your school project? Of course, ask me anything. Sit down, and put the phone on the table.

My childhood was happy, but we had no money. I went to primary school in a village with one teacher and twenty children. At the age of eleven I started secondary school in the next town. I walked three miles every morning, in rain, in wind, in snow.

At fourteen I was a typical teenager. I loved football and hated homework. My father said, "One day you will thank me." He was right, as usual. Now write this down: I walked three miles every day. Don't write that the snow was up to my knees. That's a small lie. It was only up to my ankles.

You asked how I met Kemal, so here is the true story. After uni I wanted to get a job, so I decided to apply for anything. I sent fifty applications and got one answer, from a bike shop.

On my first day a customer came in with a flat tyre. I didn't plan to fall in love at work, but he was very funny. Two months later we had a big fight about gears, and we decided to break up.

The next week, Kemal came back to the shop with another flat tyre. I looked at it carefully. There was a tiny hole in it, made with a pin! He did it on purpose. I laughed so much that I forgot to be angry.

Mina! Ten years! Sit down, I want to hear everything. No, you first. Oh, you want my story? Okay.

Do you remember? I said I never wanted to get married. I wanted to travel forever. Then I met Ben on a train in Spain, and two years later we had our wedding in İzmir. It was in July, with two hundred guests. My uncle danced on a table and broke it.

Now we have a baby, Ada. She is eight months old and she never sleeps. We want to settle down in Bristol, near my sister. Honestly, I'm too tired to travel now. The only trip I take is to the kitchen at three in the morning.

Sorry, the traffic is bad today. Are you comfortable? Good. You want to know how I became a taxi driver? It's a long story.

I never planned to end up in London. I studied engineering in Ankara, but I hated it. I decided to drop out and come here. Then I tried to start a business, a pizza van. It broke down every day. In the end I sold it and bought this taxi.

The good news is that a taxi never breaks down. Well, almost never. Oh. Why is it making that noise? Don't worry, madam, it's normal. Actually, could you help me push the car?

Tarık, come and look. I found Grandad's photo box in the loft. Oh, here he is, in 1975! Look at that big collar.

Some people say "die", but I prefer to say pass away. It sounds softer. Grandad passed away in March, and when I look back, I remember all the little things: his tea, his songs, the way he whistled. I loved him all my life.

And what's this one? Grandad, on a stage, in a shiny silver suit, with a microphone! Tarık, our quiet grandad was a disco singer! This is my favourite memory now. Do you think Gran knew?

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