32

TURKISH DELIGHT

The Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in the bustling Asian district of Kadıköy
was packed to the rafters for Fenerbahçe’s final home game of the
season. Fenerbahçe had already won the Süper Lig title and so this
game on a gorgeous Sunday in late May was a noisy celebration for
some of the most fanatical football supporters in the world.

And into it stepped Mert Ortaç. Perhaps for real; perhaps just in his
own mind.

Up in the executive boxes there was an expectant and convivial
atmosphere. Şahin and his trusted lieutenant, Çağatay Evyapan, were
awaiting the kick off at 5 p.m. The football fans of Istanbul were
regarded as among the most fanatical in Europe and they were divided
into three camps. Two were on the European side of the city, Galatasaray
and Beşiktaş, while the yellow and navy-blue shirts of Fenerbahçe lay
across the straits in Asia. Şahin and Çağatay were both committed
Fenerbahçe supporters and the former’s visits to his home city usually
coincided with a game – indeed, he had an executive box at the stadium.

Among the friends invited to this game was Mert, who, Şahin told
Çağatay, was one of the new boys working on his skimming trade.
Mert also introduced his new girlfriend, Sanem. She dazzled Mert,
while the ostentatious wealth of his companions dazzled her.

Sanem already knew the profiles of some of the people in the
executive box. It was not difficult wheedling secrets out of Mert. Not
only was he a chatterbox by nature, but he was desperate to impress
his young paramour, whom he considered way out of his league. Seeing
powerful men like Şahin and his well-built sidekick Çağatay strut
around the executive box must have been confirmation for Sanem that