John Y. Brown, III: An American in Turkey

Here I momentarily forget what I’m thinking about and inadvertently find myself captivated by the tour guide’s explanation of the city’s history.

It happened many times today.

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Kickin’ it with my girl, Ottoman style! ; )

The woman with the professional camera overheard us and, along with her husband, laughed. And that’s all I needed. Over the next 20 minutes I learned that Matt worked as a VC for 6 years before he and his wife, Erica, dropped out and became professional world travelers 2 years earlier. They’ve visited and written about 30 countries, mostly about economic development but also offering a sort of personal Trip Adviser take on each destination. (Think of Albert Brooks’ Lost in America —but working out. And going international.)

Next year Matt hopes to find himself in Standord’s MBA program. And deserves to be there.

And if that still isn’t enough to pique your curiosity, their website is titled “What if” with the tag line, “Living to never wonder, What if”

Extraordinary young people I have a feeling I’ll see again and already have suggested they write for a blog and would love to help these two any way I can.

And I never even took the time to go back and thank the cat for awkwardly sitting on that column and giving me an excuse to meet to fine young Americans–Living the American Dream. (without a sarcastic overtone)

Who doesn’t remember where they were and what they were doing the first time they imagined being in a Turkish prison?

I know I sure do.

It was primary Election Night in Kentucky in May of 1979 and my father was running for governor and locked in a tight battle with Terry McBrayer and Harvey Sloane that was too close to call. But that was all happening in the big room next door. Lots of people frantically tracking election returns and wondering who would pull out the victory.

But I was in the next room with my door closed. I was 15 years old and didn’t want to be bothered. I was transfixed on the movie playing in the room that night that I had ordered. Ordered not once. Not twice. But three times.

Midnight Express.

The riveting true story of Billy Hayes, a young American caught smuggling hashish in Istanbul, Turkey and made an example of…and eventually receiving a life sentence.

Before escaping.

The movie also collected a number of Oscars that year.

That was 34 years ago. And today I am about to set foot for the first time in my life in Istanbul. And, as I said at the beginning of this post, I’ll never forget the time and place when I first imagined being in a Turkish prison. And haven’t in 34 years.

Oh yeah, and my father won that night by the narrowest of margins. But that’s another whole story that really was in the background to my discovering Midnight Express.

And the strangest part of all? I’m telling the truth.