The Last Letter Writer

Near the old Sirkeci train station, Hasan Bey sits at a small wooden table every morning, just as he has done for the last forty years. He is one of the last "arzuhalcis" in Istanbul, people who write official letters and documents for others.

When Hasan Bey first started this job, dozens of letter writers used to work along this street. People who couldn't read or write well used to come to them for help with government papers, love letters, or business documents. "This street used to be full of typewriters," Hasan Bey remembers. "The sound used to fill the whole square."

Today, the situation has changed completely. Most people have learned to write their own documents, and computers have replaced typewriters everywhere. Hasan Bey has watched almost all of his colleagues retire or pass away over the years. "I have become the last one on this street," he says quietly.

Despite these changes, Hasan Bey has never stopped loving his work. Every week, a few elderly customers still visit him. They used to rely on him for decades, and they trust no one else with their important papers. "An old woman has come to me every month since 1995," he says with a proud smile.

Recently, something unexpected has happened. Young people, curious about old traditions, have started visiting Hasan Bey, not for letters, but for stories. A university student has interviewed him for a project about disappearing professions. "They want to understand how things used to be," Hasan Bey explains.

Although his typewriter is old and his eyesight has weakened, Hasan Bey has decided to continue working as long as possible. "This job has given me a life full of stories," he says. "As long as even one person needs me, I will stay at this table."