Placing the fingers on the forehead is a gesture of thanks.
Kissing the back of the hand is a polite gesture to one’s elders or someone you respect.
Selam is acknowledgement of someone’s presence, which can also act as a greeting. It’s the shorter form of As-salamu ʿalaykum (Peace be upon you) = “peace”.
↓ Transcript
He feigns an exaggerated yawn. “Oh goodness, I’m tired!” He says, rubbing his eyes. “The stars are really straining my eyes. Right, Aziz?”
His baby brother is fast asleep.
“Aw,” Zeynel cooes. He gently picks his baby brother up, and turns to Ayse, placing the fingers of his right hand on his forehead. A gesture of gratitude and respect. He tells her, “Thank you for our chat, Ayşe. It was nice to get to know you. Selam.”
And with that, he runs away.
He walks up to his parents and bids them goodnight: a kiss on the cheek from his mother, and a hand to kiss offered by his father.
That was a close one, he thinks. Good thing he had an excuse to leave.
Watching Zeynel flee into the house, Ayşe wonders. Why this sudden change in behaviour? During their conversation she liked that he was attentive and interested. He was open when the focus was on her, but when it came to his turn, he became closed off.
What dark and mysterious secret has he got to hide?
This boy perplexes her the more she knows him. Soon, she begins to doubt. Maybe, maybe her father is wrong, and Zeynel is never meant to make sense with her life from the start…
His baby brother is fast asleep.
“Aw,” Zeynel cooes. He gently picks his baby brother up, and turns to Ayse, placing the fingers of his right hand on his forehead. A gesture of gratitude and respect. He tells her, “Thank you for our chat, Ayşe. It was nice to get to know you. Selam.”
And with that, he runs away.
He walks up to his parents and bids them goodnight: a kiss on the cheek from his mother, and a hand to kiss offered by his father.
That was a close one, he thinks. Good thing he had an excuse to leave.
Watching Zeynel flee into the house, Ayşe wonders. Why this sudden change in behaviour? During their conversation she liked that he was attentive and interested. He was open when the focus was on her, but when it came to his turn, he became closed off.
What dark and mysterious secret has he got to hide?
This boy perplexes her the more she knows him. Soon, she begins to doubt. Maybe, maybe her father is wrong, and Zeynel is never meant to make sense with her life from the start…
