It was a little windy out today. To keep from getting blown over, I had to lean way to the side while I walked.

So when a man who looked like a shepherd waved me over to a small stone shelter I eagerly headed in his direction.

“Roj baş,” I said as I walked up to the door. Greetings.

“Roj baş,” he said back to me.

He showed me into the shelter and invited me to sit down for tea. I took a seat next to the stove and warmed my hands.

A friend of his was standing near the door. The friend and I greeted each other.

The tea was brewing. “It’s not ready yet,” one of the men said. “Give it a few more minutes.”

From the road I had noticed there were no sheep near the shelter. I started to wonder again where the sheep were.

I noticed a half-dozen automatic rifles leaning against the wall. I have never seen a shepherd carry an automatic rifle.

I took a closer look at the camouflage fatigues and headscarves the two men were wearing.

“These aren’t shepherds,” I said to myself.

I didn’t know where their loyalties lay, and I didn’t want to. I took a rain check on the tea and told them I must be going.

We said our goodbyes and I headed back out into the wind.