The best time to see your family is when you don’t want to see them. You receive an invitation on a short notice and you know you’d rather be home relaxing. Yet, you decide to go and be with them, for how often do you phone them, visit them or talk to them? You are positive you’ll regret it by the end of the day and that doesn’t dissuade you.
A winter apartment overlooking Lake Timsaah, Suez Canal, Fayed Town. It’s not summer yet but the temperature reaches 85. In front of you is an amazing view of the lake that you can’t wish to enjoy with 20 adults, 5 teenagers and 4 kids around. Not a single moment of silence.
Not a single moment of being left alone. They might possibly leave you alone if you just got a divorce or broke up and they thought you had a good reason to take a walk on your own. Other than that they just don’t see why on earth you would rather be sitting alone enjoying the peacefulness.
The only girl in the gathering and the closest to my age was an 18-year-old Mayda who came with her mom and fiancé. It was the first time to see her after the engagement and I was happy to say congratulations and give her a big warm hug. She’s a sweetheart. Oops, she’s not smiling and not sitting next to him. Hmm. “What’s up, Doodo? Where’s your man, girl?” I said teasingly. “No man, no shit. I don’t want to sit with him or talk to him,” she replied with a big smile brightening up her face and tears gleaming in her eyes.
Now I know how the rest of the day will go: men drinking tea, cracking pistachios, and talking politics… women gossiping, supervising work in the kitchen, and trying to get Doodo out of her misery! Tips on ‘the best way to treat your fiancé’ kept flying around the poor girl for over an hour. 'You silly, go sit next to him!' 'Girl, go ask the man if he wants tea or coffee!' 'Oh, do you want him to feel neglected and open up for another woman?' 'You, loser, there are no men around no more!'
“Do you want to go for a walk?” I suggested. She nodded and followed me.
A winter apartment overlooking Lake Timsaah, Suez Canal, Fayed Town. It’s not summer yet but the temperature reaches 85. In front of you is an amazing view of the lake that you can’t wish to enjoy with 20 adults, 5 teenagers and 4 kids around. Not a single moment of silence.
Not a single moment of being left alone. They might possibly leave you alone if you just got a divorce or broke up and they thought you had a good reason to take a walk on your own. Other than that they just don’t see why on earth you would rather be sitting alone enjoying the peacefulness.
The only girl in the gathering and the closest to my age was an 18-year-old Mayda who came with her mom and fiancé. It was the first time to see her after the engagement and I was happy to say congratulations and give her a big warm hug. She’s a sweetheart. Oops, she’s not smiling and not sitting next to him. Hmm. “What’s up, Doodo? Where’s your man, girl?” I said teasingly. “No man, no shit. I don’t want to sit with him or talk to him,” she replied with a big smile brightening up her face and tears gleaming in her eyes.
Now I know how the rest of the day will go: men drinking tea, cracking pistachios, and talking politics… women gossiping, supervising work in the kitchen, and trying to get Doodo out of her misery! Tips on ‘the best way to treat your fiancé’ kept flying around the poor girl for over an hour. 'You silly, go sit next to him!' 'Girl, go ask the man if he wants tea or coffee!' 'Oh, do you want him to feel neglected and open up for another woman?' 'You, loser, there are no men around no more!'
“Do you want to go for a walk?” I suggested. She nodded and followed me.
Finally! ... A quiet wooden pergola with white benches all around. We sat next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, eyes fixed ahead. The lake lay tranquil in front of us. Nothing in the horizon but a couple of cargo ships moving as slow as snails. A little pedal boat stood silently not disturbing the water. It all felt like a scene of our lives has been paused on purpose.
... silence.
“Do you love him?” I asked her ... Silence.
“No.”
“Do you miss him sometimes?”
“No. He visits us everyday.” ... Silence.
“What’s the best thing you like about him?” No reply. “Ok. What do you talk about?”
“Nothing. He is always around and already knows what I’m doing. What shall I talk to him about? What made you suddenly decide to take off your veil?”
“I don’t know!” I replied with as astonishing speed ... Longer silence. “Listen. You're saying that your mom likes him. Ok then, let her marry him. You don’t love him, you don’t miss him, you don’t talk to him. Are you going to have kids with him using a remote control? Think carefully, girl. You’re still young.”
... silence.
“Do you love him?” I asked her ... Silence.
“No.”
“Do you miss him sometimes?”
“No. He visits us everyday.” ... Silence.
“What’s the best thing you like about him?” No reply. “Ok. What do you talk about?”
“Nothing. He is always around and already knows what I’m doing. What shall I talk to him about? What made you suddenly decide to take off your veil?”
“I don’t know!” I replied with as astonishing speed ... Longer silence. “Listen. You're saying that your mom likes him. Ok then, let her marry him. You don’t love him, you don’t miss him, you don’t talk to him. Are you going to have kids with him using a remote control? Think carefully, girl. You’re still young.”
2 comments:
:) I liked the remote control :)))) Very nice post.
...and I like the picture you put in the middle
Post a Comment