Saturday, December 01, 2007

Thank you Reazan

In the bus to Damascus, a young man below 25, above 20, wearing military clothes, with a red eyes surrouded by black/blue halos, with short yellow hair not so much tidy, came and through his body on the seat next to me saying "salam" while he sighs as if lastly he through a large heavy wight from his shoulders where he was carring it for sometime....he was really tired...during the first several hours I did not talk to him but just noticed the tiredness he is struglling tring to keep his eyes open....finallly I thought that he need somebody to start to talk to him so I cannot remember what I asked him, just to let him speak, and he was happy to give me some long answer....I think it was about the time we need to reach Damascus....he answered...then added some additional information...then another....so I asked again...and we became friends....I told him that I want to go to an area in Damascus called AL MARJA sequare where some hotels are there and he promissed me to show me the way when we reach Damascus...after talking he went into deep sleep for few minutes....then he woke up but seems more tired...he was not at all confortable in the chair he is sitting...I thought he needed a bed...
Finally we reached Damascus....Reazan (my new friend's name) declares....he told me to go with him ....to follow him....Ihe told me that we gonna take another bus to al MARJA...I asked whether his way is also to AL MARJA..he told me that he must take the bus to AL MARJA to reach his house which is on the way..but he added that he will come with me to AL MARJA to show me the hotels and to help me not being decieved by large prices...he asked me if I have any idea about the prices...I told him yes...he told me that some hotel managers when see a stranger give him a large price so I got to be aware...I thanked his advice...and told him that he need not to come with me to AL MARJA and that I will ask the driver to let me down on AL MARJA...he said OK....when we intered the bus he pay the price for me and for himself....a kind of arabic generousity for the strangers (Reazan was Kurdish not arabic), cause strangers are regarded as guests so they pay for us...I said : please Reazan don't do that let me pay the price of my seat,...he answered me by puttting his hands on my hands preventing me from taking my money from my pocket and he payed...this is the usual polite behavior of people from arabic countries (Reazan is kurdish,I say that again) to show their respect....he telll the driver where to let me down and in few minutes he told me: Bye bye Sami...have a nice trip...and just open the door and go out....I missed him...he made no intros for his sudden leaving...so thank you Reazan...cause I had not the opprtunity to thank you in real...i thank you hear in my blog....
I reached AL MARJA, found a cheap simple hotel, with a balcony on the sequare..I go to the balcony and took these pictures... I love the night more than any part of the day...I love..I adore the song of Cheb Khaled "c'est la nuit" which mean "this is night" or "this is the night"......I love how the lights appear in my low resolusion camera....I love those people living at the night...on the edge...on the secret...near the trash bin of big cities...they know about the city more than the people living the mornings only...
Cars still running in the far streets...the main ones...but in the nearby streets car are taking their nap...and silence is better for my ears...
Some stong lights are here and there....

It was cold...I went back to the room....it is a very small cheap simple one...see my bed and bag...

I took these books from my bag and felt how much am silly to bring them with me...am i supposed to read psychiatry now...am i that bookish...how silly....
I went out to buy these....some 3 or 4 cigarettes made me felt better with the sips of Pepsi..

I turned off the lights and look on my room's door...above it there is a small window...and some blakc dot....concentrating on that dot made me go into deep deep deeeeeeeeeeeeep sleeep......

















4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love how simple objects take so much meaning when you write about them.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful story, Dr. Al Bedri, the "kindness of strangers" especially in the Arab world and near the Arab world is a beautiful thing...wish i could be there. i hope you have a very restful and enjoyable trip and please be careful, it sounds dangerous. Please take care of yourself, i worry about you.
love, tracy
ps did you get your kite?

saminkie said...

thank you sadalterego and tracy for your care...am fine...no need to worry about me Tracy...and your Kite reacxhed me but I got problem opening it..i will open it later...many many thanks....
and sadlaterego simple things got ther personalities so I think we must take care of....take care dear..and byebye

Anonymous said...

"simple things have their personalities" and "we must take care of them"...oh, i sooo much agree with you, Dr. Al Bedri!!! i love the way you wrote about that, thank you so much and do take care, love and blessings, tracy