Ok, this is an overdue attempt to write a short story.

It’s a short teaser of a story actually ;-)

I’m posting it so I can get some real and honest feedback. Let me know what you think. I’ll count on your honesty.

And thank you in advance :-)


“Shit! It’s 6:15 already!”

She jumped out of her bed with a heavily beating heart, ran to the bathroom to wash up, and as soon as she was done, she realized that she had forgotten to pee.
She ran back to the toilet rushing the process way too fast.
She drove so recklessly to the airport hoping no police cars are hiding where she can’t see it. She sprayed on her perfume as she drove – which was not a good idea since it splattered right into her eyes – and fixed her hair while she parked.

It was a glorious summer morning, and she couldn’t remember the last time she was so excited, so early in the day, or the last time the skies looked so brilliant.

“He’s finally coming back!”
She smiled to herself as she stood amongst fifty other people waiting for their loved ones, or their employers.

Her large blond hair seemed to attract everyone’s attention! A filthy looking man stared at her from across the hall, smiling and caressing his vicious moustache. She couldn’t believe his audacity at first and stared right back into his eyes with her hand on her waste. Finally she decided to look away.

Every time the sliding doors opened, her heart skipped a beat. It was now 6:55 and still no Adel. Her legs were getting tiered and heavy, and every time she attempted to shift her weight from one leg to the other, she caught the weirdo staring at her.

Then the doors slid open again, and there he was; as handsome as ever. His tall strong body pushing the cart, his beautiful black eyes searching the crowd, looking so distant.

“I want to jump over this rail and hug the life out of him”, she thought
But she didn’t move.
His majestic walk, his tiered eyes, his big hands. It all felt like it was going in slow motion.
“Where are the violins?”

She finally walked towards him, smiling, and arms open, whispering “welcome home baby!”. He smiled back and spoke under his breath and with a threatening tone “nnnnnot here!”. She stopped short! She could have sworn she heard her thought break like a speeding car on a slippery road. Or like violin practice going really really badly!

He placidly placed his hand on her shoulder for a couple of seconds as he pushed her slightly ahead of him, he bent down to her ear and whispered:
“Anna what the hell were you thinking? In public???”

As she walked in front of him, in shock, it all started coming back to her.

It takes two to tango?
It takes an orchestra to tango!

I think I’ve finally figured out why relationships are scary! It’s because there’s constantly challenging!!!!

The first challenge is getting the other person to be as interested in you as you are in him/her.

Once that’s established, you’ll either need to take that first step, or work to encourage the other person to do so!

So now you’re together… and it’s all warm and fuzzy…you think you’ve found the love of your life, your soul mate, wel donya rabee3 wel gaw badee3…

TARAAAAAAAAAAAA….

You start knowing each other!

By the nature of human beings… the first fight is bound to happen!

So you experience the ugly side in each other. The challenge now is to have the brains and the heart to weigh the beautiful and the ugly…

Say you find out that beauty prevails… and you get past the fights. Again by the nature of things, ups and downs of life, you’ll face the biggest challenge of all. The TRUST challenge.

If, and only if, you get past that and fully trust that person with your mind and heart; then you might have a chance in carrying on happily with this relationship. Otherwise, the relationship is doomed!

Assume you’re both healthy mature intellectuals with no serious trust issues and do manage to establish mutual TRUST. (notice the capitals? Yes! It’s that important)

You continue your “honeymoon” period for as long as it lasts. You continue to explore each other’s interests, likes and dislikes, habits, rituals, eccentricities, mood shifts (notice the negative vibe crawling in?)…etc

Here’s where you hit the Maturity Challenge. Where you know enough about each other, get used to each other, and can together have a quiet NORMAL day. (Normal? That’s freaky! Right?)

It means the relationship is stable. Routine starts creeping into your lives. “Structure” as my friend/sister calls it. Boredom as I call it. Bottom line, romance is dead!

Mind you, this isn’t a problem when the relationship is between friends. But when it’s a romantic relationship, it’s a serious cause for a major PANIC!

Why?

Is it because we fear to be absolutely exposed to our partners? How come we’re not scared to be exposed to friends?

Or is it because we’re scared they’ll lack interest once they know that… this is everything… that’s all we’ve got? How come again we don’t fear that from friends?

Is it because we got used to that adrenaline rush throughout the journey and we are addicted to it?

A classical solution suggested by relationships experts is for couples to have separate lives, sustain independent activities, and to accept stability as a matter of fact (yawn … zzZZzzZZz).

Here I’m guessing is the root problem….
Will boredom cause loss of interest?
I guess that’s a major factor in the increasing divorce frequency?

Well, how come our parents maintain interest after 40+ years of boredom?
(all of you genuinely happily coupled, please explain) :-)

A Letter

To His Highness


Dear Sir El Mofadda,

I am a regular citizen.
My aspirations do not exceed that of the regular layman.
I want to eat without getting food poisoning.
I want to learn something in school.
I want to get the right medicine when I’m sick.
And I want hot water in the winter.

I want to pay for all these things. I don’t want them for free.

I don’t want to be filthy rich.
I don’t want my own gourmet cook.
I don’t want to study in Yale.
I don’t want to get bird flue vaccination.
And I don’t want my own Jacuzzi.

My biggest dream is to walk in a hospital, and find a free bed for my Grandmother without having to fight with the hospital manager. Or find the medicine I need, without having to contact an MP to get it from the hospital store room.

I know they can fake history books and say 2006 was the beginning of the golden age. But we are going to have to tell our children one day how we suffered that year to get water, electricity, medicine, and decent food.

History is written by those who remember it. Not those who fake it.

How does that make you feel?
Knowing your days are soon to be over?
How does it feel to be on top of a deteriorating country and have to be face to face with another Majesty, knowing all his accomplishments?

They say you want to be King.
Isn’t King a promotion? Really?


Your loving citizens,

البرتقالة

أنا ورفيجتي رحنا مارينا مول
كان يوم خميس
ومع إني ما أحب الزحمة... إلا إني كنت مضطرة لضرورات السفر
عقب التسوق... قعدنا نتغدا

إهني اللي ركزت في أشكال الناس

لا يا جماعة المناظر مو طبيعية
مو موضوع موضة ولا إني محافظة ولا شي
لكن في
major confusion in what’s feminine and what’s slutty

I’m sorry (believe me I’m really really sorry) but that’s true

Teenage girls in fishnet stockings, stiletto heals, big hair, and Oh My God lipsticks!!!!
They all look like the 21st century of the Nanny!!!!

What the hell???!

Who said that you needed to look like a whore (excuse my french) to be attractive?

Oh but light a cigarette and see the dirty looks you get! From them Nannys!

If those girls were grown ups I probably would have let it slide because this is really the look they were going for. Their real choice. But because they’re teenagers, it freaks me out!

I’ve been in a lot of places around the world, and the only teenagers who look like ours, are usually on street corners, resting on a light pole, waiting for el faraj men rab el 3alameen!