An encounter

11:45am
I was having a one hour gap today between lectures, so I went to sit at a place that I really like, I don’t know what it’s called .It’s not as big as a park, yet it has a lot of green and lovely bright-yellow seating benches. It is situated above ground level, you have to go up 7 stairs and it has iron gates on its 2 entrances. Below it or rather under it, below ground level there is a garage. and the place is overlooking the Mediterranean sea from one side, Ramlh station from the other side, which is one of the most active areas in Alex. I'll try to remember to get a photo of the place.

I went to sit at my favourite chair, passed by a sleeping dog in a sunny spot, then paused when I found that all the seats overlooking the sea were occupied but one! And a man was walking in front of me, I waited for him to pass by the seat & continue with his walk, but …!! Ah well. Just as I turned to look for somewhere else, a man on the bench next to him caught my eyes, then stood up and left…yess!! A bench of my own :)
The sight is breathtaking, the number of times I sat here, yet it’s always different..The sky is never the same; today it was baby-blue with no clouds. The sea itself, always has something new to tell me, today it was very happy reflecting the skies above it, with not a single wave. Smooth as silk. The horizon line so distinct .

The sea suddenly vanished, I was faced by 2 black bodies, I refocused to the narrow range.”May we sit here?” said a middle aged woman, I looked at her, & her companion, an old woman with one of the purest old faces I’ve ever seen & grey-blue eyes, yet it appeared to me that she was in so much pain .”Yes, of course “ I replied. And sure enough , as soon as they sat ,the old woman started ahhhing & ohhing.” I want to go home” “ I can’t take it” ahh “I can’t sit” ahh“ I can’t take it” At that moment, this seventy something woman sounded like a 7 year old!! I almost teared. The woman accompanying her was making some phone calls, from which I understood that they’re not from the area, they just came to the old woman’s doctor. And they were now waiting for a guy –who was running some errands- to come & take them home. Probably son of the old woman and husband of the other.

The aching sounds of the old woman in pain was like stabs right in the heart. “Just look at the sea, this beautiful sight is bound to make you forget all the pain” I told her. “Oh, thank you my child, I just can’t take it, is there a bus from here that can take us to Wardian, it’s where I live..?” “Yes there is, lots of buses “Interrupted the other women while still on the phone.

We sat for like 15 min, in which I was talking to the old woman about the view, the people, and then it was time for me to leave. The lecture was about to start. I wanted to stay, I really wanted to stay till she got on that bus, where I believe is when her pain will be eased just by the thought of going home. I stood up “May Allah eases all your pains “I told her & I turned to leave and she started calling out prayers for me “May Allah guide your way, and may you be always happy”. I went back to the gate, passed on my right by the sleeping dog who changed his sleeping zone into a more shaded area. I walked through the iron gates with mixed emotions and new feelings than the ones I entered with!!