“HA, I’m alive !”

Home Sweet Home Series                              Al Fresco #9                                                  c-2008



“HA, I’m alive !”

Thus was the response from a buddy of mine who is living in Egypt with his wife when I sent a note to inquire about them and “take his temperature”. Apparently the above response is the normal one for Egyptians these days when asked “how are you today?”   My ability to fully comprehend this is marred by my privileges.

It was grey and rainy here when I got up, but it was also warm which made the air stick, if you know what I mean? I had some correspondence with some Engineers I am using on a project and watched an online video of our President singing an Al Green Song which I still have stuck in my head. “IIIIIIiiiiiiiiiii, am soooooo IN love with youuuuu”………..It’s a classic tune and anyone can sing it and sound good. He sounded particularly good and I thought ……..“hummm, DO quit the day job!!”  

Since Edy is away, I have concentrated on work and writing some short stories I’ve had brewing forever. I have the attention span of a retarded gnat so the stories offer me the ability to concentrate deeply for bursts and move on to the next one. Just like my other job, structure leads to framing which leads to electrical which lead to….anyway you get the gist. I am working off of a temporary office set up which has been in place now since we arrived here a year and a half ago. It’s not comfortable and after a while I need to get up and move. Thus the biking, and now yoga. At night I work until I can’t stand it anymore and head off to bed to channel surf for an hour or so until dreamtime. My life, while Edy is gone.

 Last night I watched a bit of Bill Maher on TV because he also had Bill Moyer on who I love.  Bill M is a solid guy and Bill M is irreverent as anything. I enjoyed the pairing. American politics is such a trip and I’ll address it later but man it makes for some good laughs while large parts of me cringe in abject disgust at what we’ve become.

 After a morning wake up email exchanges with Edy I headed off in the rain for a bike ride. It was pretty darned damp but I felt the need to ride regardless and headed out for route #2. I passed some of the most exclusive properties in our city with “Reverend Al” crooning in my head “…since we’ve been together…”…”thanks Prez!”. Rain slowed and then stopped as I wove in and out of the side streets. Past closed gates, manicured landscapes and tall fences. Just me, Al and the zzzzzzzzz sound of my tires on the wet pavement..... 

As the rain came to a stop I noticed folks emerging on to the streets like ants. In ones and twos … a couple of threes with strollers and a few others also on bikes. All making sure to get the outside stuff off that “to do list” so their day could start. I continued to wind my way through other side streets in the ant colony and gave a young lad on training wheels a big thumbs up and “great job !!” as he struggled with balance as his parents stood off to the side texting (individually) on their Smart Phones, too intent with VERY important things to notice him. I also rode past a woman I see often walking faster than normal with 1lb weights in her hands. I mean “cranking!!”. I always send her blessings as I pass her so that she might someday feel OK about whatever it is that compels her and actually enjoy her neighborhood and  life.  I wonder if women in Egypt have access to 1lb weights?

I rode over to our version of Rodeo Drive and window shopped and eventually I ended up at our local market. The weekend band was setting up and felt like putting in a request for “Al” to accompany the tunes still playing in my head but thought better of it and just went in to grab some veggies for tonight’s dinner. The place was packed. It’s always packed but weekends are sardine packed.  Parking lots full of new cars, folks dressed (down) in clothes that are worth more than the majority of American’s Annual Incomes. Well stocked shelves and for the most part happy contented souls all taking time out of their schedules to re-stock their own larders. I wondered how many were Egyptians?

As I checked out with my fresh Bok Choy and Carrots the cashier asked my “how are you today?” I just smiled and nodded my head without speaking. Gratitude had me verklempt.