A Misanthrope in Ramadan - Act I

Layla Anwar, An Arab Woman Blues - Reflections in a sealed bottle...

I longed for the Sea. The sea represents to me the primal waters, the " Prima Mater ", the womb of the earth, the origins of every living thing.And the sea cannot be tamed. It imposes itself with its tranquility, waves and under currents... So, when a friend kindly arranged for a short day trip to the seaside, I jumped to the occasion and with great anticipation, hit the road. I thought to myself, this is the Ramadan season, the place will be at best empty or at worst will only host another "odd tourist" like myself... I could not wait to feel the sand beneath my feet and immerse myself, like in a baptism in the salty waters, as in a purification ritual. A purification of the body, the senses and the soul from the " negative energies " I have been carrying around like some excess luggage. And true to my expectation, the shore was virtually empty (...) . A news flash bulletin came up. - A disabled Palestinian from Nablus was shot dead by Israeli soldiers as he was standing by his window. The man was disabled in 2001, following an Israeli incursion. - A 12 years old Palestinian boy was run over by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza. - 15 killed and several wounded in various parts of Iraq... And as I was listening to the news bulletin, I received two text messages. The first one from Radhee and it said : " Three have been killed by them (meaning U.S and militias in his neighborhood.) But don't worry we are still alive." The second one from Zayd : " This evening, 9 sharp, visit, condolences to X. Nephew shot dead in his home by Mahdi guys. Don't be late. Enjoy ! "....

continua / continued