Quartet

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Last year Son, and I were invited by ( daughter) Nola to Hartford to spend Eid with her, and her family. Son only stayed for two days. He was worried that if he took a few days leave, he would be kicked out of his job. We were planning to go to Lake Compounce, Sycamore Hills and Ocean Beach Park. We let him go. Poor Son! He missed the fun, and all for naught. The very next day he was told that he was laid off. If he had taken some days off, at least for a few days he would have enjoyed the activities.

All this happened last July. Son was without a job for two months. He got a job at the end of September, but with less pay. Thank God we managed to get by with paying Son’s spousal, and child support, lawyer’s fees, rent, bills and so on with my savings. We never knew that barely a month later, Son would be again jobless. Again we managed to get by, and in the process used up all my savings.

Coming back to our visit to daughter, whereas Son wasn’t with us, I enjoyed all the outings with the family. Nola’s youngest M5 who is three years old, drew the above image of a quartet for me. The smallest one is she, the other one is M4, and the two others are her mother and father.

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Quartet

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Symphony

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Last month when I was at daughter’s home in Hartford, the symphony of children’s voices was deafening. My ears ached. I would try to hush them. It didn’t work. They screeched more.

Added to their ear splitting yells were the voices of neighboring children whose moms weren’t at home to see where their children spent their time. To the children I must have seemed a monster curtailing their merriment. In desperation I would threaten dire measurements, which I wasn’t going to implement in reality. They didn’t know that, but my empty threats had no effect over their sky high decibels.

The neighboring children would keep circling our home. They would wait till daughter’s kids came down, and then they would bang at the patio door to let them in.

 I dreaded mornings when the children woke up, and came down. I would give them their breakfast. After that the noise picked up. I am used to quietness, and silence at home with Son. When daughter came back home, I would get a huge relief from keeping an eye on the children.

Daughter wasn’t at home. She was an acting chaplain at a hospital. She had to stay for nights too, and attend to the patients when needed. 

I couldn’t take more with ear aches, and headaches brought on with the daily noise. It multiplied as the day went, and much to daughter’s regret I didn’t extend my stay with them.

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DAILY PROMPT

Symphony

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Dash

After learning Son had become jobless, I wanted to dash back to Houston. The only thought which prevented me from going was, that I didn’t know when I will be able to see my daughter again. Daughter and family plans to move to Qatar, and it’s a long way from here. I used to think Hartford was far away from Houston, and now to think of Qatar.

I am not fond of traveling. The thought of a journey is mentally exhausting. And now Son and I will have to move away from Houston too, and it all depends upon his next job, and where he gets it. Another thought which I don’t like is selling my furniture, and kitchen items. Moving is so expensive if I don’t want to give away, or sell my things. The option of selling things at far less prices than what I paid for it is also heart wrenching. 

Son in law FJ sketched it out to me. He asked me, “If someone is selling used sofas at twelve hundred, and a new one sells at fifteen hundred, which one you will buy?” My answer was of course a new one. Then he asked me, “If the used sofas price came down to eight hundred?” I answered if it was in good condition I might buy the old one. 

“See!” He said triumphantly. He made his point.

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DAILY PROMPT

Dash

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Zing

A Happy Eid-ul-Duha to everyone.

Downtown XL Center – the makeshift  Eidgah where the Eid Prayers took place.

We went to downtown Hartford for the Eid prayers. The children and elders all wore new clothes to bring a zing to our Eid.

Here I am wearing the same clothes I wore on last Eid. I have to make do with a few clothes I brought with me from Peshawar. The shalwar, qameez and dopatta ensemble comes in usage like today’s occasion.

Two Black American Ladies who had come to offer Eid Prayers 

We had a lunch get together  in a park. There was chicken barbecued outside. Everybody contributed a dish, or two. There ware two types of cooked rice, various salads, hot dogs, kababs, barbecued chicken pieces, and many dishes of desserts. It was lovely meeting new people. I made new friends among the ladies. Their enthusiasm at meeting me waned a bit after learning that I was leaving, and going back to Houston in ten days time.

From here Houston seems as far away as the moon. 

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DAILY PROMPT

Zing!

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Sidewalk

Pequonnock River

Yesterday I took a ferry to Port Jefferson, New York. My daughter dropped me at Bridgeport. My sister lives in Medford, Long Island. It took one and a half hour to reach Bridgeport from Hartford, Connecticut. Going by ferry is a lot cheaper than traveling by air. It saves hours too spent at airports.

A month ago my cousin F who lives in New Jersey had invited me for a family get together. It was to be held on 2nd September. Her sister’s daughter Sehr who lives in London had recently got married, was visiting. This was an occasion to meet the newly married couple. The last I had seen Sehr together with her mom D was in 2011 in Pindi, where my late husband was being treated for cancer.

I had to wait for my sister to come and fetch me from Port Jefferson. It was a long wait compounded with the fact she couldn’t find me. I was at the other side of the building where the passengers disembark, and she was trying to find me where the passengers were boarding a ferry. 

She suggested that I should walk on the broad walk (sidewalk along the side of water). I walked the never ending broad walk. I wish I had taken pictures of the boats cramming the water like sardines in a tin. At that minute all thoughts of taking pictures were forgotten. The sun beat down mercilessly on me as I lugged my bulging carry on behind me. It was a long way to go. Anyone who has been there must be knowing how long it is. At the end there was no sis. 

Perspiring, I felt like a melting jellyfish. I waited for her in the scorching sun to find me. Still no sis. I had to walk the entire way back. Thankfully she was there at last. 

Brookhaven, NY.

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DAILY PROMPT

Sidewalk

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