Back

Reached here yesterday at three from Peshawar. It was a tiring journey. Had an enthusiastic welcome from my one year old granddaughter Maryam. Son was holding her when I exited through the door. At first she didn’t recognize me. I realized it soon enough, and removed my mask. After that she was inseparable from me, even if I needed to do something. At home she wouldn’t leave me for a minute probably worried that I may disappear again.

She hadn’t seen me since ninth December. She, and her parents had gone to Corpus Christi. In between my daughter came to visit me while on her way to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. She was going for Umrah. The day before she was leaving, she persuaded me to go with her. I had a hairline fracture, so wasn’t very sure in undertaking the journey. At the last minute I applied for a visa. Within half an hour got it, and bought an airline ticket.

Allah makes it easy when you think of visiting Mecca, and Madina. I had never traveled first class. Have always traveled economy, but all the way I was bumped to first class. Had a wonderful experience.

I had a one way ticket which is expensive when bought a day before traveling. It was the beginning of holiday time. Had to wait in Pakistan for the prices to go down. It wasn’t happening so bought the return ticket to reach home.

Missing Slippers

I was mystified as to how I had a cut on my slippers. They were looking old too, and torn. As to how in God’s Name I managed to do that? I did ask myself. Luckily I had another pair. Got the new ones out for using. After a few days I noticed the slippers changed their shapes. My feet are wide and the slippers were narrow. Oh God! I must be getting Kidneys’ infection. They may have got swollen, that was my first thought as I peered at my feet (being myopic) a little anxiously. They looked as they had looked before. No change, I ascertained to my relief, but the slippers were not the ones I had purchased. Though they were the same color.

And then I found out. My very precious granddaughters M1, M2, M3 (they were on a visit) without looking at the slippers would plop their feet into them and would use them around the house. They would be visiting their other set of grandparents and leaving mine there or theirs’ here became a routine thing at our home. I took to guarding my slippers like a zealot when my granddaughters were around.

Same thing happened this January when I visited my daughter in Riyadh. We went for Umra (short pilgrimage) to Mecca and Madinah. During night when I needed to go to the bathroom the slippers would be missing. They wouldn’t be where they were supposed to be, beside my bed. I was sharing the hotel room, GUESS with WHOM? You guessed correctly, the three Ms’. Same was the case when we went out. When we came back I would be searching here and there for a while till I found my erstwhile slippers.

God help me! I will be sharing their room when I go to New York this time. Any suggestions? 😕

Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock