Monday, May 9, 2011

Starbucks 8

*Warning* - Unethical content in this post.




Infatuation was the prime sense that seized Yousef's mind, heart and soul. He was intoxicated by that powering feeling, yet he did not resist its presence. He welcomed it and embraced its existence in his system, in his life.

A while went by, after that acquaintance, before he remembered that he noticed something different in Dalal's appearance. He recalled that he loved that variance in her, but it tormented him that he could not pin-point that change. It was absolutely excruciating on Yousef.

He sat there, at the same Starbucks, at the same green table, where he met Dalal the second time, on a beautiful Monday morning. Yousef convinced himself that he was there, again, to wait for 5aled to wake up, after a another partying night in Dubai, yet he could not take away the idea that he might meet her again and witness that beauty before his eyes.

As he sipped his regular white mocha, Yousef tried hard to relive those 5 minutes of his life. He thought to himself, as he realized how enchanted he was by her, about how ridiculously fast was the time for him to fall in her charm.

He sat waiting, and imagining for two long hours.



7amad was enjoying his last free day in Kuwait, before he goes back to the army's training camp on Monday. Sitting in the Derwaza Cafe, smoking the grape flavor which he always loved and eating a shitty burger for breakfast made by the lousy morning staff at the cafe, he fondly remembered how much he missed his friends' presence there.

7amad, although a failed graduate from a private English school, never forgot his bedouin heritage. But on the contrary, he tried to make it a part of his life. His love for camels and the desert never left him, and he was exceptionally extraordinary in poetry. 7amad always entertained 5aled and Yousef with his poems that were brilliant, and could compete with the best of poets, despite his young age, however, his military duties compelled him and his poetry to never see the daylight of publicity.

After finishing his meal, he decided to call Yousef.

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28/12/2009 12:32 pm
Yousef was startled by his loud blackberry indicating to him that he had a phone call. "Aloo?"
"Hala BuYa3goub, kaif el 7al?"
"7maid? 3ash men sema3 hal 9ot, walla b5air 6al 3umrekk, Ent shlonekk, shemsawyy?"
"Wallah b5air, yserrik el 7al? Shfeeh 9otek ya 5ooy? 3asa ma shar?" 7amad noticed a difference in Yousef's voice.
"Ma shar, ya 5ouk, ma shar, bess tadry, Eddenya o balaweehaa" Yousef, although rarely spoke out his feelings, wanted to disclose some of the emotions in him.
"Esma3 wana o5ouk, goully shelly m'9aygekk o Inshallah, el 7al 3endy." 7amad pounced on the opportunity to glance inside Yousef's heart.
"Ya 7amad, tara shakly 6e7t eb mushkelat 7ub." Yousef exhaled in comfort whilst confessing that fact to 7amad.
As he heard that sentence, 7amad exclaimed, "Wana o5uu Lulwa, Yousef yenjeber?"
"Ee wallah ya 7amad, sheft shlon?"
7amad never believed in love and before letting Yousef continue he said, "Esma3 ya Yousef, hal 7mara elly 5aletek mahmoum ketha ma teswa. O esma3 hal baitain elly thekart-hum, wana asma3 saleftek ya Bu ya3goub."
7amad started reciting on the phone,

تكفى يا بو يعقا ترا خاطري ضاق .. ما عاد به ناس تصون المحبه ..

كل ما عشقت, الوقت يعطيني طراق .. يقوللي صحصح؟ علامك؟ تنبه؟ ..

إنت بزمن ما فيه عاشق و عشاق .. هذيك تفرك كسها و ذاك زبه ..

أبي لي حب عذري مثل شمس الاشراق .. حب الذي في دنيته خاف ربه ..

ما يهمني لو آخره يآتي فراق .. الحب جرح القلب و الخل طبه ..


"9a7 lsanekk ya 7amad." Yousef was amazed by how related he was with that poem.
"9a7 bdenek ya 5ouy, o 9addegny taraha ma testahlek ya BuYa3goub." 7amad still did not understand Yousef's situation.
"7abeeb alby ya 7amad, mashkourr Yal '3aly."
"elmohem, el dector janbekk?"
"La walla, Lail7een bel fende8, shaklaa nayem."
"Zain zain, el wekad ana asta2then al7een ya 5ouy, O tredd bel salama, wala tkadder 5a6rekk."
"7abeeby, mashkour, o allah ysalmek men kel shar, bye." Yousef teased
"Shno bye, esta7, Ma3a El salama."
Yousef smiled at how 7amad never forgot his culture. He was satisfied by 7amad's call and thanked God for his presence as a friend.



7amad used the opportunity of 5aled's seclusion from Yousef and gave the med student a call. 5aled was asleep.
"Aloo," 5aled grunted, disturbed by the phone call.
"Hala Buwaleed, Kaif el 7al?"
"Minu?, 7amad?"
"3ajal minu? Ga7betek?"
"Hala bel zain, shlonekk yal 5ewee?" 5aled still has last night's wild effects in his system.
"3alamek mraffe33? Shsawait el bare7?"
"Masawait shay, la tsaweelna suwalef."
"Elmohem ya Dector, 5eweeyekk Yousef kalamta gabel shway, kan metkadder. Abeek, wana o5ouk, traffe3 men jawwa shway. 5allah yestanes shway b-hal safra. Fahem Shagoulek?"
5aled almost fell in a snooze, listening to 7amad. "Ee, Ee weyyak."
"Ee, waddah hal 7aflat, o eshbeka ma3a wa7da, la t5alleeh brou7ah."
"7a9'er, Taamer Amer Yal 5ewee."
"Yalla, Ma Tshouf Shar, salaam."

After hanging up with his friend, 5aled contemplated that idea. He liked it, and planned on making it happen. "It is gonna be a wild fuckin week in fuckin DUBAI." He thought to himself. Smiling.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Starbucks 7

Regret began to infiltrate Yousef. The past two nights of drinking started to build up guilt in Yousef's conscience.
The reason why he drank was also cracking into him.
He drank because he thought of a girl that bewildered him. A girl that he saw just once, and could not take her off his mind. How could he do that? Why would he do that?

And now, here she was, heading towards him with a white paper cup, looking ever so fascinating. He met her again, at another Starbucks in another city, yet the effect was exactly the same.

Mesmerizment.

Hatred was the other aspect of his feelings. He hated the bars, he hated his mentality, he hated his lack of faith. He realized how big of a mistake drinking was. Not only to him, but the shame that would be bought to his family, if anybody knew.

He hated how he honored his late mother. He honored her by getting wasted.

The girl that made his heart beat faster with each step she takes to approach him shouldn't be forgotten through drinking. The girl that thrived with confidence, as she strides through the cafe, should be remembered. That girl, thought Yousef, should be loved.

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27/12/2009 9:12
"Shfeek?" Said the girl, as she seated herself opposite of Yousef and noticed the different, grim expression on his face.
Yousef quickly adjusted his mindset and offered a genuine smile to her direction, "Mafeeny shay, 6al 3umrech, bess kent ga3ed afakker bsha'3la." Replied Yousef truthfully.
"Ahaa, my name is Dalal by the way." Said Dalal, as she returned the smile to Yousef.

Dalal & Yousef

"3ashat el asamy Dalal," he replied, "Wana esmy Yousef."
"O ne3m a5 Yousef."
"Allah yen3am b7alech, 6al 3umrech."
"Ee, O Shga3ed tsawy B-Dbay Mr. Yousef." Said Dalal with a playful smile, to try to break the ice.
"Walla, just partying out the engineering stress with a friend."

That innocent beauty.
That excruciatingly pretty smile.
Those eyes. Those indescribable eyes.

"Yousef, Yousef." Dalal called, interrupting his thoughts.
"Hala, 6al 3umrech, aamray." Yousef noticed that she was talking to him whilst he stared blatantly, straight at her eyes.
"Wain sera7t?" Although that was the second time she ever saw him, she felt comfortable asking him that question.
"Haa, laa walla, bess y3ny don't get me wrong, your eyes mashallah, wayed 7elween."
A blush escaped Dalal's cheeks. "Thanks." The reply was formal, yet that wasn't what she was feeling.
Before saying anything else to regain himself, Dalal continued, "El mohem, I got to go, 9ar akthar men 5 minutes, o a5af my cousins y7atouny, nice chatting with you Yousef, o hope to see you soon."
As she started to stand up from her seat, Yousef looked up and asked confidently, "And how will that happen, if I know nothing about you but your first name?"
"I'm sure I will," returned Dalal with the same confidence. "There are a lot of Starbuckses in this world."
A smile followed.
Understanding that particular remark, "Bye Dalal." Said Yousef with a grin overwhelming his face.
"Bye Yousef."

Butterflies never escaped their tummies, that day.