My Ramadhan Story : Sixth Edition

13:35

I expertly guided my ride into a parking spot, almost hundred metre far from the Turkish Airlines office in Tahrir Square. Aini went out from the passenger spot, telling me to just wait for her in the car. I wordlessly nodded while looking out the window.

 Hit songs were playing on the radio and the air-conditioner was on full blast but the stagnant African heat out of the car can still be felt. Mind you, it was nearing forty-five degrees Celcius that day.

 Like every other summer in Egypt apparently.

 The roads were filled with a sea of cars, buses, motorcycles and tremcos. Transportation in Egypt is quite a bittersweet, and in Cairo even more so. The metro line didn't quite extensive as any other modern cities, the taxis were always causing me losing more money than I should (or I'm gonna end up with profanities from the drivers). But you can always rely on tremco that will get you from Point A to Point B in crazy, bizarre way that you might not get to experience in other country.


"Nash, I think we have to wait a little bit longer. Still waiting for the confirmation for the cats."

I sighed slowly, and replied.

"It's okay. It's not like I'm going anywhere under this crazy heat."

Aini replied the message with thumbs up and a pig's nose emoticon. Huh, typical.

After a few minutes, I saw an old man walking by the street beside my car. He was walking very slowly with no umbrella or a cap to cover his head from the scorching hot sun while holding a few plastic bags on his hands. His dark abaya made me cringe because it will just made him feel hotter.

I was wondering and fascinated by the sight when he suddenly stopped before the mosque's stairs. He then sat down, closed his eyes and seemed to take a few breaths before he calmly stood up and walked towards a group of homeless people near him.

It was nearing two in the afternoon. Egypt were scheduled to break fast at seven pm after we're fasting starting at three in the morning. I was getting more interested to watch as the old man approached the homeless group.

He then gave a small child one of the plastic bag that he brought earlier. The child was smiling with all he could, saying "Syukran!" countless times. The old man nodded, ruffling the child's hair and proceed to give others the same plastic bags.


His action got some attention from onlooking pedestrians and people that were in their cars, just like me. A young man that was parked in front of my ride, got out of his car and immediately help the old man distributing the plastic bags to the needy. To be honest, the old man himself was looking rugged with his tattered abaya and worn-out shoes. 

I was ashamed of myself. Here I was, sitting inside a cosy space behind the wheels with a roof atop my head. I thought about his outside appearance and knew that it wasn't some fashion statement. The old man might be wearing what he was wearing because it was what he had.

Later, I saw the young man earlier offered his cap to cover the old man's head and he thrust some money into the old man's palm. The old man plainly refused the money at first but the young man insisted. His expression was one of both connection and appreciation as he accepted. He kissed the young man on both cheeks while gesturing his hand on the air like saying God will reward you for your kindness.

The story that unfolded before my very eyes gave me a different perspective towards people. Egyptians are really loving people. They are quite emotional at times - they laugh too much, they cry too much and they love too much. The act that I witnessed was clearly an act of love, an act of compassion.

This is my sixth Ramadhan in Pharaoh's land and I had seen countless act of kindness here. This land had taught me to treat people all the same even we are from different backgrounds and to love one another as a human. 


Thank you old man for instilling a deep faith in humanity in me. Thank you for showing me that you don't have to be a rich person to be someone that has a beautiful heart as yours.   

Syukran, from a grateful stranger




  

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