2009-08-28

On strange encounters with the other side

by Laila El-Haddad

You know how sometimes, someone just hands you a blog post/content on a silver platter?

The other day I decided to use a coupon Yousuf got from the local library and take the kiddos to a local play place called Playwise Kids. It is pricey, even with the coupon, so we decided to take full advantage of our time there and spend the afternoon there.

I noticed a woman with two young boys there too, around our kids age. I noticed her because she was continuously casting cautious glances at me, which I tried to ignore nevertheless. Eventually we ended up in the same corner-with the kids stacking large Styrofoam bricks into a make-believe house (insert comment here about whether a toy truck demolished the make-believe house…).

Now, me being me, I often like to shatter people’s stereotypes or presumptions or whatnot of what I might sound or look or act like right off the bat. So without thinking twice, I start a conversation with the otherwise reticent, fearful woman.

“How old is he?” I asked of her older child, who was playing with Yousuf.

“5 1/2″ she replied, somewhat wearily, with a grimace plastered to her face.

Ignoring her body language, I continued “tall for his age, eh?”

“Yes, he takes after his father”

“Where are you from” I asked, detecting an East European accent

She hesitated a moment, put her head to the ground and blurted out “from Israel -PLEASE DON’T KILL ME”

Stunned, I replied without hesitation “And.. why exactly would I do that?”. I immediately pondered all the smart replies I could have made, but decided to stay composed.

Clearly uncomfortable with the situation, she nervously asked “well, where are you from?”

“Gaza” I said

“Well, see, that’s why” she declared, as though this single fact clearly explained her irrational, racist outburst.

I pretended I didn’t hear that and went on.

“My parents just came from there you know last week. Took them 4 months of trying and 4 days across the border.”

“Oh why is that?” she responded blankly

“Be-cause of the siege?” I asked both dumbfounded and unclear whether she was just stupid or ignorant or both. “You do know Gaza is under illegal Israel occupation and siege?”

“oh, still? I thought that ended?”

“Still going strong, I’m afraid”, briefing her on the situation much to her disinterest.

More silence.

“You know its funny, I’ve never met a Palestinian my whole life. Not to mention one from Gaza. Funny I should have to travel half way across the world to meet one.”

Gee, I wonder whey that is, I thought to myself.

I then directed her to my blog. She responded with terrified little nods and finally withdrew, saying she wanted to get something for her younger son from the cafeteria and leaving her older son behind. She watched cautiously from afar, making sure I guess I wouldn’t take him captive or something.

Looking back, I don’t think I would have said or done anything differently. There are always thing we wish you could have said-like, not all Palestinians/Muslims/Arabs bite; or, shouldn’t it be ME whose afraid of being killed given the Israeli track record of violence against Palestinians-1300 in one month!

But it was Ramadan, and I was somewhat restrained with my blood sugar so low; I suppose I also always want to make the point that we-Palestinian/Muslims/Arabs since she was clearly lumping us all together-have no problem with Jews, only illegal occupation, house demolitions, land theft, and so on; A friend of mine in Nazareth once told me her grandmother put it to her like this: While we were serving our new Jewish neighbors tea and labneh sandwiches in 1940s, they were stealing our land.

I have very little patience for feigned or real stupidity when it comes to what’s happening in Palestine, particularly by the occupiers. Its one thing if you really don’t know what’s going on, but Disengagement and willful blindness to a reality you create and support is quite another.

As many of you know, I twittered about the encounter, and asked for the best replies to the woman. I’m going to mention a few here of my favorites here:

KABOBfest: “Usually people get really scared when they see my horns and my tail. You’re lucky I dress modestly.”

jillylovsdurham said: Tell her you’ve been hunting down local Israelis one at a time. You even brought your kids to use as human shields!

digitalgypsy said: Act like Renfield. Claw-like hands, hump-backed limp “MMwa-a-a-a”.

magicspin said: “Scared of me? I get that a lot. All that pesky grief & emotional turmoil are so hard to hide”…*smile*

shamz82 said: yes…RUNNNN..

norabf id you ask her if she was about to steal your home and bomb the playground?

mushon said: respond to Gazaphobic Israeli women: “Kol Haolam Kulo, Gesher Tzar Meod. Vehaikar, Vehaikar – Lo Lefached Klal’ (a hassidic song (very known in Israel and the whole Jewish world) by the Rabbi from Braslew that says: “The whole wide world, is a very narrow bridge, and the most important thing, is not to fear at all”)

No comments:

Post a Comment