Pithy Conversation

I have a Muslim friend. She's one of the smartest people I know and yet she has only recently learned to read and write. She was married to a complete jerk at 13 and became a mom to an angel at 15. She had two more terrific kids and divorced her lazy, jerky wife-beating asshat of a husband about five years ago . He went back to Afghanistan and she became an American citizen.

Sometimes we get to chatting and its usual girl stuff. How much she does/doesn't want to get married again, how far our boobs have sunk, how funny old men look naked (she takes care of a geezer and has to help him shower sometimes), our kids and, now and again, God. The really funny thing is that our respective religions are pretty similar in most respects.

I'm what you might call a confused Christian. She is very devout. She enjoys Ramadan primarily because she likes the religious aspects of it. But on a practical level, she always loses a few pounds and looks fabu! My friend has questions just like me and I find that very comforting because I figure if somebody as religious as she is can ask about stuff she doesn't understand - I'm golden!!!


The other day we were talking about my former place of employment (The Place Who's Name Must Never Be Uttered In This House Again) and she said. "I hate them, I don't even know them but I hate them" I said 'I can't seem to get past my anger - and you know, the Bible says we're supposed to be forgiving." She said "The Koran says we're supposed to forgive, too, but its like my stupid husband - I can't do it yet." I told her that I knew forgiveness would come but I can't just say it - it has to be felt. She said the same thing about her ex.

I just got wrongly terminated! She had the crap beaten out of her for years! This woman is better than therapy! I think I should get her a little stand like Lucy in Peanuts. She would so rake it in!!! We should also have a little restaurant on the side. That woman can do things with a kabab you wouldn't believe! I can make cookies. And tea...

Anyway, its great to have diverse friends. Sometimes we each have notions the other considers weird and I don't think she really understands my fixation with baseball, but for anything important the college educated, married woman born in Utah and the formerly illiterate, divorced Pashtun woman are on the same wavelength and its wonderful.

By the way, to all anti immigrant people in the word - She sent all her kids to college. Her oldest son is a computer dude, her daughter is a nurse practitioner and her youngest is currently battling health problems but he will get back to work as soon as he can. Her job? Housekeeper.