The Blind Beggar: Part VIII

As Amal made the evening meal, she remembered a time when Boulos told a joke.  It was before his accident with the fire.  Her family was playing Hide and Seek when Boulos arrived.  He waited while the seeker sought out the hiders.  When Amal was caught, she trudged toward Boulos kicking rocks and pieces of broken concrete along the way. 

When she neared her friend, Boulos said, “Hey Amal, what time is it when an elephant sits on your fence?”

“I don’t know.”

“Time to get a new fence.”  He put his hand on his stomach and started giggling.  Amal balled up a fist and playfully hit Boulos in the shoulder.  She laughed as she said, “That’s stupid.” 

“Then why are you laughing?”

“I’m laughing at you, not the joke.”

Shortly thereafter, Amal’s brother found the last hider and another game would soon start. 

During the evening meal, Amal shared the joke with her family.  Her husband gave an amused smile.  The oldest two acted indifferent but the eight year old laughed heartily.  He loved animals and had a fondness for elephants.  Amal was certain he would tell the joke to friends at school the next day. 

Daiwik and members of various churches, mosques and charitable organizations met for nearly three hours.  For the bulk of the meeting, the only point agreed upon was something should be done to help Boulos.  The application of such assistance was difficult to define.  The immediate concern was housing.  The people who helped the homeless had no space in their shelters. 

Then the topic came up of what the plan should be once housing was established.  Were they to care for Boulos the rest of his life?  Could he do anything to assist in paying for his own care?  Though no one was sure of his age, the general consensus was that someone may end up caring for Boulos for 30-40 years.  This led to question of his overall health. 

It was one thing to feed and house a blind man.  If he had serious health issues, the bank accounts of everyone who pledged to help could be seriously affected.  What if there were mental health problems?  Many people who lived on the streets had them.  How would this be addressed?  It was one thing for Boulos to have a physical.  Boulos himself may want one.  Can they require him to have a psychiatric exam?  How would he react to such a demand?  Could they force him to submit to physical and psychiatric exams if he didn’t want them?

As the evening progressed, Daiwik was disheartened to feel he may have to renege on his promise Boulos would soon be off the streets.  When it was beginning to appear no clear path could be established to care for Boulos, Daiwik stated his insistence Boulos at least be able to count on regular meals.  He said, “My friends, can we not at least provide the meals for this man every day?  Is it too much for us to remove that stress from his mind?  This can be the first step until we can decide the next step.  Whether we give him homemade meals or buy something from the restaurant, surely we can do this.”

Those in attendance agreed and a plan was made to provide two meals each day for the next 30 days. 

A New Story: I Know I Love You

Julie returned to her desk.  The talk with Marsha altered her impression of the woman.  Rather than the top hen who pecked at and crapped on everyone below her, Marsha seemed human.  The vulnerability she saw in Marsha made Julie want to give her a hug.  Looking back at the moment Julie smiled inwardly.  Is that the maternal instinct her mother always talks about?  She laughed out loud at the thought of motherly feelings for a woman old enough to be her mother. 

“Whatcha laughin’ about?” Marcus asked. 

“Oh, nothing.  Just thinking silly things, I guess.”

With a slight chuckle Marcus asked, “Like what?”

There was no way Julie was going to say she had maternal feelings for Marsha.  Changing the subject, she said, “Oh, nothing.  What brings you over here?”

“Do I need a reason to come see you?”

Julie replied with a demure voice, “A girl likes to hear what makes it special for her boyfriend to visit her.”

“Ok.  I will try but if I don’t say it right, it ain’t cause my heart ain’t in it.  I was thinkin’ of how pretty you are and I had to check if my memory is as good as I thought it was.  How’s that?”

Julie’s heart overflowed into a beautiful smile.  “That’ll do.”

“I was told by my buddy Greg back in high school that what you say is just as important as how you say it when talking to girls.”

The thought of high school boys talking about girls caused Julie to cross her arms.  Slowly she asked, “Oh really?”

“Yeah, he once told me it’s ok to tell your girl, ‘Honey, when I’m with you, time stops.’”  He said the phrase with passion and Julie thought it sounded very nice. 

“Ok, true.”

With the same sweet, passionate voice he said, “But you should never say, ‘Honey, your face could stop a clock.’”  Marcus burst out laughing. 

“Oh shut up!”

“You know you love it.”  He laughed.  He turned serious and said, “And I know I love you.”  Then he blew her a kiss and returned to his cubicle. 

A contented smile appeared on Julie’s face as she turned to face her computer.  She beamed for several minutes as she replayed his face saying those words.  “And I know I love you.”  Julie had to admit, she was in love with Marcus.

Just then she received a text from Marcus. 

“I’m glad we met.”
“Me too”
“Crazy that you stole my heart in such a short time.”
“Not giving it back.”
“Darn lol”

The Blind Beggar: Part VII

Boulos sat on the sidewalk in the same spot as the previous day.  He believed he looked west since the sun hit him in the face yesterday as the day passed.  For now, he was close to food places and, with the number of people around, believed he was safe from those who might cause him harm.  He listened to the surroundings.

He noticed the languages and accents of people on the street.  He also noted the footfalls on the road and sidewalk as well as vehicles passing by.  Busses seemed to produce a lot of exhaust.  Merchants were opening stores and he heard at least three people sweeping.  The sound of birds chirping to his left turned his head.  The birds were in a high place and he then heard the leaves in the Mediterranean breeze. 

Boulos was never happy with his blindness.  He simply accepted it since he was powerless to change his lot in life.  Still, one benefit Boulos liked was how his ears could feel distance to solid objects like walls.  When he stepped closer, he could feel something like atmospheric pressure pushing his ears.  The greater the pressure, the nearer the object.  Boulos knew his impairment increased the love he felt for his surroundings.  Every sound was a melody.  Every noise was harmony. 

He found beauty in noticing the environment around him.  There was much to appreciate and it was only after his vision began fading did he notice beauty in the world.  As the sun dropped closer to the horizon, he envisioned sunsets Amal had once described to him.  When he was certain the sun was about to kiss the sea, he kissed the light goodbye in hopes Amal might also be watching.  Perhaps, in those moments, she would feel his love for her.  He understood it was a silly, childish thing but it was one of the few pleasures of his life. 

The sound of approaching steps returned Boulos to the present.  He was about to hold out his hand when the one who approached gently touched his shoulder and said, “Boulos my friend, how are you today?  It is Daiwik.  Did you sleep well?”

“I had some shelter last night and did sleep.  Thank you.  Bless you again for the food yesterday.  May God richly bless you.”

“The gods smile on me and they are smiling on you too, my friend.  We are exploring options of how to help you and give you clean and safe shelter.  I do not know when this will be but it will happen I promise you.  Even if I must take you into my own house, you will not live on the streets much longer.”

Boulos stared at the unseen face that said such magical words.  No thought would form in his mouth.  Finally a smile came to his face and tears began to spill from his eyes.  Daiwik continued, “Yes, my friend, the gods smile on you.  Have you eaten today?”

“No, nothing.”

“The food I gave you yesterday was good?”

“Yes, it was, thank you.”

“I will get your more.”

Then Boulos heard the man walk away.  The gods smiled on him?  Yes, God smiled on him.  Boulos cared not one’s belief in a deity or deities.  If a God or gods helped him, he would gratefully accept the assistance.  His world had held so much darkness in the whole of his existence.  The only bright spots were Amal and the few years with his uncle.  Brokenness and sadness were his only constant companions.  Sad friends they were but the only ones that stayed with him.  Would these acquaintances finally leave him for good?

Boulos heard Daiwik speak to him again as he returned.  My apologies, my friend.  McDonalds is not yet ready to serve and I must finish a purchase for the building I tend.  When I return from my purchase, I will bring you the food I promised.  Now, before I forget, can you come to this spot every day so I may find you and give you news of the care we hope to provide?”

“Yes, yes I will come here every day.”

“Very good, my friend.  I will see you soon.”

The remainder of the day was a pleasant dream.  Every sound was a joy.  Every odor was sweet.  Even the smell of a passing garbage truck was sweet.  Daiwik was laughing when he returned with a bag of food.  “Boulos, my friend, I bring you a Happy Meal.” 

The Blind Beggar: Part VI

It had been nearly three weeks since Amal saw Ali but she had not seen him since.  Had there not been a buzz about the town regarding a blind beggar suddenly appearing, she would have believed it was a dream. 

Having sent her children to school and cleaned the house, Amal rode the elevator to the ground floor to walk to the market to purchase herbs and vegetable for the evening meal.  She loved this time to hear the hustle and bustle of the market.  She enjoyed chatting with the vendors.  It was a chance for Amal to escape the drudgery of the house.  While she loved her home, there were times it felt like a prison.  Her husband would not allow her to work.  She was expected to keep the home and care for the family. 

As she exited her building, Daiwik extended a warm greeting.  Amal smiled and the two exchanged pleasantries.  Then Amal asked, “Have you seen the blind beggar that has suddenly appeared?”

“Yes, I have.  Just yesterday, I brought him some food from McDonalds.  We do not eat there ourselves but when I saw this pitiful man, my heart was moved to do something.  The gods want us to care for people such as this.  Since he was only a block from McDonalds, I walked in to purchase something.  I saw they have chicken sandwiches and believed that to be a safe thing, not knowing his diet.  He is a kind young man who gave me blessings of health and wealth for my actions.”

Amal felt a thrill quicken her heart.  Her ears rang with Ali’s voice.  She could hear him giving a blessing.  She asked, “Do you know where he came from?”

“He did not give the town or region other than saying he took a bus north.  At the first stop upon entering the city, he exited the bus to stretch his legs.  He carried his small bag of belongings with him and was beaten and robbed by a group of boys.  They took every belonging he had save the clothes on his back.  Even they have holes in them.”

Amal gasped and began to tear, “Oh that poor man.”

“Yes, I have spoken with friends.  We are contacting churches, mosques and other charitable organizations to help this poor man.  It is not right for us to have one in our community with such need and do nothing.  The gods require us to move on his behalf.”

“How kind of you to help this man.  By chance, did you learn his name, that I might pray for him by name?”

“Yes, when attending to a dear soul, I believe it gives them dignity to speak to them by name.  His name is Boulos.”

Upon hearing the name, Amal could only think of retreating to her home.  Her dear Ali was close by and in desperate need of care.  She quickly thanked Daiwik for the information and conversation returned to the elevator.  She vaguely remembered a mention of forgetting something and her need to get it before going to market.  Upon closing the door of her home behind her she sunk to her knees and sobbed.  Ali was near but in desperate straits. 

The thought of her dear Ali being beaten was too much to bear.  Her mind saw him guarding himself as best he could not knowing from where the blows would come.  He could not identify his attackers.  They must have seen an easy target and attacked.  Was there no one to come to his aid?  What has become of our community?

When Amal last saw Ali, she was but a girl with no options to help him, let alone truly express her love and care to him.  While she still had few options and power, she too knew good Muslims and Christians who could help Ali.  She would do what she could to ensure Ali never suffered again.  She would fight for him until the day she died. 

The Blind Beggar: Part V

After the funeral of his uncle, Boulos feared being told to leave but his cousins wanted him to stay.  With relief, he promised to care for the home as if it was his own.  After a week, one cousin and his family moved into the house with him.  Everyone was kind to Boulos except his cousin’s wife.

She pretended to be nice but tormented Boulos when no one was around.  She loved moving pieces of furniture in the house which caused Boulos to trip and fall.  Also, when no one else was around, she made faces at him and mocked him.  Inwardly, she wished evil on him. 

Though he could not see her actions, Boulos could feel her attitude toward him.  Her children also sensed her feelings and soon began making life difficult for Boulos.  He felt it all was bearable until his cousin followed in the steps of his family.  Soon, Boulos felt the need to leave.  He wished for better circumstances but felt trapped.  How could he live alone with no means to live?  In the house, he had security, shelter and food, but felt no love.  For the first time in many years, he longed for the comfort and friendship of Amal.  Her caring spirit and kindness were cornerstones to surviving his years on the streets.  Had she not been there when his blindness overcame him, Boulos was certain he would have given up and died.  He began to see Amal in his mind’s eye.  She would forever be a sweet, carefree girl of 15.

He remembered their last time together.  It was the day before her wedding.  As usual, she brought him a plate of food and the two of them quietly enjoyed the sunset.  Amal described the sunset with only a few high wispy clouds.  There was a cool northwesterly breeze that carried the aroma of fish from the port. 

Amal granted permission to see her.  Only Boulos knew it would be for the last time.  As his fingers felt and saw her face, he consciously made the effort to pour his feelings into each touch.  With his hands Boulos thanked Amal for her kindness over the years.  He told her of his undying love for her.  He said he understood he could never give her the life she deserved.  Though they would never have a life together, he would forever treasure her.  All of his life, she would be his Amal.  Boulos felt the wetness of her tears.  Did she feel his thoughts?  He would never know for they were left unsaid. 

It was the next day he began walking south to find his uncle.  Amal was left to wonder what had happened to the young man who held her heart.  Not seeing him at the wedding was understandable.  He was not invited.  With a broken heart she faced life as a married woman.  The bitterness in her soul lingered and she felt she would never again feel happiness.  Then she bore her first child. 

Holding him for the first time, she remembered the night she realized she would never again feel joy unless she made it.  Through her son, she made joy.  It was a thought she treasured with the birth of each child.  They were her joy and she made them.  She brought joy into the world. 

The Blind Beggar: Part IV

The day of her fifteenth birthday, Amal’s father announced she would be married before her next birthday.  Shock and fear consumed Amal as she realized her childhood was coming to an end.  No more could she play with Ali and her cousins and friends.  No more would she puzzle over work in school.  She couldn’t imagine a husband who would allow her to finish school.  She would be expected to be a housewife and have babies.  Her mind rebelled at the thought. 

That night after the evening meal, Amal went to tell Ali the news.  After handing him a plate of food, Ali could feel something was wrong.  “What is wrong, my Amal?”

“Father tells me I am to be wed before my next birthday.”

“You will be 16, yes?”

“Yes.”

“It is time, I guess.  Who has he chosen for you?”

“No decision has been made yet but I’m sure it will be soon.”

Boulos felt his heart break within him.  Though he loved Amal, he realized he could not provide for her.  He turned to Amal and gazed at the outline of her head.  He could hear a flock of birds suddenly take flight and then a baby crying off in the distance.  He said the only thing true love could say to someone it could never have.  “I want you to be happy and live a long life full of sweet memories.” 

His arms moved toward Amal and she reached to him and they held one another in a warm embrace.  Their touch spoke volumes of their hopes and dreams that would never come to be.  In spite of their love, they could never be together.  He could curse the sky.  He could wallow in self-pity.  Instead, Boulos chose to memorize each moment he ever spent with Amal.  They would be the fire to warm him on a cold night.  Memories of Amal would be the riches he would never possess.  Her memory would be his greatest treasure. 

Two weeks later, the tension was getting the best of Amal.  She pleaded with her father not to force her to marry.  For some time, her father said little only that she must obey him.  Finally, she desperately said she was in love with someone and couldn’t marry another.

Her father retorted, “What do you mean you love someone?  Do you mean that blind boy you feed, Boulos?”


Shock muted her.  How did he know she brought him food?  How did he know Boulos’s name?  Father continued, “You are a silly stupid girl!  How can this boy give you a life?  He is blind.  He does not work.  Can I trust him to care for you?  He cannot care for himself.  No!  You will never marry him.  You will marry the one I choose.  I am nearing my decision and you will know soon enough.” 

Amal ran to her room and cried bitter tears.  Each tear that stained her pillow weakened her resolve to fight the tide that was now against her.  Eventually, she suppressed her dreams.  She realized the rest of her life she would have to accept what she got and make the best of it.  She would never have full happiness.  The joy she felt, if the ever did, would be because she made it.  It would never come looking for her. 

The Blind Beggar: Part III

When Amal turned the corner of the narrow street, she involuntarily looked up to see the door to her home.  Her emotions were swirling after seeing Ali begging in the street and she pictured the first time seeing her home.  It was the day she went with new husband after their wedding.  She wanted to cry.  Amal remembered feeling her hopes and dreams were lost.  She had to make a life with a man she barely knew.  How would she survive it?

The flat was much nicer than the home of her father.  She fell in love with the building entrance.  The paving stones leading up a slight incline highlighted the low walls at the entrance of the building.  The door to her apartment always caught the morning sun.  Daiwik, the building maintenance man, took great pride in keeping everything in top condition.  Every day he was seen repairing or enhancing but always had time for a smile and greeting to each occupant or passerby. 

Daiwik was the one shining moment of that day.  His kindness and smile as she and her husband walked to their flat were a ray of sunshine in her tempest.  Even now, she enjoyed the man and his family who lived in an apartment on the bottom floor.  Amal and Daiwik’s wife, Madhura, both loved their herbal gardens that faced the Mediterranean. 

Daiwik and Madhura were talking when Amal approached.  They exchanged smiles and greetings and Amal entered the elevator.  As the doors closed she pushed the number 3.  Amal continually saw Ali.  In her mind, he was still a young man full of vitality though more contemplative after his accident.  Seeing him as a beggar in the street haunted her.  He was a broken man.  What had life done to him?  Where had he been all these years?  How did he suddenly appear mere blocks from her home?  She couldn’t reconcile her memory and present reality and they disturbed her greatly. 

Once in her home she began making dinner.  On autopilot, she combined ingredients to make the evening meal.  Her children would arrive from school soon.  Amal was grateful to let her emotions ruminate as she worked.  She neither fully focused on dinner or Ali. 

Meanwhile, Boulos sat on the street with his back against the wall.  He felt the warm sun on his face and knew it was getting lower in the sky.  He listened to the noises around him and when someone neared, he held out his hand and asked for something to help him live.  When even the smallest coin was given, he thanked them and asked God in heaven to bless them. 

Boulos had only been in the city a short time.  For many years, he lived with an uncle.  When the love of his life married another, he couldn’t stand the thought of being in the same town.  To see her or her husband would shatter his already broken heart.  He walked south to the town of his father.  With impaired vision, he wandered the streets asking citizens there if they knew his uncle.  Eventually, he found his uncle who took him in. 

His uncle had his own infirmities having lost his right leg in a work accident. Life was difficult as Boulos slowly saw light leaving his eyes.  Once he learned the layout of the house, Boulos learned to cook and clean in spite of his vision impairment.  He bonded with his uncle and the two shared a genuine affection.  He loved to hear his uncle tell stories about his childhood.  He laughed at how his uncle and father once hopped on a train and rode it to the next town.  Their father beat them when he learned what they did.  He never learned of the subsequent times they did it. 

His uncle’s daughters visited every day to bring food and care for their father and cousin.  Boulos loved the blessing they were.  He was genuinely happy for the first time since he and Amal realized their love for one another.  He remembered caressing her cheek that night.  Love filled his heart and he felt no one in the history of the world could have been as happy as he in that moment. 

The day came when his uncle did not rise from bed.  Boulos went to the bed after calling his uncle many times.  He felt a cold body there and trembled at the thought of being alone again.  Would his cousins allow him to stay?  Would they care for him?