Another moment

I remember that day when my mom was peeling zucchini (I love her so much when she cooks; she does it with so much love). She was sitting in the living area, and watching TV I guess; I came and gave her a kiss on the cheek and looked in her eyes, what’s up mom? Any gossiping for today? We were such a great couple… maybe that’s normal between mothers and daughters?? I don’t know but what I’m sure of is that she was my best friend….

I had just come from an interview.

I still remember these days when I thought that I own the world…
I was very happy with myself and the major I was studying at college; I learned a lot from the French literature indeed, it developed my mind in a dramatic way. It was very tough though since I was not used to the French way of thinking: I did a Lebanese baccalaureate.
Anyways, at that time I was so happy, going to the university was a joy. I carried a luxurious life: all my classes were in the afternoon, from 2:30 to 6 so I made the most of my mornings and also my evenings….
I used to wake up late have an extensive Nescafe “sobhieh” with mom, make sure that I’m a beauty queen before I step out of the house, and then go, confront life with a pretty face and a naïve heart.
At college, sitting in the cafeteria or playing cards and nerd at the next-door coffee shop, or even relaxing on the ISEAV stairway and watching the world goes by, all of this was more than enough to fill me with contentment. Did I have plans at that time? I don’t remember? Maybe that’s why I was happy? Perhaps…

In classes it was a totally different story, I was not extremely competent and I was not used to be not “extremely competent”. Well, let’s say that Makassed’s French was not the best ever, and also, I was relatively young with no experience in life, and believe me, when you study human sciences at the Jesuits, life experience and understanding is all that counts. In fact, I realized that approximately everybody in class, were a way older and much more mature than me….
But anyway, I enjoyed it; I was like a kid who’s opening his eyes to a totally new world. The good thing about literature is that being an art makes you love it, admire it and at the same time learn the hell out of it. Well, yes I learned a lot, my life would have never been the same without this fundamental phase that witnessed the forging of my personality: Yes in classes, yes in theory and through a full of roses fence, I got to know what people spend a lifetime to know. Although I was never the best student in class, my scientific background gave me a kind of push. In fact, my mind was ready for rational thinking and that’s all what I needed in order to know in depth, what this major was about. That’s why; despite of my ineptitude I was able to have an input and leave a mark in classes…. or maybe because I liked it so much?? Don’t know.

That day I was coming from an interview with the head of an educational institute; I was going to teach French for technical student.
I was 19 years old, and about to finish my second year of university and get my diploma. I did the language proficiency test, and sat in front of the manager with the paper for the interview. Somehow the guy was overwhelmed, I saw admiration in his eyes, and I felt desire in his attitude. But I was not uncomfortable, he himself was also young (not very young, maybe late 20s early 30s) handsome and polite. I was a pretty face, that’ right, and also I went into a small debate with him about how can I control a class of guys who were the same of my age and maybe elder.
Well, I don’t recall the details, by I gave him the impression that if I can control the conversation with him, the director, and come out victorious, I could control a class of 20 kid; being close to their age will help me understand the way they think, and being pretty will incite them to study more to impress me!!! After all, it doesn’t matter how old you are: if you have a personality to run a class, you will run the class, and if you don’t, being older or less attractive will not help you much.
I came out triumphant indeed, and walked my way home radiant; the cold winter breeze made me feel even better, it was a beautiful sunny day.

I reached home, and saw mom with her zucchinis, I was out the whole morning, so I definitely missed some news or gossiping, or at least an appointment for a “3ariss” since at that period, our “salon” was like a banquet room in a busy hotel, every day a couple of “3irssan” (morning, afternoon, evening, sometimes late evenings, whatever…) come to check me out, the hot merchandise.
Mom looked at me with her clear brown eyes, kissed me back and asked me: “Roro, do you wanna work for Middle East Airlines?” Without any hesitation, I said: “Yes I do”