AbouZekry

Today our taxi driver, Tarek, picked us up from language school and introduced us to a new grocery store called, "Abou Zekry." He pulled up to the front and said, "Two doors." I looked at the storefront and sure enough...two doors...actually three, but I didn't have the language skills to argue.

John and I got out and Tarek told us that he would wait for us. I wondered why he wanted us to try this particular grocery store since there are several in our neighborhood. I did manage to figure out the words, "fish" in his description. I'm not a fish fan, so I was hoping for something else to warrant my visit.

I pulled a rusty, rickety cart out from the collection area and pushed it up a small ramp. The store had exactly 2 aisles. One aisle had bread and dairy on one side and frozen foods on the other. I picked up some fresh bread, yogurt, 2 dozen eggs and rounded the corner. In the second aisle was a glass case full of meat. I began looking to see if I could identify any pieces. I saw something that looked like a beef roast. 

I told the butcher, "Roast please?" (My Arabic skills hasn't covered cow parts yet.) He pointed to a different piece of meat and said, "Steak!" and smiled really big. I shook my head and said, "Roast, shukran." I hoped that if I threw in a little Arabic he would comply.

He pointed at the roast and said, "No." "Steak. Good. Yes?" 

I shrugged and said, "Aiwa. Anna aiza arbah shukran (Yes, I would like four please.)"

"Arbah?" he questioned.

"Aiwa. Arbah." (Yes. Four.)

He printed out a receipt and motioned for me to go to the cashier while he wrapped them up. I didn't quite understand why I couldn't wait for the meat and then go to the register. He showed me that he was going to trim the fat off and then wrap them. Ooooooooookay.

So I stood awkwardly for a moment, started toward the cashier and looked at John. He said that he'd go stand in line at the register while I waited for the steaks. I noticed that a few flies were buzzing around, but they were being repelled by the sticks of burning incense taped to each end of the meat case. Whatever works I guess... The butcher handed me the steaks.

I thanked him and met John in the other aisle. We paid for our goods and realized that we still hadn't gone through the third door of the store. There wasn't any connecting aisle from the inside so we walked out of the first portion of store and entered the second.

This also had two aisles, but this one had ramps to go up two levels. I pulled out another cart and pushed it up the first ramp past the shampoos and toiletries. I picked up some sugar, flour and Nutella (for Emileigh). (I'm getting used to the stares and the overall amusement that we provide every time we try to do something normal.) I pushed the cart up the second ramp and found the juices and Diet Coke.

I finished up in about 10 minutes and pushed my cart back down the ramps to the cashier. I tried out my Arabic greetings and she promptly ignored me. I paid her and thanked her but she had already moved on to the next customer. John and I took the bags to the taxi.

Tarek asked us if we liked the store and we assured him that we did. He asked us if we purchased fish and we told him that we had not. He looked disappointed. He put the car in gear and began driving.

He turned, looked at John's hair and asked if he wanted a haircut. I snickered because John had just said he needed to get a trim and I guess Tarek agreed. Tarek said that he would take John to a barber. So on our way home he drove us to the entrance of a barber shop. Two of the barbers were outside smoking so Tarek called to them. One came to the taxi and Tarek announced to him that, "Mr. John will be coming tomorrow to get his hair cut." The barber nodded and walked away.

He drove a little further and showed us a place to eat good fuul and get good coffee. Of course, he doesn't just point. He makes us repeat each word after him. If he's not happy with our pronunciation he makes us keep trying. If John tells him that we don't understand, he will continue to talk and point until we nod in comprehension.

We arrived at the front of our apartment building and one of the building maintenance men met us at the entrance. He took the bags from me and began walking. One bag dropped and unfortunately it was the egg bag. I told him, "No problem" and we walked to the elevator.

Our elevator was broken so we had to take the one on the left which is dedicated to all the odd numbered floors. We arrived on the 11th floor and walked up to the 12th. At our flat, I unlocked the door and he brought the bags inside. I thanked him, gave him a tip and began to unload the groceries. I noticed that John hadn't followed us in the elevator. A few minutes later he arrived. It seems that Tarek had a few more verbs to get in before he would release John from class.

Now John's walking through the apartment muttering verb conjugations under his breath while I prepare our new-found steaks. Each time we venture out, we come home with a bag full of goods and a good many things that can't be bagged...new words, fun experiences and deepened friendships.

Personally, I'm looking forward to John's haircut tomorrow...heh heh heh.