November Rain

My usual routine is to dress Dad up, take him to the mosque, take his shoes off and seat him on his plastic chair in the very front row.

Then I walk down to the Amir Bakery and get a cup of American coffee with four creams and four spoons of sugar. I sit on a concrete fence on the side of the road next to Amir Bakery and listen to November Rain, Freebird or one of my sermons in ARabic as those are all that I have on the phone I have. I lost the Verizon one with the wide selection of music and worship music.

When I was here last time, on my last day, I went with Anoos for the first time to the Amir Bakery and discovered they had American coffee. I told them I would come there everyday. That night I was threatened and I fled. But since I've been back, I 've been fulfilling that word to come back everyday. I go up and maybe look like a fool sitting on the concrete fence. Have some kids come by and say hi to me like Anoos's friend Musa and another kid who calls me "Steve."

I don't know how he knows my name is Steve. Here I am strictly Husein.

Today was my last day. I am struggling.

Dad fell down as we walked out the door today. I picked him up and went on. Yusara saw it and was supportive.

I'm leaving tonight. Dad's eyes are red. I'm trying to be open but supportive.

Rahifa and Abdel Aziz came over to “wad’h’ me. Khitaam called yesterday too. I also went and saw Amo Issa and Wasfieh and Samir and Aqel, and Abdel Salaam’s son (he wasn’t there).

Dad started crying real hard because he wanted to go with us to Ramallah. We brought him and came to Pizza House in a mall. I am sitting here now writing this. They are very nice they gave me orange/carrot juice. And I’m in Um Kolthoum heaven. They played Sirat al Hub while Dad and Najat and Haha were here. But now they are playing Inte Omri.

Dad cried when I wada’t him outside. Najat cried too, a lot. Said she’d miss me.

Also Yusara cried and said to me “Forgive me.”

I said, “forgive me too and thank you.”

I'm back in the Tel Aviv airport right now. I ate a burger and fries. Am not sitting waiting to board.

I'm wearing my wooden cross. There is a girl that is charging her phone and playing these Christian songs on her phone. She played "Lord I lift Your Name on high." and "This little light."

Michael came and brought me to the airport. Was good to spend time with him. There's a guy standing in front of me with his back to me as I'm sitting on the floor next to the charger station.

Boy, when you wear a cross irritations come, a guy cut in front of me in line and now this guy here.