ALL THE WAY UP, ALL THE WAY DOWN

Last thursday, was 'just like heaven.'

It was all destined for us to meet. Not once per that day, but twice. Unexpected. Light. Lovely and inspiring.

I was slacking home. Didn't go to work that day. Decided to take a long weekend off and just relax. Have been a rough end of year analysis and decisions. So I stayed home. He was having a meeting at the fringes of Cairo. Called. Laughing. 'I went to the wrong place. Meeting was at the office and I thought it was at smart village.' I laughed. What an air-headed. So we decided to meet miday at Cilantro, on his way to work. And we did. Just a little talk over coffee. Enjoyed every second of it.

We departed only on the promise that we will meet again after he finishes work. Will pass by my house to pick me up. I agreed.

I walked home. Did some silly shopping on my way. Bought a cool bag, that he didn't like that much--but everyone did. Arrived home. Crashed on bed waiting for him to call, and he did.

I was planning to wear something nice, to match up with him--he was in a suite and very dressed up. I changed my mind. Just wore some perfume and jumped to meet him. Very casual.

So we hopped to the Grand Hyatt. We wanted to watch a movie. 'Just like heaven' was playing. We entered. Amazing hall. Never been to it before. Really impressive. We sat for 30 minutes, when I started to sigh. 'Hate it, right?' he asked. 'Oh. Yeah. It is annoying. Let's leave.' So be it. And there we left. Went up to the heavenly place: Grand Hyatt, 40th floor.

We sat there. Lightly talking. Laughing. Silent. Listening to the pianist playing the piano. He played arabic songs. Lovely. Asked him to sing, and he did. The scene there was amazing. As usual. Over the top of everything. Seeing only the creme of the old lady. The Nile. Boats. Pharoh. Everything was just out of focus, yet so wonderful and breath taking. Makes you so relaxed. The company too was insinuating you to feel contained. To feel classy. To feel loved and wanted. Just the silence is filled with emotions. That's what really matters. He smoked his cigar. I sat silent watching. I was tired. Tired from our separation. Tired from the heavy emotions. Tired from capturing them. From the expansion and contraction. Express. Hold. Hold. Hold. Express. Oups, just a tiny bit. Watch out. Ok. Let go. Breathe. Anyways, I was happy I am having this heavenly connection.

We were done with the classy settings. In the mood to mingle. Zoom in to real land. To taste this water, that we saw still from up top. To find flaws with this divenly picture. To smell the dust. Taste the sourness of this beauty. No beauty is absolute, but that of God's.

So, we went downtown to 'akher sa3a' to eat foul and ta3meya. We went there. Parked next to Naguib al-Rihany theatre. Walked up and down the street to see the area around. It was so dirty. Smoky. And really downtown cairo. It was almost 11:30 pm but stil this quartier was so busy.

We went to the fooul place. 1 omlette. 2 foul bel zeeit el-Harr, 2 ta3meya. He, went there with his expensive suite and tie to order. I stood outside. Very interesting. People watching us like aliens. 'Dont make eye contact.' He alerted me. I abided. Who wont.

We took our food and walked to sit somewhere. I wanted to sit just on the pavement over there over looking this absolutely amazing building. We did. Next to us all the lover couples sitting eating fooul and sharing. Middle class families brought their familes and sat there to enjoy the nice breeze. We started to eat. I ate the omlette. Gave him just a little tiny piece. It was his sandwitch orignially but I just loved it. He took out one sandwitch to eat. Ate one. Was potatoes. Oups, we didnt order that! Got the other. Potatoes too. Oups oups. The third. The fourth. All potatoes. We laughed. I want my Fooul bil zeit el Harr... So we walked again. To the same shop. I stood outside waiting. 'No eye contact.' I nodded. He went inside. Explained to the guy what's wrong. 'How much did you pay?'. 'I dont know', he answered. 'Ok. OK. pay extra 50 p.t and come again. He did.

We took our sandwitch. Walked past the same people and couple. Now our cool place was gone. Found another one and started eating. Delicious food. Really. The Fooul was absolutely good. Loved it. We ate. Shared. Looked at the magnificent building infront of us. Wondered how it looked before. Wished we would have an apartment somewhere there. The weather was great. People were talking. Laughing. Feeling very light. Gathered as families. Gathered as lovers. Gathered as friends. Gathered as humans just longing to enjoy. I wish they did. I did. We did. It was amazing.

We walked to our car. Passed a low class cabaret. 'Parisana nightclub' with a picture of a woman, artist, on the front. I peaked a look inside. Green bottles of beer. Guys sitting on the tables. Totally wasted. I wondered what kind of guys go there. What kind of prostitutes go there. What kind of dancers dance there. The answer came to me from my company, 'anyone who is just wasted.' Wasted. Wasted I repeated in my mind.

Wasted his life. Wasted her life. Wasted in life. Wasted and want to waste more. Just cling to anything that breaths to make sure he is still wasted. And everything around him or her is wasted too. It was sad. Wish no one is wasted.

Walked to our car. Put the radio on. Here started Um Kathoum singing a lovely song. Slow and deep. Strong voice yet really touching us. We sang with her. Each in oneself. Big smile on our faces. We are so energetic. Can go on driving for another day. Over night. Just cruising. Slowly and calmly. Peace in the air. Love in the heart. Tranquility in the soul. Completness of the nafs. God everywhere.

I love you, God. I love you God.