All four seasons

I have been trying to write something for the past three days but every time I get started, something comes up and I stop midstream. Let’s see if I can actually finish this one now.

I fell asleep at 10:30 yesterday as I was really tired. There was yet another powerful aftershock last night. When it happened I was so exhausted that I just opened my eyes, saw the moon shining and went back to sleep. Even the extraordinary tends to become mundane.

There is nothing in the office except the quake coverage. I have been visiting hospitals and it is supremely depressing. I don’t understand how I am supposed to be a professional, ask these people what happened to them and then just walk away. I met little children with amputated limbs, women whose back bones are so severely injured that they may never be able to walk again, men who have lost everything they worked for. Once when I got back to the office, it was nearly aftar time and I just broke down on the stairs and forgot that I had been fasting the whole day.

I guess that’s why my mother actually ordered me to leave my work in the office when I come home. Lol, my mother who has never even ordered me to have breakfast or to tidy my room told me specifically that I need to not think about this. So here’s my attempt to be lighthearted.

I took out my sweaters and blanket a couple of days back. It’s chilly in the evenings and I have never been good against cold weather. The funny thing is that I don’t catch cold easily and even if I do, it’s no more than two three days so I guess I am pretty healthy Alhumdulilah. However, this gave me an excuse to order a new leather jacket. I am supposed to get it today but Aban’s family is coming over for iftar so I guess I will get it on Monday. I saw this pink leather jacket there and I have a feeling that I will end up buying it. It’s pink but it’s stitched in biker chick kind of style so…talking of pink, I still need to go get my sari stitched for Usman & Saba’s wedding. Yesterday I spoke to Sajeela about their wedding present and I have no idea what to buy them. I think I will go hunting for their present one of these days. Anyhoo, more on pink… I have a pink book in my pink bag. It’s titled ‘Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance’.

Sanny and I are InshaAllah going to Maria’s place on Monday. Maria is probably the most fun 28 years old ever. We taught together in BSS. I didn’t make this many good friends studying in school as I did teaching. Maria lives in Gulraiz, one area of Rawalpindi I have only been to once and that was for Ali Bhai’s wedding. It’s the remoteness of Gulraiz that has been a hurdle in our visiting her for over a year. So this trip is certainly a long time in coming.

Oh finally some good news. TJ got married!!! TJ was my Mathematical Economics and General Equilibrium in Money Market’s teacher. He’s my dad’s age and was truly one of our university’s legends. And legend has it that he fell for this girl (who by the way was also our teacher) when both of them studied in QAU. She was betrothed, he never made an effort. So, after she got married he devoted himself completely to his studies and religion. He has a post-doctorate in something and truly a very deendar person. I remember once I was looking for a place to pray since there was mosque in QAU which even had a “nikhakhawa” but no place for girls to pray, he saw me roaming around the department with a prayermat in my hands, looking for empty classrooms. He told the peon that whenever I needed to pray, I should be given keys to his office. lol..i was lousy at maths and he knew it. But he always helped me. Anyhoo, he got married some days back and to this lady who works in PIDE and practices complete purdah. I am told that it was this quality that TJ liked about her. I am really very happy for him. There are indeed pious women for pious men. My class and I are thinking of inviting them over for a dinner.

OK…enough ruminating for now. Dogar sahib just cancelled An and my weekly off. I will be working on sundays as well. augh!