Thank You All

Thank you all for your kind words of support and encouragement.

The hardest part of the whole affair was breaking the news to my mother yesterday. She was on holiday and we had to work really hard to ensure that she did not know until she was back in Bahrain. She was due back anyway, so there was no point in letting her rush back when there was nothing possible to do to bring back life to a dear one.

In Islamic culture, burial ceremonies are conducted asap. And in this modern age of telecommunications, it really is impossible to keep news censored. Nevertheless, the experience passed on to us from our government has ensured that we know how to play the ropes and the unwitting woman returned to the magical kingdom without knowing what was in store for her.

But women have a sixth sense. She did not stop asking us: "What has happened? I know something is amiss.. What has happened while I was away?"

And we told her silly things.. Like some of Blackie's pranks.. that silly cat is a big prankster apparantly. He decided to occupy my room at home, wreaking havoc with all the threads of my embroidery, turning waste paper baskets upside down searching for what I have discovered is now his prized possession: used cotton sticks. Curiousity may have killed the cat but this cat's curiousity may kill us one day.. What a dirty bugger.

And he welcomed my mother in style. The mad cat slept the whole day and jumped into action the minute they walked into the house, where he put on a special choerographed show, just for our entertainment. He jumped around like an Olypmics medalist gymnast, toppled everything that could be toppled and brought my youngster sister (who was away with my mum) a cockroach. Where the hell did he fish that creepy crawly out from remains a mystery. And he couldn't have chosen a better time to bring his gift of love and affection: he actually waited until all my family was assembled, all the aunts and cousins and distant cousins and in-laws to bring his sacrificial goat to slaughter on the altar - much to the screams and dismay of all the little girls who must have never ever seen a roach before in their lives.

Yes, we went through extremes to pretend all was normal. How on Earth can you tell a woman that her mother has died, while she was away vacationing? It's not like my mother is a globe-trotter but every summer she gets pressured into joining the hoards of travellers who escape Bahrain's heat to cooler climes. And who am I to blame her.. I can't stand the misery of this place for three months running. I have to travel off somewhere for a few days to get over the slump myself.

And when we did summon up the courage to tell her - actually one of my aunts did - the floodgates opened for in my mother's anguish and tears were those shed for all the dear and near ones who are no more. She remembered her own mother, who had died in 1967 at the young age of 35. That was 38 years ago. OMG.

Aside from this and Blackie's pranks, all is well in the silly household in the magical kingdom.