Seven hours from the writing that is now taking place I will have completed 30 days of Ramadan fasting as required by the Islamic faith. It has not been easy, been rather uneven and did suffer some trauma. The trauma, the days that I could not leave my apartment as I did not want to be of the world or be around people. That has disappeared, it appears. It now appears to have been a gift from Allah, a respite which shall allow a strong reappearance, as said on Instagram. “Watch Out World. “What is a respite? A short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant. It is a break, breathing space, interval, intermission, interlude, recess, lull, pause, time out, hiatus, halt, stop, stoppage, cessation, discontinuation, standstill; relief, relaxation, repose; informal breather, letup.
So my ‘confinement’ was a hiatus, a lull, a repose, a breather and a let up. But from what? What is difficult and/or unpleasant? Many things, both near and far. I did not hide under the bed during those days of confinement. It would be impossible as under my bed is a storage yard (of sorts) – there is no room for me under my four poster bed. At one point in time under my bed was a rolled up carpet put there by a lazy and incompetent man. WW discovered it, and correctly assessed that it was the cause of persistent clothes moths. We marched the rolled up carpet to the garbage and then rather quickly the invasion of the clothes moths ceased. Clothes moths are parasites, so was that man. What is a parasite? An organism that lives in or on an organism of another species (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the particularly if you are the host, perhaps if one is a parasite, it is rather fun but not the other way around. The synonyms of parasite are rather off-putting to say the very least. leech, passenger, drone; informal bloodsucker, sponger, sponge, scrounger, freeloader; North American informal moocher, mooch. But here is the almost unbelievable aspect of it all. The leech, the bloodsucker, the freeloader and the mooch was a Muslim, a practicing one as he told the tale. At one moment in time thought he was responsible for bringing me to the Islamic faith. I experienced much pain realizing who and what he really was and prayed to Allah that I would retain my beliefs in spite of him. Allah answered my prayers. I am stronger than ever, particularly as Ramadan ends with Alexis (aka Ayla) suffering through hunger, loss of energy and ennui but emerging triumphant.
The scrounger kept the key to my apartment but today gathered up the energy, paid seventy-five dollars and had the locks changed. I did scream when making the arrangements at the Leasing Office:
Me: Get out of my life. Get out of my life!!
They: Oh my goodness, you scared us!
Me: I am so sorry!! I am not talking to you of course, you are wonderful. It was to him!
All of these big words come to mind suddenly. Vilify which is to denigrate, defame, run down, revile, berate, belittle, abuse, insult, slight, attack, speak ill of, speak evil of, pour scorn on, cast aspersions on, criticize, censure, condemn, decry, denounce, pillory, lambaste; fulminate against, rail against, inveigh against, malign, slander, libel, conduct a smear campaign against, spread lies about, blacken the name/reputation of, sully the reputation of, give someone a bad name, bring someone into disrepute, discredit, stigmatize, traduce, calumniate, impugn; North American slur; informal do down, do a hatchet job on, take to pieces, pull apart, throw mud at, drag through the mud, have a go at, hit out at, jump on, lay into, tear into, knock, slam, pan, bash, hammer, roast, skewer, bad-mouth, throw brickbats at; British informal rubbish, slag off, monster, slate; ANTONYMS commend, lionize.
Vilifying him, perhaps with all of those words. He shall remain nameless, even nick-nameless. But also at this moment in time, vilifying a country which shall also remain nameless. The individuals, know that lived therein, were also parasites. And once a parasite, always a parasite. They shall just jump to another host. Watch out for those parasites, thus says Alexis.
But had a wonderful day today, able to re emerge and gather the energy to walk to have my hair blow dried. It was an incredible moment that must be shared. In Altogether Different with Kim and two other individuals, we chatting with abandon. It was revealed that all three of us were patients of Primary Care Physician and had been so in excess of forty years. Kim formerly worked for PCP. It was like coming home at that moment, coming home. I am home and shall not stray – well perhaps some travel, Mecca, maybe Australia, maybe Hawaii. All when it is safe.
WW swept through my apartment with the greatest of ease but she also has one or two other jobs. One is to give jabs, vaccinate individuals against the covid virus.
She: There are so many Hispanics coming to get the vaccine. So many, they are coming in large numbers!
Me: That makes me SO happy. Hispanics in Marin work in the service industry. If they are vaccinated, along with all of the other intelligent people that live here, we shall be safe! I am so incredibly relieved. So relieved! I am living in the best place!
So for me, it is over! I will wear my face mask as demanded but have SO many face masks. My new sparkly ones my very favorite.
Attached to the blog is a photograph of me, my face mask and my white hair. I look very good, for a woman of any age but a 78 (almost). WOW.
More when this is actually over, my Ramadan fasting. AAA arrives soon and we shall plot. Been putting off so many things until the end of Ramadan. I shall emerge loaded for bear. What does that mean??? “Fully prepared for action; also, spoiling for a fight. For example, Bill tackled his new sales route loaded for bear, or When Martin was three hours late, his wife was loaded for bear. This term, dating from the mid-1800s, alludes to the heavy charge of powder or lead that hunters use for large animals like a bear.”
So if you have harmed me, in any way, best you hide! But look how cute I look in my face mask!
