Love, Dona!

Main Roya Pardesh Main

Bheeega Maa Ka Piyaar

Dukh Ne Dukh Se Baat Ki

Bin Chitti, Bin Taar ...   Nida Fazli

The news that her son is arrested, is enough to scare the daylight of any mother - mine was no exception. In her case, she had no clue as to why I was arrested. I call her to inform her that am ok. Those days a call to India was $2.49/minute.  I only call for a few minutes. 

I try to be brave...but fail. " Mera Shahid to bahut bahadur hai. Dil chota nahi karte beta. Allah pe Bharosa Rakho", says she in order to boost my morale.  I can guarantee hat that after hanging up the phone she must have cried a hundred times.  To this day, I have not re-visited this topic with her.

January first week, 1990.

There is this 18-year-old freshman at Emory University who asks me out. She says she has been noticing my behavior at work. She says when I am dealing with customers I am very cheerful, but on my break I look so gloomy and sad. She is curious to know.  She is fun to be work with and every third sentence of hers starts with “ am only 18!”

She picks me up from Lennox Marta Station and takes me to a fancy restaurant.  I don’t eat. It’s only while on a walk after the dinner that we talk. She tells me her story and that she is the "unplanned baby" of her owners (parents). She is not happy with them. She is rebelling against them. Then it was my turn to open up. At some point while talking about mother I break down.

Here she was holding me by my arms and am crying like a baby, with the crowd asking her " Is he ok? U need help?”

Life!

January 2nd week, 1990.

" Tell your frnd to stop seeing my daughter else I will come there, blow his brains and send his body to his *** father!" 

I am sitting with my Nigerian frnds one evening, when her owner (father) calls to lay down the terms of endearment. Her other owner (mother) tells me that "Both of you are not compatible". I went to "Chor Bazar Municipal Urdu School and she went to the top school in Atlanta - there can never be anything compatible between us. 

Her owner punish her by transferring her from Emory to a low grade university away from Atalnta, GA.

That story ends in a few weeks. One day I send her a card saying good-bye. She writes me back saying, " I saved her life. She was so going to commit suicide on the railway track. She checked her mail and found my card and that my words saved her!” She ends the note with " Whoever she is going to be Shahid, your wife is going to be very lucky!"

Nine years later in India, a Dhaan Paan Si, Sanvli Ladki, sitting on a boat in river Ganga looks at me lovingly and informs, " I am so lucky to have you - you are the best gift from Allah!”  I smile back and pretend that I never heard that before. I don’t want to spoil her honeymoon!

January 3rd week, 1990.

I am in the Court Room with Dona. I am already a " Dead Man Walking". There are two mean looking cops in the courtroom. They are in full police gear and look threatening. These cops are the ones who on the order of the judge will take me into custody, and take me to the airport.

I am scared...really scared.

ALL RISE! Shouts the clerk of the court. We all stand up as a middle aged white man enters the courtroom. He asks us to sit down. He identifies me and reads the charges against me. He asks me a few more questions. Then...

The judge says " There are some changes the laws relating to the students, let me see of Mr. Sayed gets the benefits of new laws". He wants another hearing in future. 

Well, the judge just gave me a break! The judicial system and ideals of Jefferson, Lincoln and Carter helped me out. 

I breathe again....