Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

The rollercoaster of my Eid holiday

Saleh
Saleh
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Every time I think I would have an ordinary Eid then a few surprises would spring up. The last nine days of holiday was never a routine, it was a rollercoaster of smaller events that nearly wrecked up my Eid experience. It started when there was no water left in the house and it turned out I was the only one who would not have a shower on the first day of Eid. I only had a litre of water to brush my teeth and shave. Minutes later, I dropped my breakfast on the kitchen floor and there was nothing else left in the house to eat.


I would not have thought that I would be cleaning up my breakfast on the kitchen floor and scrap my face while shaving on the first day of Eid. But I took it all in my stride. After all, Eid is only twice a year and I have to shrug off the early disappointment.


I pulled up a brave face. I need to find a vantage point to stand on and carry on. My Eid clothing was firmly pressed and hanging very tantalising on a hangar. I pulled a smile and put them on.


When I thought I had my Eid on the right track again, another surprise sprang up. Someone rang the front door’s bell demanding ‘Eidiyah’ or money for the Eid celebration. I had a good look at him and there was no way he was in real need of it the way he was dressed up. The clothes he was wearing would have cost him not less than a hundred rials. Keeping up with the Eid spirit, I parted company with a few rials.


I slammed the door shut on the man’s face and went back in. But in the next 15 minutes, the bell rang almost every two minutes. Again, to keep up with the old Eid spirit, I opened the door every time the bell rang. I am not convinced, however, the Eid bell ringers struggle for cash to make ends meet. They are just opportunists taking advantage of the holy occasion. They want just extra money to stuff in their pockets.


Apart from that, morning went on pleasantly well and so was lunch. I thought I should have an hour’s nap after lunch so I can refuel for the Eid’s dinner. Young hotheads on the streets decided to test out the power of what I presumed, their new motorbikes they had bought themselves for Eid. They were racing each other up and down the road without wearing crash helmets.


I just gave up with the nap and decided to film them from my bedroom’s window. The old adage “if you can’t beat them, then join them” worked well then. But it left me tired to enjoy the evening. At least by then someone from the water company decided to restore the facility so I could have a nice warm shower. As for dinner, my family and I went to a restaurant to mark the occasion. Ten minutes later, everybody was served except me. They just completely forgot about my order. I again I recalled that old Eid spirit and waited patiently. My family was onto desert when I started my main course.


As I was tucking in, I dropped a spoon on the gravy and it splashed on the front of my dish-dasha. My wife made a fuss but I said calmly “it was all in the good Eid spirit.”


My daughter thought it was funny and she decided to take a Snapchat on the mess. She broadcast to all her friends what a “baby” her father was. Overall, it was not a bad Eid holiday. I took the ups and downs on my chin with a brave smile on my face.


Saleh Al Shaibany


saleh_shaibany@yahoo.com


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