Last Day

I last saw Kristi twenty one and a half hours ago. The airport had a glass walled security area surrounding the ticketing area so we were surprised to have to say goodbye so soon, and time didn’t allow us to linger. Just a quick hug and she was through, following her luggage which I had hoisted on to the x-ray conveyor. For twenty minutes I watched her through the glass as she waited in line, checked her luggage, and was handed her boarding pass. One last quick wave and there was nothing for me to do but go outside—back into waiting Egypt, and catch a cab home. My driver was probably disappointed for my haggling was insistent but without all the theatrics that make it satisfying once the deal is struck. By the time I fell into bed, Kristi’s plane was certainly in the air flying away from me at 500 miles per hour.

Somehow the pyramids had been shunted off to the last day. We were going to see them at the front end but ran out of time, and likewise, yesterday morning, we decided to push them off yet again. The things have been there for over 3000 years. Surely they will still be there the next time we find ourselves in Egypt again. We decided not to stress ourselves with a long haul out to Giza and confined our day around downtown. I made a persistent attempt to give Kristi a basic tour of campus but was thwarted by the “no visitor” policy (which was so frustrating let’s not talk about it). We re-visited Fishawy’s coffee shop and Khan Al Khalili to pick up some Egypt supplies for Kristi to bring home: Sahlab powder, saffron, Egyptian whisky (tea), scarves, shoes, scarves, shoes, and a nice Turkish coffee pot. At sunset, while Kristi was packing upstairs I walked over to Taboula, one of my favorite restaurants here—a Lebanese place, tasteful, very classy, very inexpensive—to make reservations. We were there 30 minutes later enjoying an array of middle eastern dishes and the cozy, quiet atmosphere. During dinner we both noticed ourselves struggling under a background heaviness. It’s like the day came with a shadow. Like we both knew something terrible was going to happen, and it was inevitable. OUR trip, the one we had both been looking forward to, preparing for, even dreaming about was now completely behind us. It was what it was and there was very little left to make of it. Not that we wanted to change anything, or make it better than it was. We both embarked with little or no expectations and very simply enjoyed each other and our time together. It was more that the opportunities to create memories together were dwindling and soon would be gone. The-2007-Egypt-Visit would soon be fixed in the past, and we would be apart again with only the task of reflecting and appreciating at a distance the depth that is hard to grasp within the thrill and happening of life.

Kristi finished packing. We took another swing by Café Zahara for conversation. A walk over the Nile. Picture business. Then the bags needed to get in the elevator. Call a cab. “Nathhab Illa Matar, Min Fundhlik” Wrong terminal. Wrong building. Running late. Departure Hall. Then we suddenly found ourselves stumbling into the very last part. Almost by surprise.



PS. we're getting married.