Dubai Treasure Hunt Drive!

(FYI: I have some few pictures in my previous post about the horrific race….)
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Hey everyone,

Having recovered sufficiently from yesterday’s horrific ordeal and embarrassment, I was looking forward to the Treasure Hunt in Dubai today. “Wake up Mansur” the message shouted in my phone which my friend sent me at 7am! I got ready in 15 minutes and made my way over to her house. Anita and Ziad were waiting for me at their place, and we left Sharjah at 730, and got to the Dubai Creek Park at 8am so we could register our team and got our goodies bag. The race was to start at 10am, and the first group who made it back in the fastest time would be declared the winner.

The newspaper that we purchased in the morning had 21 clues, which we had to decipher. So that gave us an idea, and we started solving the clues. Four of the clues were such that we knew the answer and just had to fill in the space. The other clues we had to decipher, and figure out the location in Dubai, and reach and get the stamp. So, we had an hour and half to spare and over breakfast, myself, Anita, Ziad, and Anita’s friend Maria with her husband Amir and their young son also joined us. We were armed with a map and started figuring what route would be best to take, where to start, what the locations are and so on. Ziad would be the driver, and Amir knew all the place. I was armed with the newspaper which I would have to take to the people who would have to stamp my newspaper as proof that I visited the place.

Come 930, about 100 or so cars are lined up at the Creek Park, and at 10am, the start off! I felt like pretty much like the contestants on The Amazing Race. Our start time was 10:07am. We decided to begin with the places which are the furthest from Dubai’s city center, and work our way inwards. Our first destination was a furniture store at the other end of Dubai in Jumeirah.

(We passed this new mall, which has the skiing slope. This mall opened this past Wednesday, albeit a partial opening.)

We had already made a wrong turn somewhere and lost about 30 mins. Anita was upset. Others were calming her down. We finally got to the place, and got our stamp. There were other contestants rushing in and out of their cars. The tension began to develop. Some of us in the car became competitive. Ziad drove the car amazingly well. Amir gave perfect directions.

Soon, we were getting more and more stamps on our paper. On top of this, when we left the starting point, we were handed a clues sheet, which were extra set of things we had to answer or get. So one had to get a ticket from a weighing machine, another had to get a picture of a celebrity. As we were seeing other contestants out on the roads, we started panicking as we had one hour left, and several more stamps to get. Anita and Ziad erupted into a fight in the car. I tried pacifying them. It wasn’t helping. The atmosphere in the car was one of fear, tension and such competitiveness. Some of us gave up hope, and figured we were losing. We heard on the radio one team was 15 minutes away from completion. Another were close. We felt we lost the game, but Amir gave us the encouragement. BE POSITIVE.

(Passing through Dubai Marina)

Near Dubai Museum, which is located in Downtown Dubai, complete with small interconnected roads and paths. We were looking for one of the photo developing studios. There were people running here and there, and I got out. Running in and out of the lanes, holding the clues sheet, people were asking one another where the shop was. Such level of tension made me panic, and I realized the shop was elsewhere. I left and got back in the car and it took a while for us to find the place.

Then we headed over to our last area, where three stamps were close to each other. Anita ran inside the mall to get the ticket from the weighing machine. Maria looked for the picture for the celebrity. I called up the police to ask for the answer for one of the clues. Ziad was driving like a formula racer. Finally, we made it to the park, and realized we had to run inside into the park and submit the form. We had done all this within two hours, and there was still 40 minutes for the deadline. We all sighed a huge sigh of relief. We all thought we did good.

(Creek Park, where we sat and enjoyed the remainder of the afternoon.)

It was an amazing experience for me because such times calls for team-work, team coordination and good communications. When the big fight took place in the car, we all had to keep our heads and egos on the ground level and not let the situation get the worst of us. I certainly learnt new things about my friends, as such situations exposes our characters and how we would react.

There was about an hour and half for the declaration of the final prizes. In the meantime, those who made it early were given the opportunities to participate in the smaller games they had prepared. I went up to one which called for the “hairiest leg -male.” I thought I was hairy, when I saw the other boys and men expose one side of their legs…and they made my leg seem hairless. One Indian boy, probably a teenager, did not even raise his pants up to his knees, and when he did raise it a little, he had gorilla haired leg. GASP! We all just walked away knowing he would win the gift certificate!

(Games!)

Other categories included largest tattoos, longest hair, man-woman coordination games, etc.

15 mins after 3pm, they announced the winners. We were team 202, and all we had to do was keep our ears open to hear the three numbers: 2-0-2.

“The first team, in 5th place” shouted the man into his microphone, “is, 1-3-5!” Applause erupted from the audience. Ok, we still have a chance. “The fourth place goes to, wait for it, team 2….0….” We all sat up in our chairs- is it us?? “2…0…5!” Another group close to us shouted in joy and ran to get their prizes. Don’t worry, we still have a chance, we told ourselves. “The third place is 2…8..3.” 3rd place was gone. “The 2nd place goes to….1…8…4….” Do we have any chance…? Myself, Anita and Ziad were gripping our chairs. Is it us? Is it us? Please! Let it be 202! 202! 202!

“The team that wins the 29″ television, microwave oven, watches..” the host trailed on. We don’t care, is it us? Is it us? “The team that came in first is….hold your breath ladies and gentlemen, is…2…….” Tension!. “…..0…..” We literally gasped. We need to hear the number 2 now. Is it us? Come on! The host started laughing, and deliberately postponed the final number. I got up from my chair. “The number is, 2….0…….zerooooooo!!!!”

I sat back down. We were a little disappointed.

However, despite the brief intial disappointment, I think the experience in itself was good enough to go through. I would do anything to do something like this again. It was fun, it was exciting, it was challenging, and it was certainly much much better organized than that poorly organized hopeless 6km run by McDonalds yesterday! Dubai does it better. Even the host spoke in English to satisfy the different nationalities there. The organization was top notch. We all left with a huge sense of achievement. What would have been a lazy Friday morning otherwise, turned out to be one fun-filled, adrenaline rush, action packed treasure hunt as we dashed into and out of shops and malls, frantically filling out the clues, asking other contestants out on the streets for answers and loctions, making phone calls, searching for the stampers and raced through the Dubai roads, giving us a chance to see Dubai from a different perspective.

Mansur

HUMILIATED, INSULTED AND DEGRADED!

HEY EVERYONE,

PARDON ME FOR WRITING IN CAPS, BUT I HAVE BEEN HUMILIATED, INSULTED AND DEGRADED TODAY. I WENT TO THE “FUN DAY RACE” EVENT SPONSORED BY MCDONALDS, AND HERE IS A BLOW BY ACCOUNT OF EVERYTHING THAT WENT WRONG.

1— THE MAP SAID THE START FOR THE 6KM WAS BEYOND THE TAWUN MALL. WHEN THE TAXI DROPPED ME THERE, I BUMPED INTO THREE FILIPINOS, WHO WERE ALSO LOOKING FOR THE START POINT. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE START POINT WAS BEFORE THE MALL AND NOT BEYOND THE MALL. WHOEVER MADE THE MAP SHOULD BE FIRED BECAUSE WE HAD TO WALK THE EXTRA KM AND GOT THERE LATE.

2— SO WHEN WE FINALLY GET THERE, WE SEE BUS-LOADS UPON BUS-LOADS OF SCHOOL KIDS. THERE WERE ALSO FEMALE STUDENTS, COMPLETE IN HIJABS AND ABAYAS! ARE YOU TELLING ME YOU WILL RUN 6KM IN YOUR ABAYA IN THIS HEAT? I GIVE CREDIT TO THOSE WHO DID! SO, WE GO UP TO THE REFEREE, WHO UPON US PRODUCING THE PORTION OF OUR APPLICATION TO RECEIVE THE CAP AND TSHIRTS REFUSED TO TALK TO US. IN HIS THICK ARABIC ACCENT HE TOLD US “KHALAS! BAS!” I WAS INSULTED. I BEGAN LOSING MY MENTAL STATE OF MIND FOR RUNNING THE RACE.

3— I TOOK MY PHONE OUT AND ASKED HIM FOR THE NUMBER OF THE ORGANIZER. HE REFUSED TO TALK TO ME. THE WHOLE TIME I WAS KEEPING MY COOL AND TALKING PATIENTLY WITH HIM. HE IN TURN WAS BEING RUDE AND MEAN WITH ME. I FINALLY FOUND SOMEONE WHO WAS ABLE TO TRANSLATE FOR ME, AND THIS SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT YOU CAN RUN AND AT THE DESTINATION YOU CAN GET YOUR REGISTRATION DONE AND BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PRIZES. I WAS SKEPTICAL BUT I DECIDED TO DO IT ANYWAY.

4— “YALLA!! SHABAAB!! YALLA!!” THANK GOD I KNOW ENOUGH ARABIC TO UNDERSTAND IT WAS TIME, AND I TOLD THE FILIPINOS TO JOIN IN. IF THIS RACE WERE MEANT FOR THE ARAB-SPEAKING PUBLIC, THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE TOLD US.

5— SO THERE WERE FOUR GROUPS OF PEOPLE. (A) FEMALES WHO WERE ASKED TO STAND WAY BEHIND THE MEN (TALK ABOUT UNFAIR!) (B) PEOPLE LIKE ME AND THE FILIPINO WHO CAME HERE FOR FUN. (3) SCHOOL KIDS WHO WERE HERE TO HAVE FUN AND CREATE HAVOC. I OVERHEARD A CONCERNED INDIAN DAD TELL HIS TWO STICK-THIN SONS “SONS, PLEASE BE CAREFUL. THIS CROWD WILL GET ROWDY AND PUSH YOU AROUND!” (D) THE SERIOUS MARATHON RUNNERS, COMPLETE IN THEIR RUNNING SHORTS AND ALL. SO, I WAS THINKING “IS IT A FUN DAY RACE, OR IS A COMPETITIVE MARATHON RACE?”

6— GUNSHOT! PEOPLE RAN AS IF THEIR SHORTS WERE ON FIRE! LOL! I WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE. I THOUGHT I WOULD LET THESE TROUBLE MAKERS GET IN FRONT OF ME. I DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WORK OUT WHO IS THE WINNER. SOMEONE AT THE FRONT OF THE RACE COULD BE RUNNING, AND SOMEON AT THE BACK COULD BE RUNNING AT THE SAME PACE, BUT THE ONE IN THE FRONT GET’S THERE FIRST BECAUSE HE WAS FRONT IN LINE. UNFAIR.

7— SO WHILE WE WERE RUNNING, SOME OF THE RUNNERS WERE CHEATING AND GETTING CAR AND BUS RIDES TO GET TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE. EVEN THESE GIRLS WERE DOING IT. CHEATING! I WONDER IF THEY GOT THE FIRST PRIZE OR NOT. I MEAN, IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO DO 6KM, DON’T. WHY RUN 6KM AND CHEAT IN THE MIDDLE?

8— ALSO, THERE WERE NO PROVISIONS FOR ANY WATER OR DRINKS AT ANY POINT OF THE RACE. THERE WERE POOR STUDENTS WERE FALLING ALL OVER, HAND SIGNALLING THE AMBULANCE AND POLICE CARS TO GIVE THEM WATER. ALL THEIR PLEASE FELL ON DEAF EARS. LUCKILY I HAD MY BOTTLE OF WATER. THE FILIPINOS EVEN HAD THEIR BANANAS.

(The ambulance that was just going up and down, ignoring the runners who were falling all over the place. You can see the Coke stand, who charged money for the drinks at the end! Totally sad!)

9— OK, SO WHILE I WAS RUNNING, THE CAMERA CREW WAS WHIZZING UP AND DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHICH WAS A SANDY AREA. SO WHEN HE WAS DRIVING UP AND DOWN SO FAST, HE WAS THROWING SAND AND DIRT INTO MINE AND OTHER RUNNERS’ FACE. I DID NOT COME HERE TO RUN TO HAVE SAND AND DIRT THROWN INTO MY FACE. TOTALLY DEGRADING.

10— THERE WERE NO PROPER MARKED DIRECTIONS. SOON, SOME OF THE RUNNNERS WERE RUNNING ON THE OTHER ROAD, WHICH MADE IT A SMALLER RUNNING DISTANCE FOR THEM. WHERE ARE THE AUTHORITIES TO CHECK ON THE CHEATING?

11— HALF WAY THROUGH, WHEN I HAD DONE 3KM OF RUNNING, THERE WERE TWO INSPECTORS STANDING THERE. THEY WERE MARKING THE LIST. I STOPPED TO MAKE SURE I WAS ON THERE. “MAFI MANSUR.” I LOST IT THEN. I REALIZED TALKING TO THESE CLUELESS, BRAINLESS ORGANIZERS WAS LIKE TALKING TO A THICK CONCRETE WALL. THE REFEREE EARLIER WAS LIKE EVEN THICKER THAN A CONCRETE WALL.

12— SO I WALKED THE REST OF THE WAY. SOME OF THE RUNNERS STARTED SWIMMING IN THE LAGOON. SOME STARTED TO WADE IN THE WATER. WHAT KIND OF MARATHON IS THIS? SOON, I HEARD “YALLA!! YALLA!!” FROM BEHIND ME. A RUNNER TOLD ME I HAVE TO HURRY UP AND GET TO THE END BECAUSE THEY WANT TO PLEASE THE CHIEF GUESTS SITTING AT THE DESTINATION, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE IT ON TIME THERE SO HE DOESN’T FEEL THE HEAT. WHATEVER!

13— SO I GET TO THE END. THERE ARE ALL THESE VIPS SITTING ON THE LEFT SIDE. THERE IS A GROUP OF UAE FEDERATION OF ARMY SITTING ON MY RIGHT SIDE. THEY LATER TURNED OUT TO BE A BAND.

14— I WALK THROUGH THE FINAL GATE. “NO, YOU DON’T GET CERTIFICATE BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO NUMBER OR CAP!” BAS! I LOST ALL HOPE IN THIS PATHETICALLY ORGANIZED EVENT. I FELT INSULTED AND HUMILIATED. I RAN 3KM, WALKED BRISKLY FOR 3KM AND I AM NOT APPRECIATED FOR MY EFFORTS, WHILE ALL THESE CHEATING GUYS WERE WALKING AROUND WITH THEIR CERTIFICATES.

15— SO DRINKS WERE THERE AT THE END. THANK GOD. WHAT? I HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM!!!! FORGET IT MAN! THIS IS WHAT I GET AFTER 6KM!

16— THE WHOLE PRIZES CEREMONY WAS HELD IN ARABIC WITH ALL THE AHMEDS AND MOHAMMADS WINNING THE PRIZES. IT WAS TOTALLY INSULTING, EVEN FOR THE FILIPINOS. THE ARABIC GUY WHO TOLD ME AT THE BEGINNING THAT I WILL GET MY THING AT THE END WAS EMBARRASSED HIMSELF.

(The prize-giving ceremony. I was told 3000 people signed up. Does this pic show 3000 people? Hardly!)

SO TO CUT IT SHORT, I FELT INSULTED, HUMILIATED AND DEGRADED IN ALL WAYS POSSIBLE. I WENT TO MCDONALDS IN THE EVENING AND TALKED TO THE REGIONAL MANAGER HIMSELF. HE APOLOGIZED AND APOLOGIZED TO ME. HE EVEN SAID HE WILL GIVE ME THE CAP AND THE TSHIRT. I TOLD HIM THE ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT THE CAP AND TSHIRT BUT ABOUT HOW I WAS TREATED THERE.

HE CLARIFIED TO ME THAT MCDONALDS WERE CO-SPONSORS, THE REAL SPONSORS WERE THE UAE ATHLETICS FEDERATION. I REALIZED THEN THAT I HAD TOO HIGH OF MY HOPES TO EXPECT SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE AND MEANINGFUL FROM THIS ORGANIZATION.

(If I could do ANYTHING to strangle this Ronald McDonald guy, I would! I need a gun! I need some heavy artillery machines! I need to drive something through him to make him go through what I went through!)

SURE ALL THE SCHOOL KIDS HAD THEIR SHARE OF FUN, OF CHEATING, GOING IN THE WATER, GETTING THE CERTIFICATES AND TROPHY, BUT PEOPLE LIKE ME AND THE FILIPINOS WERE FEELING TOTALLY INSULTED. IS THIS THE WAY YOU ARE TREATED, WITH IGNORANCE AND HUMILIATION?

I SHALL BE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS EVENT TO ALL THE NEWSPAPERS IN DUBAI AND SHARJAH, AND WILL PERSONALLY TALK TO MR. DAHEM OF THIS ORGANIZATION TO GET AN EXPLANATION FOR SUCH BLATANT HUMILIATION.

TO TOP IT OFF, MY TAXI RIDE HOME TOOK ME PAST THIS PLACE WHERE IT SAYS IN FLOWERS: SMILE YOU ARE IN SHARJAH!

YEAH RIGHT!

This was the only comforting thing- to reflect on nature, and be in amazement of the God who created such wonderful moments, which are more powerful than the pathetic moments I went through in the race!)

(Oh, also, just so you know, Sharjah has the Sharjah Eye, taken from the London Eye. It looks very impressive, but it isn’t that popular!)

MANSUR

Too Much…For One Weekend!

Hey everyone,

Have you ever had days when you wish you had loads of things to do, but there is nothing to do? You wonder how you can fill your day up by doing stuff which you never had a chance to do. You wonder whatyou can do to make your day more exciting. Well, yesterday, and today are days that I know will makeup for all those days where I had nothing to day.

Let’s see, what happened yesterday. In the morning, I was supposed to go to the doctor to get the follow up check but did not do so. I should’ve but didn’t as I had other committments at the work place. Then, from the work place I got chatting to a friend and we discovered something new on the Yahoo Messenger. In YM, there is an option to upload “environments” which basically give a theme to your screen. So, we got the Doodle one, where my friend and I could doodle on the screen and playgames and do drawings and all. It passed a good two hours easily! lots of fun and crazy laughs along the way.

Came home, and had to get ready for a presentation in Dubai. My father is involved with a group of people inPakistanm who are developing a housing project in Lahore, Pakistan. The project is called Sukh Chayn Gardens, which means Peaceful/ Serenity Gardens. It was invitees only presentation, and I asked another friend of mine to come along with me, since I did not want to be there alone. See, what happens is that if I am alone, I have to somehow meet up with all the uncles and aunts there and then having to face questions and more questions from them. It puts me in an embarassing spot, especially when someone asks me either what class I am in, or when my marriage will take place. Aarrgh!

So my friend and I watched the speaker talk about the project, and watched a documentary. I wish I could post the documentary here since it was so informative, and the minute they showed it, I realized how much I was missing my hometown Lahore. I so badly wanted to go there and savor the pleasures of living in the cultural capital of Pakistan. Lahore’ s culture makes Dubai’s culture look so pale and devoid of anything remotely cultural. The presenatation was over and the floor was open for questions. Ok, even as I am writing this, I am suffocating, because when I think about the questions the people asked, I was infuriated.

One of the guys who was questioning was a student with me at university, and he has a repuation of being a perfectionist. He started off in a fake american accent, ” Yes, I have a question, which is actually a two part question.” Everyone in the hall groaned. After his two part question were answered, he grabbed the microphone, and said “Sir, I have two more questions.” Everyone groaned more, and his fourth questions had several sub parts to it. I began suffocating, because this questioner was dissecting this project as if it were an academic project. Why do you have to make a fool out of yourself by asking questions which seem intelligent but actualy make you look like a fool? The people who were invited here were people from well to do background and educated. Why do they have to ask dumb questions, totally irrelevant to the whole project. It’s beyond me!

My friend and I had to meet a third friend of ours, and since everything was late, we had to leave the rest of the question and answer session and miss the dinner. We had dinner at Automatic restuarant, which I will affirm as the best arabic restaurtant in Dubai. Then, the friend was invited to Zinc over at Crowne Plaza Hotel, supposedly one of the better clubs in Dubai. So we headed over to Crowne Plaza hotel, where my friend’s friend came down and talked to the bouncer and let us pass through the waiting list. We climbed up at least two floors and entered the club.

“Zinc also has a live band, which performs the latest R n B tracks from the previous weeks. This band is highly talented, and can really attract the crowds. The drinks, are about 22Dhs here, nearing towards £4. You may think that this is very expensive, but if you make sure that you goto a pub first, which I will advise you on shortly, you will not have to spend so much money. I will mention that Zinc has a very stringent entry code. You must wear fashionable clothes, and if you are obesely overweight, or for example have bad acne, you will not be allowed to enter (which I think personally is very prejudist). Also, as is everywhere in dubai, it is stricltly over the age of 21. So even if you are 20, forget it (you may get away with it in most of the other clubs in Dubai)”

My friend and I were very lucky that we were dressed smart, since we are at the presentation function earlier at another hotel. Otherwise I think we would have been rejected from the club. My friend and I could not even stay for 15 minutes. Amazingly loud music that made the whole body shiver. People falling all over each other. Girls doing ruanchy dancing. Men ogling at the women. The Filipino singer trying to sing like the black rappers. We had enough when one of the guys who was obviously drunk fell all over my friend. “That’s it! We are leaving!” So, within 15 minutes, my friend and I left Zinc and headed back home.

It was quite interesting to see what Zinc was all about. It’s supposed to be one of the better and cleaner clubs in Dubai. If Zinc was like this, I wonder what the others would be like. This was probably the third time I went to a club in Dubai the whole time I have been here since 1998. I know I am not missing out on anything.

So, I got home, and I watched E.T, which my friend had on DVD and I borrowed.

So today, I got up at 9am and had to go to a colleague’s house, where they were having something for the kids and he asked me if I could help him out. So, I was there from 10am to 1pm, helping him out with the kids. Good grief! I tell you, when you have hyperactive boys aged 7-8, it is extremely difficult to keep them under control.

And, oh, today afternoon, I am participating in a fun run that McDonalds has organized. I will be running the 6km part of it. There will be prizes give aways as well, so I am kind of excited about it. I have never run 6km, but I know I can do it because I can walk 6km and more.

Goodness, for all those days when I had nothing to do, here I am having loads to do!

Mansur

Literally High Thrills!!

Hey all,

I stumbled across this place to check out the roller coasters. Las Vegas is a huge theme park and since the last time I was there, they have done some amazing renovation. I remember before entering Las Vegas, we had a small pit stop at Reno, where the world’s highest roller coaster was. It was 8pm in the evening, and I so badly wanted to get on it. I was told that they closed it down for the day because the tracks are so high up that they literally wobble due to the desert winds. I was so disappointed.

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But now this Stratosphere Hotel Tower have two new rides that I have set my heart on. There are also some cool videos to watch.

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“At 866 feet, X Scream is the world’s third highest thrill ride. Shaped like a giant teeter-totter, X Scream is an open vehicle that propels riders head-first, 27 feet over the edge of the Stratosphere Tower and dangles them weightlessly above the Strip before pulling it’s riders back and over again for more!” Sounds absolutely thrilling!

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“Insanity-The Ride consists of an arm that extends out 64 feet over the edge of the Tower and will spin passengers at up to three ‘G’s.’ As the ride spins faster and faster, the riders are propelled up to an angle of 70 degrees. Riders will experience the thrill of being flung over the edge of the Tower and literally facing downward at the City of Las Vegas below. The ride is programmable with various ride options. An unobstructed view of historic downtown Las Vegas rewards those riders brave enough to experience three ‘G’s’ at a height of more than 900 feet.” Sounds abolsutely more thrilling.

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Here there are all the major rides…check out the second one. I would do anything to sit atthe front seat of that ride, and be plunged forward from the tower, knowing there is nothing between me and the ground below me…….goodness!!!

Gosh, now I have two awesome reasons to visit Las Vegas! Is there anyone out there who has been on these two rides?

Mansur

Burnt Alive

My dad had asked me to accompany him to the hospital. I had no problems with that, since I was not the one who was sick, nor was my dad. Instead we were going to see another person who was being treated at the hospital. I was but a mere 13 or 14 years old. I knew that this trip to the hospital would a vastly different one from all the others I have made.

We reached the New Jeddah Clinic Hospital. I am very familiar with this place, because it’s the hospital that my father’s company had a deal with. So everytime anyone of us would be sick, we would end up here. It was 9pm and even before we got out of our car in the parking lot at the hospital, I told my dad that I want to stay in the car. My dad insisted I come along with him. He told me I could wait inside in the lobby.

Waking up the steps made my beat a little faster than normal. I knew what I was going to see if I entered the patient’s room. I knew it would be a scary moment for me, yet a part of me wanted to go and see. The strong antiseptic smell seemed a whole lot stronger, as my senses were heightened a whole lot. I was more aware of what’s happening around me. One patient moaning on a stretcher with no one with him. Another woman with a sick baby was seated at the end of the corridor. A man was mopping the floor at this end. A couple of nurses walked past by us. All the while my mind was filled the gruesomeness that I was about to see.

My dad and I got to the reception desk, where the nurse told us the room number. My mind was filled with doubt. Mansur, do you really want to see this? Should I? Am I a coward? I should be brave! I don’t want nightmares. Within seconds, I found myself entering the elevator with my dad. He seemed as tense as I was. My dad is a very strong person, but even today he was wincing a little. I gathered that he and I would be witnessing something for the first time today.

We finally got to our destination. This is it. Mansur, you can still back out, I thought. No, I have made it this far, I might as well continue on this journey. My dad knocked on the door, and for a while we did not hear anything. Knock knock. No reply. My dad turned the door handle, and took a quiet step in. I followed him cautiously. I did not want to disturb the patient. We walked through the corridor into the room itself.

I saw my dad’s friend sitting at the other end of the room, with his head in his hands. He was absorbed into his own thoughts, he did not hear the knocking on the door. I was thankful his two young daughters were not here with him. They certainly would not have been able to see this. I was absolutely transfixed to the woman lying on the bed. Our friend’s wife had been burnt alive.

I could only look at her face. Her hair had been burnt almost completely. Part of her face was also scarred heavily. This woman did not look like the petite and delicate woman that she was before she burnt herself. Our friend started telling my dad how it all happened, all the while I was transfixed to the woman on the bed. I did not hear the whole story, but certain words.

Kitchen. Gas flame. Lit match. Explosion. Clothes on fire. Burnt.

The body was completely naked, because the burns all over her body had to be exposed. There was a plastic box covering over her. There was a huge cloth over the plastic box. It seemed like she was in a coffin already. I didn’t know if she was sedated, or sleeping, or unconscious. I didn’t know how much pain she was in at the moment. All I could see was her burnt face. I didn’t know what it felt like to be in such a position. Our friend, took my dad up to his wife, and he removed part of the cloth. I was sitting away from the bed, but I managed to catch a glimpse of the body.

It was black. It was scarred heavily. She looked like a piece of burnt log. She lay there absolutely still. I could not see any patch of normal skin. I had never seen anything like this before. The movies are nothing compared to reality. Too often I had prided myself on not being scared of the horror movies I watched, but I was witnessing real horror right before my eyes. I had pictured in my mind what the woman must have gone through in her kitchen when she was caught on fire. I don’t know if my dad deliberately made me come with him to make me see this. I don’t know if my dad wanted some comfort for himself for me to be there with him. I don’t know. All I knew then was that this woman’s burnt body has been etched into my mind for as long as I live.

The drive back home was the quietest one we have had till now.

Sometimes, I have dreams where I am walking the same familiar path in the hospital, leading up to the room. I don’t see anyone in the hospital this time round. I am all alone now. I find myself standing next to the woman, peering into her blackened and burnt face, with her body covered. I just find myself standing there, not knowing what the deal is. While staring into her face, her eyes suddenly open and I gasp for breath. I cannot seem to breathe in that room. She is helpless. She needs help. She is stuck in this box, with only her head sticking out. She tries to speak. I see the pain and anguish in her eyes. I am helpless too. I don’t know how to help her. I see tears falling from her right eye down onto her pillow. Her body starts to tremble, and the whole bed starts to shake. I press the nurse button, but no one shows up. I am alone in this room, with this woman, shaking violently in her bed. She is trying to tell me something, but I am not able to make out what it is. All I can do then is just stand there, helplessly, peering into her eyes, till she closes them again and passes away.

Mansur
(This is a true story, and the woman had eventually passed away a couple of week after my visit with my dad.)