Living in Beirut has many charms.. Everyday, I ride through the city by car. Dropping the kids off, doing the grocery shopping and other practical stuff. On my way I see the same people and they see me, every single day. In the beginning I got a gentle nod from the young man with a hat selling newspaper. He has been standing on the exact same spot for the last 4 years, at least. In the middle of the street with his newspapers and magazines hanging on a little metal stand. A year later I get a little wave when he sees my orange car approaching. I like it when someone notices me. It makes me feel as if I belong there. Like in small villages where everyone knows everyone. But here we nod, we don’t talk, we don’t know each others name. just the nod. And it is nice.
Then there is Mr Jacoub ( his real name is Georges but we call him Jacoub - pronounced Ya-Koub, after his father). He is our local grocer. We call him and he delivers. Even a can of 7up. It is great when you forgot something at the supermarket. His delivery-boy is called Mahmoud and he grew up delivering (after school) for mr Jacoub. Mahmoud is strong and we often call him if we need a pair of strong hands, to shake the dust of the huge carpets, to carry a bed from one room to the other… we all nod to each other when we cross each other on the street.
Then there is the door man at the kindergarten of my daughter. His name is Ammo Maurice (uncle Maurice). He is old and wears a black bonnet all year long. Sometimes when it is too hot, he removes it and shows off his bold head. He looks very different without his hat!. He opens the gates to the school every morning and says hello to the kids, they wave back at him laughing. Some days ammo Maurice is absent and we miss his smile. It is reassuring to see him there at the gate every morning.
All these people and many more are part of the daily picture. They fill the picture with friendly smiles and nods. They belong and make us belong. They make Beirut a nicer place to be. Even if it is a huge city with over a million souls.
