To Squid Or Not To Squid?

Judging from the food photos I've been uploading like crazy for the past few months, I think I'm turning my blog into a food blog. I'm a big sucker for good food. I've always love food. I enjoy experimenting in my kitchen (when I say experimenting, I mean I'm putting together the left over, adding this and that, replacing orange juice when I'm out of tamarind juice, or chopping some mangoes and throw them into my sambal tumis, or a dash of ground cardamon when there is no cardamon required in the recipes or adding kacang bendi (okra) into my sambal tumis sotong (squid sambal) that I had earlier tonight. It has been a while since I had squids.

The last time I had squids was last fall when we went to Haymarket in North End. Hay Market is a weekly open market (Friday and Saturday). I don't like shopping at Haymarket even though fruits and vegetables are really cheap. During strawberry season you can get a crate of strawberry for $3.00. 5 pounds of black juicy seedless grape is between $3-$5. A combination of ten red/green/yellow and orange peppers cost you only $2. There is one short coming shopping at Haymarket, you CANNOT touch the merchandise. If you touch it you're subjected to be yelled and screamed at by those stall owners. But it doesn't stop some people to grab, pinch and squeeze the merchandise when the sellers are not looking at them. "Hey, hey, put it down, put it down. How many times I told you no picking?" I can't tolerate that. If I wanted to buy something especially the food, I like to hold them in my hand, turn them around, but not to pinch or poke with fingernail as some people like to do. But nevertheless I like to have them in my hand before I decide to buy them.

I had three pounds of fresh squids when I stopped at the next stall to get some trouts. "So, you're having squids for lunch today." The guy at trouts stall greeted me.

"Oh..yes, I like squids." I lifted the plastic bag to show him my catch of the day.

"Good Muslims don't eat squids you know, or any fish without scales and fins or shellfish." The other guy who was arranging the salmon fillets nodded his head without looking up from his task. My mind raced through my stored memory bank trying to place his face. Click.

Wait a minute, his voice sounds familiar, I've seen him before.

"Are you Moestaffa, Ashraf's friend? I saw you a few times hanging out at the bar on Ashraf's shift."

I remember now, Ashraf was a bartender at the restaurant where I used to work in Harvard Square. When I came back from vacation, Ashraf was gone. They said he moved to Seattle.

"Yes, I am. So you rememberr me."

Three summers ago ( it was a couple of months before the second anniversary of September 11), five of us got together for a farewell dinner for Suzy. She was returning to Denmark after 15 years living in this city. We agreed to go to a restaurant in North End which served Mediterranean cuisine. We got a nice table at the corner. As soon as our waitress left the table with our order, Zulikha a beautiful Somalian woman, blew off the candle on our table. Zulikha sat next to me in Children Literature class at college. One day Zulikha came into the class shaking.She breathed hard. Without her usual greeting, she pulled her chair and sat.

"Can you believe what that Abdulshithead said to me just now?"

"Abdulshithead?"

"You know that pearshapehead Somalian guy I'd just met at the student lounge last week?"

"Yes, I remember you told me about him. You were excited when finally you met somebody from your home town. But I didn't know his name is Abdulshithead."

"Stop playing Ana, I'm serious." Zulikha's face softened at my joke.

"He said I'm an embarrassing to Somalian Muslim community because I go around with my bare head."

"Is this the first time somebody said that to you?"

"Not really, but listen to this....." She stopped to take a deep breath, but her lips trembled as she continued, " During the judgment day our Prophet won't be able to save me because my hair isn't long enough."

"Somebody said the same thing to me too back home."

"Really? Did you get angry? Did you say anything back to that person?"

"Yes, I was hurt and angry."

A few weeks later, I was at the campus cafeteria when Zulikha strode in swinging her back pack, grinning from ear to ear.

"Ana, guess what I saw two days ago at Shaw's parking lot?" Her eyes twinkled.

She leaned closer to me and whispered, "I saw Abdulshithead pushing a cart with at least six packs of Budweiser in it. Hypocritemotherfuckersonofawhore."

"Whoaaa...........but why are we whispering?"

"I have no idea."

We burst out laughing.

"Did he see you?"

"Not when he was heading to his car. I was coming from his left, I wanted to avoid him, but as I got closer I saw what's in his cart. You should've seen his face when he saw me. I didn't give him a chance, I greeted  him with salam and stopped in front of the cart."

"Sweet....., what did you say to him."

"Nothing, I just looked at him and walked away."

"That's my girl."

Half way through our dinner, a group of three men and two women were seated three tables away from ours. Their conversation and laughter became louder as the pitchers on their table increased by two. They switched their conversation between French and Arabic. When one of the men ordered in English another pitcher of beer , Suzy put her fork, "Is that a guy who always hang out with Ashraf?" All of us turned our attention to their table. Without a lighted candle plus our strategic location, we could see all of them.

"Hmm...hmmm, looks like Moestaffa's crab hand is crawling up into that girl's skirt."

I turned to look at Ali, "You know him too Ali?" Ali is a Black woman who embraced Islam eight years ago while she was teaching in a small village in Chad. I used the word black because Ali doesn't like to be referred as African-American.

"We had a debate a few times, well more like an argument because that man had no clue what he was talking about. I decided not to be bothered anymore because he said as a converter I didn't know much like a born Muslim. From then on I knew he wasn't worth a penny."

When our table was cleared and the waitress brought us coffee and desserts, Moestaffa's table had turned into a mini circus. The men argued in French and Arabic back and forth, the women laughed uncontrollable like a whining horse.

One of Moestaffa's buddy got upset when their waiter refused to bring another pitcher of beer. "Are you discrrriminating uzz?" His voice slurred and loud. The manager hurried to their table and talked to the third man who was less drunk than the rest. He nodded his head a few times. Moestaffa tried to get up, but the third man said something to him. He sat down. The waiter cleared the plates, empty pitchers and glasses. A few minutes later they were sipping their espressos as they were being reprimand by a teacher.

When B asked me if I were ready to leave, I said yes.

"I thought you wanted some trouts."

"Nahhh....I'll stick to my squids." I lifted the squids in a transparent plastic bag and dangled it in front of Moestaffa before I turned and left. I told B what Moestaffa said to me about the squids. He already knew about the previous episodes at the restaurant and his argument with Ali.

"Did you say anything to him about drowning his face in pitchers of beer (the term I used)?"

"No........"

"Why?"

"I gave my fat ego a rest."

"That's my Boo."

Comments

[Shoebuy Coupons Chick]

I'm not a big fan of squid myself.

[anasalwa]

Sunflora,
Thank you for stopping by and reading my blog. I enjoy reading your blog too. Yes, come back soon, don't be a stranger :))

[sunflora]

I love your writing, your style and your observations. Yes we often have to face people who have the holier than thou attitude. Bugs me to no end but you're right, the best way to handle them is to just let them be. Will be coming back for more :)

[anasalwa]

Jackie,
Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate your comment very much. Who knows, may be we'll meet one day. I visited your site. Love it. Hope you'll find your muse soon.

[Jackie]

Your story was hilarious! It makes me want to meet you - you have so much spunk! And I just love the name your friend gave this jerk: Adultshithead. There are alot of guys walking around who that name fits - Muslim and otherwise! Go ladies!
I love squid too - but I prefer mine crispy :}