Continuing the story of the young Iraqis of Derby
Now (that is back in 1962) the young Iraqis were settled in nicely with their Landlord Mr. Birch the corner shop owner and
cook Mrs. Mumford.
Mr. Birch was very happy and excited
about his young guests and the new business they brought, beside the rent, there
is purchases from the shop and work for his cargo van now utilized as a bus for
transportation of the group to college.
Mr. Birch, seemed to have wider
interests intellectually than the usual corner shop owner. He was interested in
social, political and international topics hence he likes to drop in for a chat
with the young men as they assemble in
the hall every evening before dinner, incidentally in the early
sixties foreigners were still a rare commodity particularly in provincials
English towns like Derby.
The boys in their first week were
busy writing letters home giving their addresses to their families and feeling
a bit homesick with memories of the tumultuous sendoffs their families and
friends gave them at Baghdad airport still fresh in their minds.
One evening while the boys were sitting in the hall chatting
with Mr. Birch , the kitchen door opened and seconds later Mrs. Mumford appears at the divide between the hall and the kitchen
with a young lady 17-18 years of age .
Mrs. Mumford: Good evening boys may I
introduce my niece Veronica.
Veronica wanted to say hello to you.
Veronica, a blonde with a fresh complexion
and rosy cheeks and short upright nose , looking in at the den of the hungry wolves waved her hand and said : hello
, good evening .
The boys replied with astonished wide
open eyes in one voice : Hello, hello ,good
evening ,good evening ..
Mr. Birch stood up and said in a ceremonial manner to Veronica
: Please allow
me to introduce our guests pointing with his finger to Amjad ,this is Aladdin , to Hama the Gene of the magic lamp,
to Falah ; Ali BaBa ….
Hameed volunteered: I am
Sinbad the sailor from Basra.
Hassan : And I am the naughty boy of Babylon.
Veronica was thrilled acting the roll
of a visiting princess said hello to every introduction with a pleasing smile
and a nod.
Mrs. Mumford to Veronica: Here we are
dear you have met all the heroes in your children story book in one single
evening, how about that?
Mrs. Mumford and her niece left the room,
back to the kitchen.
Mr. Birch was surveying the boys faces during the encounter he noticed the
excitement Veronica presence created he said:
look her boys, you seem as though you have never seen a girl before ?
Hama: No, No we saw girls in our country,
but only the face, no hair, no hands, no legs.
A big laughter …….
Amjad: Sometimes no face as well just
a humane figure totally covered in black moving on two invisible wheels.
Another big laughter ………
Falah: No in Baghdad we have modern
girls with no Abaya (Black Gown) or Pushia (face cover). Addressing the others: It is you villagers and bedouwins who are backward.
Hassan: You know Bedouwins and village women
do not cover their faces only some city women do.
Hameed: You know the full packaging
of women in black from head to toe is not an Arabic practice, it is imported
from Persia.
Amjad: while we were in London I saw
an old Gulf lady all in black with nose
covered walking in a street full of beautifully dressed girls.
Mr. Birch: Why women dress like that in your country?
Amjad : To protect themselves from sinister
eyes.
Mr. Birch: I was told this dress for
women is dictated by religion.
Hassan : No, not really, then with a laugh: My great,
great grandmother fought the Roman 1300 years ago in the battle of Yarmook and
she wouldn’t have done that blindfolded.
Falah: God bless her, otherwise she
would have been caught and had a good time with the Romans.
Laughter …………..
Hameed: Arab men are very jealous and
don’t want other men to look at their women.
Amjad: Because they have dirty minds.
Mr. Birch: That is not really odd for
men .In Europe in the middle ages men make their women wear chastity belts and they lock the belts and take the key with them when they travel .
It was said that : One unselfish crusader fearing that he may die in battle left the key
with his most trusted friend and told him to give the key
back to his wife if he didn’t come
back so that she can release the belt and remarry if she pleases .
As he was beginning to board the ship for Palestine,
the friend came running and panting shouting: Hey... Hey... It is good that you
are still here. The key did not work…
A big burst of laughter…..
Mrs. Mumford shouts from the kitchen:
Dinner is ready, Mr. Birch leave the boys to have their dinner.
Mr. Birch shouts back : I am just beginning
to enjoy the conversation .OK I will leave .
