I don't have much news to update you on. I did mention to you in my last blog that I was going to give you a little peek into the YA fiction novel that I have been working on. It's titled "The Return." Please feel free to comment. Any constructive criticism would be very helpful and greatly appreciated. So, here you go.
Joe fidgeted nervously in his seat as the plane circled above the city waiting for an okay to land. Rubbing his sweaty palms on his soiled grungy jeans, he tilted his head back and shook his shoulder length chestnut brown hair from his pale tired face. His big dark brownish-black eyes peered through the stray clumps of hair that remained dangling in his face. He gazed out the plane’s window down at the city lights that dully peeked through the heavy cloud of dust hovering above.
Man, I hope I’m doing the right thing. I wonder if I should have canceled this trip and gone ahead and moved in with Alisha. What if I don’t recognize my dad after all of this time? It’s been ten long years. I wonder if my dad will recognize me.
All of these thoughts and the fear of the unknown had his head in a whirlwind. He knew that the only way he was going to be able to move forward with his life, was to first take a step back and confront his past. There were so many unanswered questions that had nagged and tugged at his heart for far too long now, and he was determined to find all of the missing pieces to this confusing puzzle.
A cracking noise came from the intercom and then the pilot came on.
“Welcome to Cairo everyone.” He said in a loud annoying voice.
Joe was suddenly and abruptly ripped out of his thoughts and jolted back to reality. His heart began to pound and his palms grew sweatier as the plane descended and hit the tarmac. The landing was so rough that he was sure had he not been buckled in, he would have went straight through the ceiling of the plane. Wow! What a nice welcome back, he thought.
After hours of standing in line to get a Visa, he headed for the baggage pick-up area. Not remembering a single word of Arabic he thought to himself Man I hope someone will be able to understand me well enough to get me to my dad’s house.
As soon as he spotted his bag and went to reach for it, a strange looking man grabbed it and began speaking to him in Arabic. The two went back and forth for a couple of minutes until Joe realized that the man wanted money. He fished around in his pocket and pulled out a wadded up dollar bill and handed it to the man. He then took his bag from the man’s hand with a smile.
"Thank you," he said politely, and then he turned and started down the long walk area toward the exit doors.
As he got closer to the doors, he stepped on his untied shoelace and nearly fell before luckily catching himself. He tossed his bag down on the floor and leaned down and tied it. With a deep, long breath he grabbed the bag, stood up and let out a huge sigh, and then out the airport door he went.
As soon as the air hit him in the face, the familiar smell of the dusty city caused the flood gates of his mind to open and all of his locked up memories began pouring out. Memories that had been safely locked away in an entry proof corner of his heart and mind. Memories that Joe himself had forgotten were locked away. He slung the faded, worn black duffel bag over his right shoulder.
Looking up he immediately found himself surrounded by a swarm of taxi cab drivers, like a swarm of bees all over a hive. It was obvious that he was a foreigner and they all wanted his business because foreigners paid whatever they were asked without an argument. What seemed like a million voices all at once and sounded like hundreds of bees buzzing, the men were all speaking to him in Arabic and he didn’t understand a single word of what they were saying.
Then from the center of the crowd of drivers emerged a young man about Joe’s age. His face was soft and friendly, and he smiled and asked Joe in English,
“Where can I take you?”
“Oh, thank God that someone speaks English!” Joe said as he dug deep into his left pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper with the address written on it.
“I need to go to Dokki, please.”
“No problem. Get in.” said the young man as he held the door open for Joe.
The young man’s face looked very familiar. Joe quietly wondered around in his mind searching for the answer. Do I know this guy? Is he someone I went to school with years ago? Was he one of my friends? He asked himself as they drove away from the airport.
Thank you very much for joining me today. I look forward to your comments and constructive criticism. Please don't forget to visit again next Monday. Until then, take care and have a safe and blessed week, and weekend. :)