Yeah….. We worked some….and we played some. But, that only tells part of the story of Sultan’s three week stay during the Christmas Break.

Christmastime on the Ranch

This was Sultan’s first ever Christmas. And, I can imagine that he was just as puzzled and bewildered about the holiday….and all its traditions and festivities….as I would be if I were to spend Ramadan in Saudi Arabia. Since I actively participate in most of these traditions and festivities….Sultan would have a first hand and intimate view of many of them. Since Christianity is a very welcoming and embracing….not to mention non-threatening….religion, Sultan was gladly accepted and included in the entire celebration of the season.

Almost unwittingly on my part, Sultan began his Christmas season experience almost immediately after he arrived. On or about the first day of December, I begin to listen almost exclusively to Christmas music. Christmas music is among my very favorite music. I could listen to it all year long, with absolutely no hint of boredom. Well….I say that, although I have never tried it. But, it is, in fact, music that I like very much. In the beginning, I am not sure Sultan even knew that it was Christmas music….although I am sure I told him at some point. He must have suspected, however. I am pretty sure that he never mistook it for rock and roll.

The Saturday before Christmas, we went to the mall. I didn’t want to buy anything….I just wanted him to see Santa Claus….in person. It is a sad fact of life that Santa, too, only works during regular business hours. He probably belongs to a Santa Claus union. At any rate, by the time we arrived at the mall….somewhere around 5:30 probably…..he had already packed up and gone home for the evening…..no doubt, all the way back to the North Pole. So….no real-life Santa. Oh well….maybe Sultan is a bit too old to believe in Santa Claus. (Although I was going to do my best to convince Sultan that he is real. Every kid needs to believe in Santa Claus….for a day, at least.)

Another of the rituals of the Christmas Season is the ubiquitous school Christmas program. Of course, they aren’t called Christmas programs any longer because they are part of the public schools….and because it seems to offend some narrow minded non-believers….(And probably not so much offends them as it does give them a chance to cause trouble.)…..and because our Constitution clearly separates Church and State….. Now they are called Winter Programs or something like that. But…let’s face it….they are Christmas programs.

During the twenty or so years that I taught in junior high school and elementary school, attending these programs….whatever they happened to be called at the time….was a “command performance”. In other words….I had no choice. That was deemed to be part of my job. So, with few other choices, I endured probably a total of twenty of these affairs. I doubt if you will find a lot of teachers who will use the word “enjoyed”…..because they are basically an ordeal. Herding the kids to the gym for practice….trying to maintain some sort of order while the young, restless, bored students sat through endless rehearsals until they “got it right”. And….in the end, the parents don’t know what is right….or what is wrong….and they couldn’t care less. They are only enthralled in seeing their little angel performing in front of an audience.

When I left classroom teaching and became the school counselor, one of the biggest perks was that I no longer had to go to the Christmas Programs…..and I didn’t. I did go to the high school program the year Oliver lived with me, because Oliver was in the high school band.

I never went to a program again until 2012, the first time Fayez stayed at my house. During the Christmas break of 2012 – 2013, Fayez and another student….a guy from China….stayed at my house. As part of my “cultural education” program, I decided that they might enjoy the program. Before the first song was completed, the Chinese kid had already fallen asleep. Yeah….I mean he had fallen sound asleep. Since he was sitting on the far side of Fayez, I couldn’t nudge him back awake. And, he was sleeping so gracefully, that we just let him sleep. He finally woke up when the program ended and everybody stood up to leave. I have to give Fayez some credit: He stayed awake for the entire program….even though he didn’t understand a single word that was being sung.

The second time I took Fayez, we went to the elementary school program. The program went on interminably. I fully expected to see the sun rising in the east when it finally came to an end….and we had to fight the crowd as they all rushed for the door. This Christmas, however, things seemed to be a little more under control. For one thing, Sultan and I went to the high school program….not the grade school program…. And, at least, the high school kids seem to be able to walk to and from the risers by themselves without a lot of adult supervision. The main problem this year was that the entire audience was seated in the bleachers….bleachers with no backs on them. Normally, rows of chairs are set up on the gym floor…..and if one gets there early enough, at least he has a back on his chair. When the program was over….and it was actually over in a reasonable amount of time….although no less boring than the programs that preceded it in years past….I was afraid I would not be able to stand up….let alone walk to the car. But, with Sultan’s help, I accomplished both of these tasks. When we reached the car, I asked Sultan what he thought. He just smiled. I don’t know if it was a smile of appreciation or a smile of relief that it was finally over.

About a week before Christmas we put up our Christmas trees. I don’t want to make this seems more impressive than it really was, though. I have two little Christmas trees, each about two feet tall…..artificial, of course. They are already fully decorated….stored away in plastic trash bags. Each Christmas….when I have guests around….we get the two trash bags out of the closet….take out the trees….set them on tables….and plug them in. This is how we put up our Christmas tree. Actually, it isn’t a very sentimental or nostalgic occasion. The entire operation from walking to the closet in the back bedroom to plugging the cord into an electrical outlet takes maybe five minutes. It is sort of instant Christmas decorating. However, as was the case with Fayez the first time he stayed here during the Christmas season, this was also the first time Sultan had seen a real Christmas tree…. He won’t have the nostalgic memory of adorning the tree with icicles and ornaments and roping….. We didn’t set out any cookies and milk on Christmas Eve….or hang any stockings (although I had considered that possibility)….. Santa Claus would have to go on a diet that night….

On Christmas Eve, my church…the First United Methodist Church in Topeka….always holds a service which starts at 11:00 P.M. and ends at the stroke of Midnight…..the start of Christmas Day. It is probably one of the few times that the church is packed…the other holiday being Easter Sunday. The service follows a traditional pattern of lessons and carols. In keeping with the Methodist custom, there is an abundance of music….much of it sang by the congregation. The service ends with the singing of Silent Night. The sanctuary is darkened, and one by one candles are lit by passing the flame down pew person to person. At the conclusion of the song, the lights are turned on, and the people go out into the Christmas night with the playing of Joy to the World by the pipe organ…..and bells chiming into the night air on the outside.

Here again…..I doubt if Sultan understood much of what was happening….but he did enjoy the beautiful Christmas hymns. And, I think he may have been just a little impressed by the candle lighting ceremony.

For me, one of my post-Christmas service rituals is to drive down Wanamaker Street…arguably the busiest street in Topeka….before returning home. I am sure this is the only night of the year when this street is eerily void of traffic… “Not a person was stirring….not even a mouse.”

Christmas Day dawned dark, dreary and rainy. Sort of a miserable day. I played Santa Claus and gave Sultan his Christmas gift. Again….I am not really sure he understood why he was getting a gift. But, I explained to him the best I could that it is a custom to give gifts at Christmas time. Of course, I did not receive a gift from Sultan. He had no clue about this tradition. Maybe next year he will remember….right, Sultan? Anyway, just having Sultan visit was a sufficient gift for me.

For the past several years, I have eaten Christmas Dinner….Christmas lunch, actually….at my friend Sam’s house. A I have said on previous occasions, eating at Sam’s house is always a culinary adventure. Both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are “traditional” insofar as the food served. There is almost always chicken or turkey, potatoes, salad, vegetables….. But, what is different is the unique manner in which they are prepared. There is always a new twist….a secret ingredient….or two…or three. Who knows? Maybe these are the original ingredients that the Pilgrim mothers used in those first mythical Thanksgiving meals. Perhaps the first settlers brought these spices or herbs with them…..or maybe the Indian women passed on the secret over a cup of English tea. Whatever…. But I can bet that the Indians liked the food so much they kept showing up on a regular basis for more. They would have if they had eaten at Sam’s.

I am always pleased to note that Sam uses the same coffee that I do….the kind that comes in the little individual tubes. And….for the few people who do not already know…. In the words of Richard Nixon, “I am not a cook!”

We can’t leave Christmas dinner at Sam’s without mentioning the cookies. Those delicious chocolate chip cookies….with an ample supply of pecans thrown in. They are the first thing we spot as we walk into his apartment…..and when we leave, we are carrying them home with us is a plastic bag… A gift from Sam, of course.

On a nice Christmas Day, before we headed back for the ranch, we would go for a short walk at Lake Shawnee or perhaps the Governor’s Mansion. But this year when it was time to leave, the rain was still pouring down steadily….so we just went home…..Full and content.

The high point of any Christmas season is always the events and activities that we so closely associate with the holiday. “Jesus is the reason…..” The Gold Medal.

On the Road Again…….

Winning the silver medal this year, was the trip Sultan and I took to my hometown…and the haunts of my youth…..Lyons, Sterling and Hutchinson. Both Sultan and I agree that this was a memorable and fun trip. I always think it is fun to show my guests where I lived….grew up….went to high school….to college… The site of my first job….where I hung out on weekends…. But I always run the risk that visiting these places is going to be a lot more fun and interesting for me than it will be for whomever is with me.

Our first stop was Lyons. Actually none of places of my childhood are still standing. The house we lived in is long gone….and the land has been developed into an entire neighborhood. My old grade school still has the same name….but it has disappeared in favor of a modern building. The junior high school building burned down years ago….and only a vacant lot stands were it used to be. The movie theater, the Duckwalls Store, the malt shop….all ancient history now. The library where I checked out all the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books has been converted into a museum. Of course, the court house is still standing in the center of the square…slightly refurbished, but still standing. The town is still “Lyons”….but not the same Lyons I in which I grew up several decades ago.

 

 

 

The same situation is true of Sterling….my co-home town. The house where we lived on West Washington is gone….and the large lot we owned has been subdivided and has several new buildings. The hospital, which was almost directly across the street from us, was long ago converted into the art department for Sterling College. The ancient high school building that I attended my freshman thru junior years is now the site of the United Presbyterian Church…..the church I used to attend during my college years. Even the high school where I graduated is only a shadow of itself. Only the front facade is recognizable….the building have been expanded several times over the years.

Sterling College is still there, of course. But, it, too, has been expanded. Most of the old original buildings where I had classes have been re purposed….new buildings have been added. Downtown is no longer the quaint collection of storefronts, but has been transformed into a more modern, sleek little town. The original Dillon store where I worked all through high school and college has been closed and a modern store has been built across the street, built in the modern “Dillon” style. I have always thought it was a shame for Dillon’s to so consciously and willingly destroy a significant piece of their history. But….Dillon’s is not a charitable organization…. It is a business intent on making money.

Sterling Lake is still there. At least, it hasn’t been filled in to make room for “progress”. Sterling Lake was our hangout during the long hot summers….. A spot where one could go swimming….or have a picnic….or go for a stroll…. It was the site where the big Fourth of July celebrations were held….. And, it still is. Improvements have been made over the years….amenities added…. A walking path that circles the lake has been constructed….. But, it is still Sterling Lake. Sterling Lake was memorialized back in 1955 when Hollywood came to town. The award winning movie “Picnic” was partially filmed there, using the lake as a backdrop. Kim Novack, Rosiland Russel, William Holden all came to town and dazzled us local yokals with their glamor for a few days. A few lucky residents even appeared in some of the beach scenes….. Although I was not one of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our final destination for the day, however, was Hutchinson. Hutchinson was our “big city”…..our “Topeka”…..when I was growing up. I has also changed remarkably. But, the changes are simply too overwhelming to even start on.

And….anyway, it wasn’t one of my hometowns….only our shopping and entertainment capital. I did, however, teach in Hutchinson for a year and a half back in 1961-1962. I had resigned from my job as teacher at Fairplay School up north of Lyons after one year because the selective service was breathing down my back….and I expected an imminent, urgent invitation from them to join their little social organization….called the U.S. Army. The summons had not arrived by mid-summer. The job at Prosperity School became available. I do not remember how I found about the job…..but I did. I applied for the position….and they hired me.

My job was to teach seventh and eights grades…..coach track, coach softball, and coach basketball. Actually, this job was a big step upward from the job at Fairplay. I only had to prepares lessons for two grades….not four grades. That more or less cut down my daily preparations from twenty-four preparations to ONLY twelve preparations. Plus the fact there were three other teachers to talk to….two rather full time cooks….a custodian…and a part-time music teacher. Plus….It was located just a couple miles north of Hutchinson in a suburban setting…..and not eight miles out in the boondocks.

During the year and a half that I taught at Prosperity School, I lived in three different places….all of which were in very cramped quarters. But, at least, I didn’t have to drive twenty miles to work each morning. Today, when I look for these three houses……I cannot remember where even one of them is (or was) located. It is just as well, I suppose. I do recall, however, that the second house I lived in was quite near the home of Ray Dillon…..then the president of the Dillon corporation.

So far, it had not been a very exciting trip. Maybe things would pick up a bit in Hutchinson. They did….I suppose. We approached Hutch from the north, driving south on Plum Street. We passed by Prosperity School…..now located well within the populated area of the city. When the comprehensive school consolidation took place in the mid-1960’s, Prosperity School became part of the Buhler school district….not the Hutchinson school district. It has long since closed….as part of cost cutting measures taken by the school district, I suppose. There is a For Sale sign posted in front of the building. It has been sitting vacant since it was closed…..just waiting for a buyer, I suppose.

We checked into the Days Inn Motel….located between 11^th and 17^th Streets. After eating supper at a buffet across 17^th Street, we spent the remainder of the evening at the Grand Slam Bar…..located in the motel next door to ours. It was still basketball season, and we watched K.U. play…somebody….as we sat and talked.

Wednesday morning, December 23^rd, we ate breakfast and then drove to our first major tourist destination in Hutchinson……Strataca….The Kansas Underground Salt Museum. The museum is located in a portion of what used to be the old Carey Salt Mine. It is abandoned now….all the salt having been removed from it…..leaving vast underground caverns made entirely of salt. Salt walls, salt ceiling, salt floors…. In fact, everywhere you look….there is salt. Of course, there is no vegetation anywhere to be seen. The city of Hutchinson…..or some enterprising organization…..has converted a huge area into a museum. One thing we can be sure of…..there is no lack of space for the exhibits. There are several exhibits of the geology, the chemistry and the uses of the salt…..

Everybody was loaded onto a train….and we set off to explore the mine. Aside from the scientific explanations….and there are plenty of them….there are abundant displays of the machinery that is used….or has been used….in the extraction of the salt. The mining of salt is a laborious job…..not to mention dangerous. Charges of dynamite are used to free the salt from the walls. This task is accomplished at the end of the work day by highly trained and skilled workers. By the time the workers arrive at work following morning, the dust has settled….and the salt is ready to be transported to the processing phase….where the salt is transformed into a usable form.

All of the machinery and all of the vehicles which have ever been used in the salt mine are still in the salt mine. Once they are taken down into the mine…..they never return to sunshine. The big machinery is partially or completely dismantled in order to fit onto the elevators descending into the mine where they are reassembled. It is far too expensive and unprofitable to repeat the process to return them to the top of the mine. They are used until they are no longer serviceable….and then stashed somewhere in an empty part of the mine.

While all the technical exhibits are interesting and informative….and I do not even begin to claim I have a mechanical or scientific mind…..the exhibits that I found to be the most fascinating where the commercial items which are stored in the mine. Since the temperature remain constant at around 65 degrees….and there is virtually no humidity….and since it is fireproof…. it provides an excellent place to store historical artifacts with no worry about deterioration. Thus, the salt mine is a major repository which many companies use to store historical merchandise. Among other things stored in the salt mine are thousands of reels of Hollywood films….thousands of tapes and films of TV programming…..documents from major corporations…..memorabilia from major movies and TV programs…..printed material from major publishing companies…an original UNIVAC computer, so large that it would occupy almost an entire room…. While touring the Underground Salt Museum, it is possible to also receive a pretty good history lesson, too.

Aside from all the educational and commercial functions which is obviously the main purpose of the museum, it is also widely used for other functions. For example, it is a popular venue for banquets, wedding receptions….even marriages…., reunions and parties. Think how great it would be to tell your grandchildren that you were married in a salt mine. Probably not many couples would be able to say that….or maybe even want to say that. There is a dinner theater held in the salt mine in a theater specially built for that purpose. The Boy Scouts use it on a regular basis for campouts and jamborees. What fun that must be.

The Scouts just have to hope the electricity doesn’t go out! If there would ever be a power failure…..the mine is left in total darkness. And, I mean TOTAL darkness. While riding the tram through the mine, the driver stops and the power is turned off. While the power is off for only a few minutes, it is long enough to realize that total darkness….the complete absence of light…..can be very disorienting….and very disturbing. For me, at least, it is about as close to being plunged into “nothingness” as is possible. Maybe this was what it was like before God said, “Let there be light!” It is an interesting experience….but only for a short time.

Back on the surface of the earth, in the beautiful March sunlight, our next destination was the Kansas Cosmosphere…..perhaps the most popular and famous attraction Hutchinson has to offer….if you subtract the Kansas State Fair. The Cosmosphere, for those of you who are not familiar with it, is a museum and exhibition center devoted to the exploration of space.

It seems that I have visited this place so many times that they should probably hire me as a tour guide. And, I have probably spent enough money on admission tickets to retire rather comfortably to a tropical island somewhere. The first time I went….many, many year ago….it was new, interesting, maybe even fascinating in its own novel way. The second visit was also rather entertaining, as well. But….after that….the tenth, eleventh, twelfth….. Well, the novelty quickly faded away, and the exhibits were not quite so compelling. But, for a person who has never been there before….and especially for somebody who is interested in science….it is a real treat to look at the authentic….real life….space artifacts…..and a ton of original space memorabilia.

There are vehicles that actually landed on the moon…..drove on the moon….left their tire tracks on the moon. There are a bunch of space capsules that have been launched into space….circled the earth….and returned to earth safely…..with the burn marks from re-entry still very much visible on their surfaces. Among the most interesting of the exhibits….to me, at least…..is the original Sputnik, the space craft that the Russians sent into space…..thus starting the so called “space race”……launched by President Kennedy….mostly as a face-saving public relations campaign. But, in the end, this splashy beginning….this attempt to mask our embarrassment….this effort to put a bold face on our injured pride…. All of it was taken up by subsequent Presidents, and eventually the U.S.A. did become the undisputed leader in space exploration.

The scientific aspect of most of the exhibits sort of leave me behind. I do not have a very scientific brain! I do, however, recognize the importance of all the various spacecraft and vehicles and machines…. They are not only historically important, but they are also very significant in explaining why our nation dominated space travel and space exploration for so long…..paving the way for the contributions of several other nations in more recent years. And, I always hope that they will impress my exchange students and my long-term guests.

There are some interactive exhibits in which the people are free to participate. My favorite interactive exhibit is an infra red body camera….I suppose that is what it called. If a person stands in front of it….it will almost instantly measure or “read” the temperature of your entire body. It is rather interesting to see which parts of your body are hot….and which parts are cool.

Sultan and I wandered around the museum for a while, checking out the various exhibits and artifacts. Part of the museum was closed for renovation…..thank Heavens!….for me, anyway. I think the average person eventually reaches a saturation point when it comes to looking at stuff like this. My saturation point comes progressively sooner and sooner with each repeated visit. My feeling about spacecraft is much like it is with many other things: After I have seen the first dozen of them….I have seen them all.

As we left the Cosmosphere, I asked Sultan if he enjoyed it. Of course, he smiled said he did. (Surprise, surprise!) A few days later, I asked him what his favorite part of the trip was, and he admitted that he liked the Salt Museum the best… I can understand this. For one thing, the Salt Museum is more of a novelty….there is a bigger of variety of exhibits….there is the train ride….. But, a trip to the Kansas Cosmosphere is a worthwhile stop when visiting Hutchinson.

The sun was still shining brightly when we left the Cosmosphere….still a few hours from supper time. What better time to visit Hutchinson’s one and only Dairy Queen. It has moved from its downtown location where it was situated for decades….dating as far back as my high school and college days. But you can’t stop progress, I suppose. The old Dairy Queen was strictly a drive-up or walk-up little store….open only in the warm months of the year. Nobody wants to stand in line any more. However, with the help of the Internet, we located the new one……located several blocks on Main Street.

After a couple hours of standing at the Cosmosphere….and remember, nobody likes to stand….it was comforting to treat ourselves to a delicious Blizzard….and sit down and relax for a while. As we were ordering, I had to explain to Sultan what the menu said. He had not learned enough English to recognize many of the specialized words on the menu. The girl who was taking our order asked Sultan where he was from. Sultan told her that his home is in Saudi Arabia…..that he in was studying English in Oklahoma City.

“Oh,” she said, her face brightening. “We have a person here who also speaks Arabic.” Later the guy came to our table and introduced himself. He was obviously the owner of the Dairy Queen. Sultan and he exchanged a few words in Arabic. And, before we left, I told Sultan that it would be nice if he would go and say good-bye to the guy…..and maybe give him an opportunity to speak some Arabic. Sultan did this willingly….but he returned much sooner than I had expected. So….I suspect that very few words were exchanged. I suppose I didn’t really expect them to engage in a lengthy, intimate conversation. But….I thought it was a nice gesture.

We visited the Hutchinson Public Library where my second cousin is the children’s librarian. She was rather shocked to see us. I suppose it is not a daily occurrence that one of her cousins that she sees only once a year at the Kansas State Fair suddenly and without any warning drops by. However, I introduced her to Sultan, and we had a brief, but very pleasant, conversation. And then we moved on, leaving her to do more important things.

We ate our supper at the Mexican Buffet on South Main. I really don’t recall how or why we started going to this place. I can imagine that Fayez wanted to go there the first time he came up and went to the State Fair with me. Anyway, it became one of his favorite places to eat….and it seems we have always gone back. Actually, it is a popular place. Anyway, there are always a lot of people there. But, in my opinion…the food is really not that good. But, on the other hand…..what do I know? Mexican food is not one of my favorite foods, so maybe this place is world class….and I simply don’t recognize it.

As I usually do when I am in Hutchinson, we capped off the evening by sitting in the Grand Slam Bar where I am sure there was another basketball game playing on the TV. It is a sports bar, after all. I like this bar because it appears to be safe….it is located in a hotel; it is clean and spacious; it is a place where a person can go and spend the evening and not have to worry about overstaying his welcome; there is enough background noise that we can talk and not be overheard…..but (usually) not so noisy that it still easy to carry on a conversation.

One time Fayez went there at night. After a while, we noticed that we were the only people left in the bar. “What time do you close?” we asked the girl.

“Oh….don’t worry about it. Stay as long as you want,” she told us. We left a short time later…..and we noticed that as soon as we reached our car, she had already turned off the lights. We felt rather bad….. But, business is business, I suppose. We did leave her a generous tip!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rest of the Story……

Christmas and the trip out to Central Kansas were no doubt the two major events of the Christmas Break. But…..the fun was only beginning. The days were filled with merriment and laughter.

Ice Skating

Out of the wild blue yonder one day, Sultan asked he if could go ice skating. I wasn’t sure I had heard him correctly. They go ice skating on the desert? Now…there is a novel idea. That would be analogous to having camel races at the North Pole. After I made sure I had heard him correctly….and questions like “Do they go ice skating in Saudi Arabia?” and “Do you know how to ice skate?” and “Have you ever been ice skating before?” and “Where did you learn to ice skate?”……Sultan told me that there had been an ice skating rink in a hotel where he and his sister had stayed…..in Dubai, I think.

Sultan claimed that he was pretty good at ice skating. He had learned how to skate in Dubai….and had become very proficient…..if not a semi-pro. How was I to know any different? I mean….Sultan is a very good athletic….and he seems adaptable to almost any sport, I suppose.

Well….much to his delight, I told him that there was indeed an ice skating rink in Topeka…..and I would check to see if it was open to the public…..and, if so….when was it open. Lucky Sultan. The ice rink was open to public skating on the Saturday following Christmas. We immediately made plans to go there. We showed up promptly at 12:30….the appointed hour. After some problems with the shoes….which can be rented on the spot….Sultan made his way out onto the ice.

I stood for a few minutes as I watched him attempt to navigate his way around the ice rink. I could sense almost immediately that there was a problem. Soon he can “limping” back to the lobby where I was waiting. There seemed to be a problem with the shoes. They exchanged the shoes for him….. Soon he was back on the ice…..rather slowly skating his way around the arena….staying very close to the outer walls…..and occasionally using them for support. After a couple revolutions, he seemed to be doing well enough…. So I went up into the seating area where I could sit and send some text messages…..and wave at him and take some pictures each time he passed by.

Sultan never fell down….at least when I was looking. On the other hand, I never saw him doing fancy “figure 8’s” or leaping into the air….or spinning around in dizzying circles.. Yeah…..I rather doubt if he is quite ready for the Saudi Arabian Olympic Team…but he had fun….and that was what was important. But….on the other hand….maybe he could have qualified for the Saudi Arabian team. I doubt if anybody else ever tried out.

Rummy

Maybe I made a mistake…..but probably not. I taught Sultan to play rummy. Most of you people know how to play rummy. It is one of the “basic” card games. This game is not bridge….or poker…..or canasta…. In so far as I know, it has never been considered as one of the “brainy” card games. Yeah….it requires some skill and concentration. But, more than anything else, it requires a great deal of luck. If you don’t draw the right cards, you can have all the skill in the world…but it isn’t going to do you much good! Like most games, Sultan was very serious about playing rummy.

While I was teaching him to play, the winner was simply the first one to run out of cards. This really isn’t a very valid way to keep score…..I mean this really IS mostly luck. And, it was not because Sultan was beating me. But, I soon taught him to play be the correct rules…..Total Points. Playing the correct way…..by keeping track of total points…..requires a bit more time…..and it also requires using a little bit of strategy….and it requires a little bit of risk…..and a little bit of nerve.

If you would ask Sultan how he did…..he will probably tell you he won every game. But….Not true!! In the very beginning, he will have to admit that I gave him a great deal of advice….corrected his mistakes…..answered his questions….let him change his mind…… Yes….I could have been a bad guy and leave him completely on his own. But….as you know….I am nicer than that. That would have been like me playing basketball against Michael Jordan! That’s my side of the story….and I am sticking to it!

On any given night, the number of wins was almost equal! I kept the score sheets for a while…..but unfortunately I threw them away. Now I have no proof. But, playing rummy is a fun way to wile away the time on a cold night. It is sort of a waste of time….. But, we had plenty of time to waste…. So let’s just say it was fun…..although Sultan’s memory is probably a little bit fuzzy when he tries to recall how many games he won.

Where Shall We Eat Tonight? ……

Meals were always a point of discussion…. Many times Sultan prepared our evening meal. And, if he ever decides not to become a doctor….I can certify that he will make an excellent chef! The things that Sultan can do with a couple pieces of chicken, a few vegetables and some rice is remarkable. In just a few short minutes, he can transform them into them into a tasty, delicious treat. I can imagine that some poor chicken might consider it an honor to give his life to become part of such a delightful feast.

And, Sultan….just like me….is learning that washing a bunch of dirty dishes can take the fun out of preparing any sort of meal. He has learned the skill….or perhaps it is really an “art”…..of putting as many ingredients as possible into one skillet or one pan….sort of skipping the “middle man”. And, the fact that we consistently use paper plates makes the meal…..and the resulting clean up….a real pleasure.

During his sojourn at my house, I added a new “dish” to my repertoire of food I am able to prepare…..along with the chili, the burritos….and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I can now make homemade pizza! I still need to refine my skills a little bit….do a little more experimenting…..maybe add a few innovative touches here and there….. But, nevertheless, I made some pizza. Along with the able assistance of Sultan, of course. The end product was certainly edible….maybe even bordering on the periphery of being delicious. Oh…to be sure, I bought the pizza crust already made at WalMart. But, I did the remainder of the work…..the part that makes it pizza.

We had only one culinary disaster. And, I will take the credit….or blame for it. Let me immediately point out that I followed the recipe to the letter. My major mistake was in not thinking of the consequences of the finished product…..or of the implications of the ingredients in the finished product.

Our friend Sam gave us some pecans when we ate lunch with him on Christmas Day. He has given us pecans every year for the past few years…..and we simply ate them. Pecans are delicious, if you haven’t tasted them. This year, however, I decided that we should really put them to good use. Why not bake a pecan pie? Come on now…..even you have to admit that is a rather good idea.

I searched the Internet for a simple recipe for pecan pie…..and there are lots of them available. After settling for a recipe that appeared to be something within my range of gourmet abilities, we picked up the ingredients at WalMart….and waited for an opportunity to bake the pie. The opportunity came soon….one of those cold nights when we were at home with nothing better to do. We confidently assembled all the ingredients….all the spices, the eggs, the milk…..and the sugar….Brown Sugar. Mixing all this stuff together went pretty well. I think we were rather proud of ourselves as we put the pie into the oven to bake.

There were two major factors that turned this sweet project “sour”. After we put the pie into the oven to bake…..for probably 35 or 40 minutes…..we immediately became occupied doing something else…… Maybe playing rummy. At the end of the time…whatever it was….we went to check on the pie. It was immediately obvious that we had left it in the oven too long. It wasn’t exactly burnt…..but I was by all means “over done”…. And, there was the obvious odor of burnt sugar…..burnt brown sugar.

For me, this was not a serious problem…..and probably wouldn’t be for most people. Aren’t most people accustomed to eating burnt toast…burnt pizza….burnt cookies….burnt hamburgers….. sometime in their life? So….no….this was not not a major problem for me. Certainly no reason not to eat the pie. But…..to Sultan? He took one whiff of the smell….and instantly decreed that he would not eat it! I am not even sure he even bothered to taste it…..either then or when it eventually cooled off.

The problem of the slightly burnt taste was not an insurmountable obstacle for me. I will eat almost anything that looks like it might be edible…..unfortunately. What I had not taken into consideration was the vast amounts of sugar the pie contained. In fact, I think we can safely say that the main ingredient was…..brown sugar. The fact of the matter is…..I generally do not eat sugar….or anything that contains a significant amount of sugar. It was been years, for example, since I have eaten any dessert with my meals. I do not put sugar on my cereal….or in coffee….or tea….. I simply do not eat sugar.

I rather conflicted. Since Sultan refused to eat any of the pie….there seemed to be only two viable options remaining: throw it away…..or eat the pie myself. When I say I was conflicted…well, that probably was not true. I simply decided to eat the pie by myself….rather than throw it away and waste all those ingredients….and waste all the time it took to make the pie.

Of course, I didn’t eat the entire pie that night…..or even the next day. Give me some credit. I do have a little bit of common sense. But….it did disappear slowly, but surely, over the next few days. It has been years….and I mean a couple decades….since I have indulged to any extent in eating anything that contains a large amount of sugar. And, now, in the space of just a few days, I had eaten about two cups of sugar…..My body probably was probably in a state of shock wondering what the heck was going on. For the next few days, I felt light-headed….unsteady on my feet….short of breath….just sort of “out of it”. I knew almost instinctively that somehow the problem must be somehow related to the sugar.

It was a lesson….and an irresponsible lesson, on my part….learned the hard way. But…I am not going to let Sultan off the hook so easily! If he would have eaten his fair share of the pie…..I would have only eaten ONE cup of brown sugar. At any rate, that will be the end of my pie making efforts for quite a while to come.

We ate out quite a few time, though. That saved us the hassle of buying and preparing the food. Northeast Kansas is not the culinary capital of the nation…..but we do have a variety of interesting and appetizing places to eat. And, we probably covered them all….from the fake…but expensive….Italian food at Olive Garden to the most delicious ice cream ever made….Dairy Queen. One of our favorite places to eat is the Golden Corral. It has a wide variety of well-prepared food…..and we feel free to sit and talk for as long as we want. We also visited China Pavilion….arguably the best Chinese restaurant in Topeka. Along with Sam, we also ate at the Globe Restaurant….which serves delicious Indian food….and also the Airport Cafe at Billard Airport. If you have never been there….try it….you’ll like it. All of these places are buffet….all you can eat places. And, all of them are friendly establishments where you are free to sit and visit without being made to feel “unwelcome”.

On Sunday it is our custom to eat at the Aladdin Restaurant in Lawrence. It is a Lebanese restaurant which serves buffet style for its Sunday lunch. In Hutchinson, one of our favorite places to eat is the Mexican Buffet on South Main Street. It is a popular place for the residents of Hutch….and it is also an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant. I don’t know….it is really nothing special…..but a lot of people seem to go back time after time….including us!

And…..there is always our favorite bar….Terry’s Bar and Grill. We really don’t eat our meals there very often….although it has happened before. But each time we go there, we always feel obligated to order some sort of food….mostly to justify the two or three hours that we spend there. They do serve delicious, well-prepared food, however….and you probably can’t go wrong by eating there. If you only want a snack….order the nachos with cheese. They are yummy.

Let is Snow….Let it Snow…..Let it Snow…..

Having been born in the desert…..and probably having lived in a tent with an oasis right outside the tent flap….with camels….and sheep, of course…. grazing peacefully on the lush grass surrounding the oasis…..and having to endure desert sand storms like we brave blizzards….. Snow was a novelty to Sultan. It is a phenomenon that he seemed to enjoy….much more than the typical Kansan….. And, certainly much more than I do.

Depending on how you want to look at it….and from Sultan’s viewpoint it was delightful…..we were blessed with a healthy covering of snow during the Christmas season. We took many opportunities to go “play” in the snow…..if play is the proper word to use.

It was very cold when it snowed……and the snow flakes fell gently…..but steadily for several hours…..covering the ground with a soft, powdery layer of white. The temperature remained well below freezing….and the snow fell as a soft….but “dry”….flakes.

Most kids do not like this kind of snow…..because the snow is too “dry” to pack into snowballs…..or to roll into bigger balls to make snow men. It just isn’t a lot of fun. The most a person can do is pick up the powdery cold stuff and throw it at somebody. But, even then, the flakes are so cold that they usually just blow away in the wind.

This was the general situation Sultan and I faced. Our dream of building a snowman was ironically an “impossible dream” because the snow was too “cold”. On the other hand, this fact probably worked out well for me…..because I really had no desire to engage in any sort of close combat…..such as having a snowball fight! Predictably enough, this didn’t prevent Sultan from picking up handfuls of snow and attempting to throw it at me….. But, it was a futile effort on his part. The snow simply disappeared into the air…..with probably more of it blowing back into his face than into mine.

Sultan had fun lying down in the snow…..and making snow angels. The snow was perfect for that. That is probably the only way Sultan will ever come close to being an “angel”…..so I encouraged him to take full advantage of the situation. As for me….well, what can I say? In the first place….if I had gotten down on the ground…..I probably would have never been able to get back up again. I suppose Sultan may have helped me….but not until after he showered me with snow! So, I left the fun to him….and I contented myself with taking pictures…..and laughing.

Yeah……the snow was a novelty to Sultan. When the weather forecast predicted snow….he was excited and could hardly contain his excitement while we waited for the flakes to start falling from the sky. I had told him…..just like I told Fayez…..that, Yes, at first the snow would be fun and enjoyable……a unique diversion….a new experience. But…..all those feelings would fade rather quickly. Soon the “new” would wear off….and snow would become only a cold, wet, messy substance. The recognition came to Fayez rather soon….within hours, in fact! With Sultan…. It probably took about a day….or maybe two days. And, then, like most sane people….enough was enough. Snow, snow….go away……and Stay away!

But for a few brief hours, we had fun in the snow. It was different….a anomaly to be savored….a circumstance to be enjoyed….a circumstance to be experienced. Then….reality steps in. Snow is snow…..and it is cold; it is messy; is can be dangerous. Snow is snow….let it go.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Sultan’s visit come to an end all too quickly. Somehow I was under the impression that his semester break would last until the middle of January….like almost every college and university in the nation. But….unfortunately, the next term of his language school started on the first Monday in January. Instead of staying for five weeks….he was only able to stay for three weeks.

On Sunday, January 2, we loaded his stuff into my car…..and we took off for Oklahoma City. The language school had located a private home where Sultan could live. I was not at all looking forward to driving in the city. Driving in strange cities is something I gave up many years ago. The woman who owned the house where Sultan was going to stay agreed to meet us at a McDonalds located just off I-35. This was something I thought I could handle.

It was sort of a bittersweet occasion. Having Sultan stay in my house for three weeks was a true delight…..and I knew I would miss him. But….there is always Skype….good old Skype. And, there are always other vacations and breaks when he will be coming back to my house.

We found the McDonalds with no problem. It was an easy and convenient place to meet his new host. Sultan moved him suitcase from my car to the woman’s car….along with various other stuff.

“Don’t forget to take the cookies,” I told him. Sam had given us a few dozen chocolate chip cookies with pecans in them. They were delicious. I knew that if I kept them…. Well…I would eat them! And, eat them quickly! So, I gave them to Sultan…..who accepted them gladly. Now….at the moment of truth, he was too embarrassed to take the cookies with him. So, they remained in the back seat of my car……just more sugar…that I didn’t need…..for me to eat.

I waved good-bye to Sultan…..and I started back home immediately…..and drove as far as a town called Perry, OK., where I stopped to spend the night. Early in the evening, my cell phone rang. It was Sultan. “Did you find my cell phone charger?” he asked. “I either left it in your car, or I left it at your house.”

I told him I would check the car and let him know. I did a search of the car….in all of the obvious place: the glove compartment, the side door compartments, between the seats, the floor…. No cell phone charger. I called him back. “I didn’t find your cell phone charger, but I will check as soon as I get back home”.

The next morning when I was putting my suitcase and laptop into the car, I saw the sack containing the cookies. A light went off in my brain immediately! Oh wow! I bet his cell phone changer is in that sack with the cookies. Sure enough! There it was….in the sack of cookies that Sultan was too embarrassed to take with him. “Should have taken the cookies, Sultan!” I texted him the good news…..and continued on home…..Alone….but with pleasant memories of a great visit.