Editors' note: To those of you who have enquired, the author is a real man living in the Middle East who sent us these pieces because he is unable to share them with anyone where he lives. At first we tried to tidy up the English, but that seemed to knock much of the soul out of his work. So we made the editorial choice to present his work basically as he sent it; what you are seeing is the result of that choice. It is the way he sees the world from his point of view, unobstructed by editors. Perhaps think of it more as a different kind of article, more as folk art but in words. It is not meant to offend anyone or any religion. It always seemed, living among people from different nations, as if wrongnesses in English were often "righter" than rightnesses. The painter Paul Gauguin reportedly said: "If you see a tree as blue, then make it blue." We apologize to anyone who may not like these postings. "Those who understand, understand."
Is Cold here, so am gets a Idea to read Books for Collect General Knowledge, but am not able do this as in Public Library is Soo expensive Membership and am can Not afford this. So am gets a Other Idea. Am Visit near the Children Public Library and meet with Library Incharge Lady there, go directly.
She look on me and say, Are you have money for Membership fee?
Because cannot wear neat and clean shirts.
No, Madam, am tell her, do not have.
So why you are come here? She say.
Yes Madam, I say, am come here for work, for Cleaning Job Work.
Allright, she say, I give you.
So, madam, I say, when am starts this?
From Now, she say. You comes Daily 7'O Clock on the morning and going 9'O Clock for the night. You cleans the Library two time, once before Opening Daily, and After Closing, Night.
Thank you Madam, I say, am do that.
So next day morning am going on Library for starts my work and thaughts, That Library are Soo Big, How Is I cleans all this? But am finishes nearly 9'O Clock so when Incharge Lady visit Library, say she is happy on my Work.
How old are your age? She is ask me.
Madam, I say, am the 14.
Soon a Lot of childrens comes to visits on the Library, some with Parents, some with Maids and Sirvents, So am sits in Great Hall of Library looking on the childrens who are come for reading the Books.
When Clock strike evening, Incharge Lady say, You may cleans this Library, and when Clock Strike Closing, you may Go Now and Tomorrow comes again.
So am do all these things how she is telling.
Next Morning, am not burdened on the work, have done so hardly last night. So when Incharge Lady visit all the library and checking for my Cleaning Work, she saying She is Happy on me. So am do the same like last Day, childrens comes with maids and sirvents and reading all the Books. But this day Incharge Lady call with me.
In which class you are reads, she say
No Madam, cannot read, I say.
You are same boy, she say, who come here Once for get membership but according to Library Rule we cannot issue membership?
Yes Madam, I say.
So you joining the Library so get the chance to read a Books, she say. May I right?
No Madam, I say, Yes Madam.
Allright, she say, from today you may lives here to the Library. I will gives you a Keys to My Room so when you finish your Work you may picks out your Book, goes there on the Room, and stays here also the night.
 (Image source: Bibliotheque Nationale) |
That day is a happy night.
So on evening, Incharge Lady handover a Keys on her Room and say, It is a My Room, there is all the important things in the Room, you may Use any Thing but I hopes you not able for Use my Shooes and dresses, and after this She laugh.
So I opens the Door and entering the Room. There is a Shooes Stand Full with Shooes that is Soo expensive, and a Wardrobe full with Ladys Dresses, and a nice and Comfortable Bed. Am happy see all this. So after completes the work, am picks out a Book, goes on the Room and starts for reading it. That day forgets to dinner am departed on my book.
Next day, after Incharge Lady checking work, Watch Man come out looking fear and Flurry on his face.
Here, he say are letter give for Incharge Lady, few Boys next door handover.
She take it, put up her Eyesight glasses for seeing, and Looking down on it. This, she say, are A Letter of Threat. This Letter say, You to Close the Library, if you do not do this we will attack on Library and Occupying it.
Then She call on Library Teacher, when she smile her teeth come flowing out. This Letter, Incharge Lady tell her are from Students living near on the Library in Islamic Institute with Madrassa. All studies there relating on Islam, nothing more.
Incharge Lady look in great Tenshion. She call with a Police person and telling him on the Letter of Threat. So next day Guard are standing out Side to the Door. Am do my Work as same before, but when Clock Strike dark, a wall of Men starts Moving On the Library. We can looks the cold whites off their breaths and sees they have holding thick Sticks and Rocks. They beats the Guard out Side the Door then Pulls apart the black Main Gate.
We are runs into the Incharge Room and Locking the Door from Inside. We can Listening the Men brake down the Main Door and starts to Distroying the Books Cubards tables Chairs and Toys.
The men then comes pounding at the Door on our Room, comes wrecking in, and begins on beating the Library Teacher, the Incharge lady and me. Other mens is looking on the SOO expensive shooes and Ladys dresses and trying them on or rending them for the floor.
One man are darking over me. Who are you? he say.
Am work here as the cleaner, I say.
He telling alie, other man say.
No, I say, am not telling alie.
Allright, First Man say, you dirty shirts telling us you are a sirvent so you may stand on that corner and keeps your hand up.
Am in high Pain so am do what he say with Out any Question.
The Incharge Lady and Library Teacher is
Still to the floor and men is beating so brutly with sticks Rocks Shooes Chairs and Books.
Am stand with hand up at Wall looking all this. After a Few while am say to Man who release me, Please Release the Incharge Lady and Library Teacher, please do not Beat.
He is stop, look on me, then is lift up a arm and hit me for the Kidney.
Am putting my hand on the Kidney Side and falling down to my knees infront for him.
He order me Then to Remove All your Shirts, so Removes them. Then he rend the Shirts in soo many peaces and using them to tight up the Incharge Lady and Library Teacher, Hands and Mouth and Feet. After this, men picks up Teacher and Incharge Lady from hairs and Legs and carrying them Out. Am still to the knees watching all that.
First Man then come over and say, You are like to Study?
Yes Sir, I say.
So you may Visit Tomorrow our Islamic School with Madrassa, he say. Now am leaves you because you are a Childs.
Then after this, he a Way.
Am sit a Lone in the Room with forever hours and when comes Out, every Thing are broken. Infront of the Gate, Guard man are gone and Police person standing. Please You may Go Now from here, police Person say, If you are investigated, then Court is asking you help find and identifying these boys and men. So you are Run.
All night am wondering the Roads and Streets in slicing Cold with Out a Shirts and Pain on Kidney high. Am burdened on the Library Teacher and Incharge Lady, Where are They?
At morning, am sitting a Lone on the streets when a man walk by who are say, Why you are sitting here and where are your Shirts?
I just quiet and Looking his Face.
He go inside a house and come backs with a Shirts.
He is say, Am just a sirvent here in this House, so please you are sits here and do not moves until am comes backs.
So am sits there how he is telling, keeping the Quiet and Looking the door.
After a few while, he is Open the door and say, I call in the Church after my Friend. He is picks you up and after this they will sent to you on your house.
Church, I say, Why.
You are Muslim, he say.
Yes, I say.
Am Christian, he say. So you wants to go Mosque instead of Church.
No, I say.
Allright, he say, have you eat?
Am then sitting in a Church and a man giveing me a Bunns then a Other man are come with Injection for Kidney Pain.
Why, he is saying, you are Coming here soo far from your Home?
For work, am tell him, and Reading Books for Collect General Knowledge. I gets job in the Library but Few mens attacks and beats me and brakes every Thing.
So you are in that Library Incidence, he say. You Lucky you Run a Way. Islamic School with Madrassa are now on a Holiday for this.
Two Ladies were in there with me, am tell him, You know Where are They?
Am hear these are a Hostages, he say. They in that Islamic School with Madrassa with the men who attacks. One Lady she not able to Speak, Sit, Walk for Torture, she now are Disable for Ever. The Library Teacher she not able to Speak. During Torture her Teeth are Brokened and her tongue are cut out.
Am want to go on my House, I am tell him.
Wait, he say, Will arrange this.
Am thaughts, Maybe childs play Ground are warmer to sleeping that Night.
This time, am say on my Self, in the name of Islam, Broke too much Hearts. Muslims give Pain on the name of Islam, Christian taking to Pain Free Environment and giving treatment on the name of Humanity. Islam alive but humanity are not.
Muslims Hate most The christians and jews Many do not use even Cups, Glass, and shake hand with christians and jews because Islam say to take a Way from Christian and jews. But Those Nations is work a lot to the well Fare on Man Kind. They are feel the Pain of Human or any Person. They Rewards Disabilities.
That night A Lot of childrens who is a regular member of the Library where is coming for Collect General Knowledge and getting a Education is Losing from the Library. May Be now is go to find a Library of Humanity where membership are free.
Hakim Haider is a (real) Muslim based in the Middle East.
