Today I was given a nick-name and it really made me think.
As I walked around the police station, going toward the entrance, I passed by the little guard shack. It was manned by an Iraqi Policeman who was sifting through some papers as he checked the people passing by. As I approached his station, I greeted him with the typical "salam," and put my right hand over my heart. He grinned from ear to ear, put his papers down and replied, "salam," and reached out to shake my hand.
Very enthusiastically, he said about two sentences in Arabic and then acted as though he expected a response. At this point, I was in trouble, as I was at the end of my Arabic and he was at the end of his English, but we were both seemingly very happy to see each other.
Since I was on my way to work, and I really knew not much else to say, I repeated, "salam," smiled and tried to make my way inside....
He was having none of that. He grabbed my hand, smiled even more and said a sentence again in Arabic. This was getting kind of awkward for me, but he seemed to be enjoying himself. Then he said, "salam, you say."
Puzzled, I complied and he laughed and said something else. About this time an interpreter was walking by and I heard him laughing. I asked the terp what the officer was saying and he told me that he had just given me the nick-name Salam because that is all I know how to say.
I turned to the police officer, shook his hand and said, "ismee Salam, shukran!" (my name is Salam, thank you!). Now he was the one with the puzzled look on his face and I was the one grinning as I walked into work.
We will see if it sticks.
Anyway, now that I think about it, it was his way of telling me that I was accepted around here. Brothers in arms really only give nicknames to guys they like or guys they think enough about to assign them a name of their own.
I guess sometimes they give nicknames to people they really despise, but that was not the body language he was conveying. He had seen me around, watched my interaction with people in the compound and made it a point to engage me.
Furthermore, they called me a friendly greeting name, and not something derogatory. One fellow here on the compound is nicknamed Abu Teese. Abu means father-of and Teese means butt. Basically he has a really big butt and they tell him that every time they call his name.
Semper Fi,
m aka, "Salam"
As I walked around the police station, going toward the entrance, I passed by the little guard shack. It was manned by an Iraqi Policeman who was sifting through some papers as he checked the people passing by. As I approached his station, I greeted him with the typical "salam," and put my right hand over my heart. He grinned from ear to ear, put his papers down and replied, "salam," and reached out to shake my hand.
Very enthusiastically, he said about two sentences in Arabic and then acted as though he expected a response. At this point, I was in trouble, as I was at the end of my Arabic and he was at the end of his English, but we were both seemingly very happy to see each other.
Since I was on my way to work, and I really knew not much else to say, I repeated, "salam," smiled and tried to make my way inside....
He was having none of that. He grabbed my hand, smiled even more and said a sentence again in Arabic. This was getting kind of awkward for me, but he seemed to be enjoying himself. Then he said, "salam, you say."
Puzzled, I complied and he laughed and said something else. About this time an interpreter was walking by and I heard him laughing. I asked the terp what the officer was saying and he told me that he had just given me the nick-name Salam because that is all I know how to say.
I turned to the police officer, shook his hand and said, "ismee Salam, shukran!" (my name is Salam, thank you!). Now he was the one with the puzzled look on his face and I was the one grinning as I walked into work.
We will see if it sticks.
Anyway, now that I think about it, it was his way of telling me that I was accepted around here. Brothers in arms really only give nicknames to guys they like or guys they think enough about to assign them a name of their own.
I guess sometimes they give nicknames to people they really despise, but that was not the body language he was conveying. He had seen me around, watched my interaction with people in the compound and made it a point to engage me.
Furthermore, they called me a friendly greeting name, and not something derogatory. One fellow here on the compound is nicknamed Abu Teese. Abu means father-of and Teese means butt. Basically he has a really big butt and they tell him that every time they call his name.
Semper Fi,
m aka, "Salam"
3 comments:
My nickname in 1969 was "Torch" because I always had a reliable cigarette lighter when most didn't. Poignant eh?! I'll be checking out your msgs closer & hopefully sending you packages to treat you guardians of my lifestyle.
Kokomo Craig
CRAIG!!! How have you been brother? I really appreciate you checking in here and posting your comment. Also thanks for your support. It keeps us pushing forward.
Semper Fi, brother!!!
m
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
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