The same storm that dumped snow on Jerusalem and Amman and even skiffed the Pyramids of Giza with a layer of white also affected us on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia, bringing a deep freeze. Stepping outside at 5 a.m. for a run in shorts and a tank top gave me goosebumps. I saw a kid wearing a fleece vest to school over his t-shirt. Another kid had his hands in his pockets, he was so cold. Dogs were barking -- some folks told me, hey, dogs bark all the time, but I was like, no clearly they're barking because they're cold. Several leaves fell off some trees, I think maybe, I can't prove it because I didn't see them but my gut tells me there are fewer leaves on some trees around town.
It's been pretty crazy, but it hasn't phased me. I'm no stranger to adverse weather. You could safely call me Familiar With Adverse Weather, or FWAW, or, if you want to give it a colloquial twist, just F-Wow. Once, I drove a huge white Buick 500 miles through the night on black ice. Whilst telling jokes over a walkie-talkie. Driving the massive automotive that night was like sailing tranquilly over a dark gloss of glassy sea that wanted to kill you. The Buick wasn't mine. It was Sarita's. I think she slept most of the night in the back seat. Thomas also seemed to be sleeping in the back seat, but later he confessed that he was simply closing his eyes, waiting to die.
Later, I got my very own Buick, but it wasn't as cool as Sarita's, plus I had to share it with my wife. Sometimes the whole "twain become one flesh" thing is a challenge.
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| This is what it felt like last week in Jeddah. Except 65 degrees warmer. |
Later, I got my very own Buick, but it wasn't as cool as Sarita's, plus I had to share it with my wife. Sometimes the whole "twain become one flesh" thing is a challenge.