For the Sake of Good Health

I was waiting for a Skype call tonight and when it did not come on time, I left the Jesuit Center for an important errand. I have received word that many parishioners have been laid low by the flu. It makes sense because children are back in school and the full work force has returned, but I am particularly susceptible as my immune system is strengthening and I am shaking at least 1,000 hands each weekend. Besides that, lots of people lick or bite my fingers as I give them communion.

So my errand was to find cotton gloves to wear. I gave up on finding men’s gloves that will do, but I have noticed that many covered Muslim women, especially the ninja, will wear gloves.

I walked up to Jebel Hussein and went into this one mall. It was the first time I was there. I was kind of shocked when I began looking around because many of the stores were like a risqué version of Victoria’s secret. I found it ironic that entirely covered women were behind the counters; not only that, many covered women were shopping in the stores. It makes me wonder about appearances and practices.

I brought a glove that I bought a week ago in one of the downtown stores. I was told that these gloves do not exist in Jordan, but I see the covered women wearing them all the time. I overpaid for them, but I needed to carry them with me to show people what I am looking for.

I counted that I asked 44 times if a store carried the gloves. Only six stores said “yes” but they were the same size as the tiny glove that I had. They were happy because they said it was a “free” glove until I tried walking out of the store with it. Then I told them they meant “one size fits all” and they were happy. Sadly, I could not buy any of them because my hands can’t fit into them.

I went to a respectable shop that was recommended by a few women. They had lots of accessories so I thought I would find something there. Nothing.

I walked into the lingerie conglomeration of stores and I went into this one risqué place and asked them. They had lycra gloves that expand to find any hand, and they were long and filled with sequins and other designs. I just could not bring myself to buy a pair. I would have been laughed out of church.

I was also cognizant that Jordan was playing Uzbekistan in soccer for a World Cup qualifier. Not a single person could pronounce Uzbekistan, but all the televisions were on and everyone sat with their backs to the TV sets.

Jordan won 4-3 and the city broke out in shouts and horn blasts. People walked back and forth and cars stopped in the middle of the road. Loud shouts were all around and I decided that I had to get under cover because it did not take long before the gun were fired into the air. The problem is the bullets have to land so I found cover right away. I was surprised that the police did not migrate to the sound of the shots. It will be a long night because this is the first time that Jordan has ever qualified.

I gave up in search for the gloves and headed home. I realized that I will be done in by the germs this year. I was almost home. This one man smiled at me so I thought I would be thoughtful and ask him if he had any gloves. He said, “yes,” and he showed me white, taupe, and black and in two different size. I bought three. The ironic thing is that it is the nearest women’s clothing store to the Jesuit apartment.

Go figure.