Big Daddy

I met a Kuwaiti Catholic the other day and he asked me where I was from. I told him that I am a Catholic priest from the U.S., and he said, "You are Abouna, the Big Daddy. I have a father and I call him Daddy, but you are the Big Daddy. Abouna. You are the Big Daddy Abouna.? He knelt and put his hand on his heart before crossing himself. Big Daddy.

I offered mass today in the Holy Land for Henry Greener who died earlier this year, as today is the feast of Saint Henry.

Today is significant in two ways: trash is collected and we get water. As I was waiting outdoors to be collected by a friend, many cars stopped in front of the trash receptacle to place their bags of trash and recyclables in the large bins. The feral cats were nearby. It is a nice routine to watch. People seem to really enjoy bringing their trash to the bins and sorting the materials. It is a system that works well. The streets of Amman are quite clean and clear of debris. I'm impressed. Today, our property is being sprayed to make sure the perimeter of the building is cleared so insects do not come inside. All the windows are closed.

Wednesday is water day. We get our weekly ration of water so it is always a relief when it happens. We are extremely water conscious here as we realize water is one of nature's most precious resources. The kingdom does a terrific job of conserving water and making sure it lasts. The winter had good rains and one big snowstorm, but the reservoirs were bone dry before the November rains.

As I stood outdoors last night in the cool evening air, I observed several noticeable happenings. People are walking their dogs, which are well behaved. Many in the kingdom do not like dogs, but I think that is changing. You'll find small dogs in West Amman where people of means live, and in other parts of the city, people seem to be embracing dogs as pets. The other thing I noticed was the beeping of car horns. They are quick beeps and lots of them, and it is basically taxis wanting to get the attention of people who are on the sidewalks, like me, to take a fare. Sure, there are frustrated drivers who beep to annoy people, but mostly it is done to make people know that a taxi is around for their service.

I met a friend from the United States last night for dinner. He collected me in front of the Jesuit Centre and took me to the Orthodox Club in Abdoun with his relatives. It was good to see him (unexpectedly) in Amman, and it was nice to meet his niece from New Jersey and her aunt. We had great conversations about Arabic culture and customs and neat places to see.

The Orthodox Club is a massive private club in Abdoun. We sat outdoors for dinner, which lasted hours. It was quite fascinating to see the people gather. I ordered a tall Amstel light as we watched the sun set and the moon rise. I kept thinking about the universe that is being discovered by the James Webb telescope and the marvels it is uncovering.

At the club, we watched athletes play their sports and kids enjoy the playground. We then ordered our appetizers, which are like tapas. They were terrific. Their specialty on Tuesdays are their falafels, so we ordered some of that with hummus, fattoush, grilled chicken livers with pomegranate sauce, spicy potato balls, spicy zeitoun (olives), summer sausages, various nuts, simmered mild tomatoes, grilled halloumi cheese (a favorite of mine), dolma, fresh salad, a few other dishes, and fresh bread. Then we were asked if we wanted kebabs afterwards. We were too satisfied and too stuffed to say yes, but we were grateful.

The main event was the shi-sha. You never would know that there is economic downturns because there were probably over 700 people eating at the Club. Smoking shi-sha is like a sport. Conversation and a smoke is extreme pleasure for many as they pass time. You can see the pleasure on the faces of the shi-sha-ers as they indulge in various flavors. I do not like cigarette smoking at all and yet shi-sha is much milder in aroma. I did not indulge. One dose of shi-sha is like smoking 23 cigarettes. It is odd to see one or two people alternate between shi-sha and regular cigarettes or even vaping. This is indulgence in pleasure. It is extravagant and yet affordable and basic, but the joy of seeing people take a hit and expel this stream of smoke is something to behold, especially as hundreds are doing it at the same time. Some are much more elegant and discreet as they exhale and blow the smoke away. Exhaling is an art for some and nothing else is more important at the time than letting go of that stream of air and smoke. For some, they blow smoke onto the food, which not one seems to appreciate, but most have perfected an art of smoking. I'm glad we were outdoors with a gentle wind to lift the plumes to the heavens like incense at Mass. It is a great joy for many people and their time of smoking seems to indicate gratitude and contentment that in this particular moment, with tube in hand, life is rather good.