A Florida Surprise

On Monday evening ,

the night before we left, we had dinner with our dear friends the Majid's (Melissa of previously mentioned sainthood). It came out that Anouar, a professor of English at UNE and director of a center for global humanities, was going to be in Orlando on Wednsday for a conference. What a shame he hadn't realized it sooner, he said. He could have brought Ridwan, (his oldest and Sam's best friend). It took all of five minutes of logistical brainstorming. Could we come and pick him up early in the morning on Thursday before Anouar had to go to work? Would he let us keep him overnight if I could wrangle it with my parents? Could we do it without letting the boys know? A few taps on the keyboard and a few XXX dollars later it was done. (do those kids realize how lucky they are and how much their parents love them???? Doubt it.)

I wasn't there when Steve went to pick him up, but I was told there was screaming and jumping up and down and someone jumped on top of the other and got him in a bear hug with his legs. But that couldn't be true. These are twelve year old boys. They are way too cool for that.

It was a great two days, and as I see it, so important. I haven't talked about it with Ridwan, but I know though Sam wouldn't admit it, leaving everything, his best friend most of all, is hard. I am pretty sure it is tough for Ridwan too. (I have my sources.) Knowing that the unexpected can happen, that friends turn up where you least expect them was a good lesson for them both right before we leave native ground.