The last time I was in contact with him, it was over the
phone and his slurred utterances were interrupted with his weeping. I called
Abu Mohammad after his co-workers at the restaurant told me he suffered a brain
stroke a few days earlier.
اضافة اعلان
I knew him only as Abu Mohammad, the man who served us,
late-night diner goers, very delicious mansaf and tomato qallayeh, of
unforgettable tastes. Since we were the only customers at these late hours, we
had a chance to enjoy a chat with him. I will never forget his calm voice,
piercing, but kind blue eyes and contentedness with life and all its ups and
downs.
I used to call him Citizen Abu Mohammad, and a good
citizen indeed he was. This man, like so many Jordanians in every corner of
this country, was a law-abiding individual. For a quarter-century, he served
faithfully at a government office and worked at night as a cook, and then as
the manager of a restaurant half the age of our Amman.
Every piece of bread he put on the table for his family
was earned with sweat and toil and every penny he could save was invested in
the education of his children.
His eldest son graduated as a pilot, but apparently, the
old man had no chance of boarding a plane flown by his son, because of his
health condition, and also because his son could not find a job during the time
that I knew him.
Citizen Abu Mohammad paid his utility bills and taxes on
time, cast his vote in every election, had faith in the leadership and was keen
on the stability of the country, without saying that on social media; he was
too busy doing something useful.
Citizen Abu Mohammad and the rest of the silent majority
are the embodiment of good citizenship. These people have the right to a new
social contract, under which their welfare is the target and their interests
are aptly served. These people need jobs for their children, fair political
representation, a voice that is heard loud and clear by decision makers,
respect when they show up at a government office, where they do not have to pay
bribes or seek connections to get their rightful service.
These citizens need to feel significant, and not only
during election seasons.
I have no idea if Citizen Abu Mohammad is alive or dead,
but I know that hundreds of thousands of good citizens like him want to live.
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