Banipal - A Retired Gentleman extract.pdf - Inpress Books

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Issa J Boullata Title Story of A Retired Gentleman and other stories ISBN 978-0-9549666-6-9 4 matter some thought but finally decided to go ahead and ignore his friends’ advice. He argued that those friends themselves continued to trade with the thread factories in Montreal owned mostly by Jews, who virtually monopolized the thread that everyone in the apparel industry needed. Besides, he believed that in Canada everyone had an equal opportunity. And so, William Shibli became a retired gentleman. He had not gone back to Lebanon even once for a visit since his migration to Canada, but he often thought of his old country, especially as it was constantly in the news during its fifteen-year uncivil war that started in 1975, followed by the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 and the continuing fighting against Israeli domination in the south of the country. He contributed money to St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Rashayya and to specific poor persons in his hometown parish; he also made donations to charitable groups assisting displaced families in Lebanon, and to groups sponsoring and helping Lebanese refugees in Canada. He wanted to alleviate people’s miseries and did his best to keep his good works anonymous. In his retirement, he spent a long time remembering his past, especially the first twenty years of his life in Lebanon, but also his later days in Canada, as he sat alone at home listening to music or watching the birds and enjoying the flowers in his garden or looking at old photographs of his family and friends, many of whom had departed this life, including his own parents. Occasionally he gave parties to his friends, and his servants liked the atmosphere of conviviality that these parties brought to his usually quiet home. He
Issa J Boullata Title Story of A Retired Gentleman and other stories ISBN 978-0-9549666-6-9 5 took up playing golf once a week and continued his routine of daily swimming. He also took a fancy to the recently developed internet and to correspondence with his friends by email. He never felt lonely, his memory and imagination being his inseparable companions when human company was not available. He remembered the olden days with Margaret back in Rashayya and the beautiful experiences of adolescent, innocent love they both had. He remembered the long walks he took with her in the fields, in the orchards, and in the olive groves as well as the endless conversations about nothing. He remembered the games they played with other youths of Rashayya and the dabka dances they danced at weddings and other festive occasions. He remembered the gnawing jealousy he felt when Margaret spoke with other young men and he pretended not to care. He remembered the pain he felt when she played hard to get, when she did not want to go for a walk with him, and especially when she once devastated him by going for a walk with another young man. Now he smiles, how innocent those experiences were! Yet how deeply genuine and true, and how beautiful! Oh yes, and he still remembered how sweet the first kiss of Margaret was! One spring day, when their relationship was at its best, William said, “Margaret, let’s go to Mount Hermon. That will be the longest walk we’ve ever taken together.” She said, “It’s a long way, William . . .” He said, “A few hours’ walk. We’ll take water and sandwiches with us. We can do it and it’ll be enjoyable.” “What will people say?” she cautioned. “Let them say what they want. They won’t see
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Banipal - A Retired Gentleman extract.pdf - Inpress Books

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