A Series of Unexpected Encounters
Cacti being towed, conversations with strangers, and more that happened these past few weeks.
March 1 2025
Each post is paired with a song. For today, it’s Bedroom by Litany - Imad loves it and requests it during all our car rides because he thinks she’s saying “if you want to come to my birthday.”
Back in university, one of my English professors used to ask us to pay attention to what stood out on our walk or drive to class - something, no matter how small or ordinary, that caught our eye. I loved this exercise because it helped me notice things I never would have otherwise, things I had passed a hundred times before. This post is kind of like that - an attempt to gather some of those moments from the past few weeks. A sort of listicle of random observations and experiences, if you will.
1- The Taxi Driver
If you’ve read my previous stories, you’re probably familiar with Tarek, the Alo Taxi driver who dropped us off at the airport when we left Lebanon for Jordan, and happened to be the one to pick us up when we landed home a few months later. Guess who showed up again when we left for the U.S.? Yup, Tarek. He’s a super cute old man with a thick, white mustache and he got just as excited to see us again as we did. I use Alo Taxi all the time and have had multiple random drivers pick me up, so it’s not just because I booked a bigger car for our luggage. This was fate. Maybe Tarek is our good luck charm. Maybe we’ll name our second son after him, who knows. (It’s actually on our list.)
2- Arizonian Friendliness
People here are SO friendly. It’s annoying. Everywhere I go, someone speaks to me. Do I give off the impression that I want to be spoken to? I don’t think so. Is it because I’m pregnant and they think I’m friendly and motherly by default? Maybe. Either way, I’ve gotten sucked into some unwanted conversations. And it’s not that there’s anything wrong with them or what they’re saying, I just get stressed out because I feel the need to match their energy and friendliness and I just can’t - it’s not in me.
At a bookstore, an older woman with white hair, red lipstick, and oversized rings handed me a book and said, “Here, try this out, looks good.” I thanked her and checked it out. “It does look good, I’ll hang on to it,” thinking that was it, that was our conversation. Wrong. She went on to show me all the books she selected in her basket, including a sci-fi one about the human race restarting on another planet and how it reminded her of a similar story she wrote when she was 4 years old. “Oh wow, that sounds really interesting. Enjoy them!” I said, slowly backing away. She was cute, though. I’m not a complete monster.
At the KOHL’s department store, I was at the checkout paying for the clothes I bought Imad and BOTH cashiers standing beside each other started assaulting me with questions. “Ohmygod when are you due? Is it a boy? You look like you’re having a boy. Oh an Aries baby! Good luck with that ha ha ha, I’m an Aries so I should know but boys are different though, we’ll see. Have you picked out a name yet? I couldn’t decide between Tyler and Dylan with my first son,” and I just nodded and smiled, all while thinking, I’m not going to tell them we’re torn between Hachem and Issa, and then have them struggle with pronunciations and ask me where I’m from.
Another day, I was at my sister-in-law’s house and opened the front door to a teenage boy with surfer-style blond hair standing on a hoverboard, pitching me his window and screen cleaning business, “all for $199 cos that sounds a hell of a lot better than $200.”
“Sorry, this isn’t my house and the owner isn’t here. Bye.”
My conversation with the nail technician went like this:
“Where are you from?”
“Lebanon.”
“Illinois?”
“No, Lebanon.”
“... Illinois?”
“Is there a Lebanon there? I know there are quite a few across the U.S but I’m talking about the country Lebanon. In the Middle East.”
“Oh, in Asia!”
“No, in the Middle East.”
“What’s it next to?”
“...Dubai” (although kind of inaccurate, I thought this would be the best answer considering.)
“Ohhhh, Dubai! Yes, yes, I see.”
Then she proceeded to tell me all about her ex-husband and why they got divorced while she held me captive by the nails.
Call me an introvert, call me cynical, call me mean, but there’s only so much friendly small-talk I can handle in one day.
3- Silly Sightings
I saw a huge cactus being towed on the back of a pick-up truck, wrapped in a padded blanket. How did they get it on? Did they chop it then wrap it? Why? Where was it going? Apparently a lot of the cacti in Arizona are protected and you’re not allowed to build on the land it’s a part of without special permits and approvals. No one’s home is safe.
I saw a man and a woman driving heavy-duty motorbikes, decked out in black leathers and reflective helmets with… backpacks in the shape of a stuffed bunny rabbit. I wondered if they were a part of a gang where that’s the initiation ride. The Bad Bunny Bikers.
I saw two girls practicing their cheer routine at the park while I was wobbling walking around, trying to get my body moving. The sun was setting and it was on the corner of Paradise Lane. They sure do try to make it feel like paradise here but it feels like one big game or simulation to me.
4- These
One of our neighbor’s WIFI names…
… and this sign, both showing America’s real face.
That’s all, folks. Until next time.
This was brilliant 👏
This one’s my favorite