Ziad told me the other day that his friend stopped being interested in the girl he's liked for months because she "emigrated to Abdoun" without saying goodbye. What makes a 14-year old think that a place that is 7 minutes away by car is somewhere you emigrate to? Ever notice how people live in Abdoun or Sweifieh but are from Nathif or Wihdat? Traveling from one part of town to the other every day, the difference between a real community and a trendy locale becomes abundantly clear. Abdoun is a place you live in because it's "nice", but the most exciting thing that can happen on any given day is a neighbor, who you’ve never met, walking his dog, or another having a noisy party on Thursday night. It's all very “civilized” and utterly dull.
Jabal Nathif, on the other hand, is a place where anything is possible. All the elements of life coexist, connect and conflict. A neighbor is still likely to call from her window to any random boy or girl in the street to run to the shop and buy her some groceries, and is just as likely to tell any child off for being rude or silly as she is her own. People acknowledge each other and exchange salams and you know when Abu Mahmoud has had a fight with his wife from the kashra on his face first thing in the morning. Abu Khaled who is 80 and pristine in his white hattah and ugal will sometimes let the kids pick fruits from his garden and will at other times chase them away with is walking stick. Then there's the infamous Um Ugab, who can be seen in her yellow and red dishdasheh one day and her black abay the other, and you can tell her mood by which one it is. The yellow dishdasheh usually means you get a firm handshake and lots of repeated kisses on the cheek, while the black abay should tell you to probably keep your distance. Suhaib is sure to jump into your car so you can take him for a drive and you can't get him out no matter how hard you try, and Khalil might share his morning ka'keh with you if he's in the mood. Khalil may only be 4 but he walks around like he owns the place and clearly doesn’t suffer fools gladly. Um Wael can be seen leaving her house every morning to follow-up on her many ailments and those of two of daughters. She goes to the hospital so often that the nurses have started asking her to bring them things for them on her way. Abu Wael on the other hand seems to be quite content sitting on a small stool in front of his door smoking and watching the passers-by.
Nothing can happen anywhere in the Jabal that Suhaib won't act out for you within ten minutes. He doesn't speak too well but the other day when he excitedly did a stabbing action and fell to the floor in mock pain, we knew someone been killed in a drug-related fight, but just when you think things are looking gloomy, Isra' will breeze in to announce that she was top of her class, yet again. And no Nathif scene can be complete without Mustapha asking for his daily dinar to get a haircut or buy food. There's no point in giving him 20 so he can leave you alone for a few days, I tried it once and he spent it all (but his one dinar) buying chocolates and juice for a bunch of kids who happened to be passing by.
Hot tea is always ready at Awad and Manal's where you’re always welcome to take a respite even if they’re not at home. And just as you're about to leave, Firas the khudarji will lift a huge head of cauliflower or a watermelon from his truck and thrust it into your arms as a gift, which you can never turn down, hard as you try.
We reminisce about the old Amman where we played in the street till sunset and could drop by any neighbor's house for a drink and a sandwich. The streets of Nathif may not be as safe as our old neighborhoods, but you can be sure that even if someone bothers you, someone else will certainly come to your defense. Just don't dream of ever keeping any secrets, Um Khaldoun is sure to be spying on you, and everyone knows Um Wael is psychic!
