On Facebook: Sunni Palestinian & Semi-Jewish Swedish
Spring.
Easter is a week away: Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Carin Lanzmannsson gets a call via Facebook. She could have answered the call but she has been cross-checking finances of the firm that has employed her. Her job as an auditor entailed meticulousness, and she is as meticulous as anyone. The evening is approaching. She gets up from her seat, and moves the curtain and lets a draught into her office through the window. Her office space in the building overlooks a view of the canal and the Garden Society of Gothenburg. She takes her seat and writes to the caller.
–‘Please, you can write, please’
– ‘I Fadil Hidjazi’
–‘You know my name’ Carin expects the caller should know her name. She checks the profile of the caller. She tries to recollect when she had accepted that caller’s friend request. It was a year ago when was proactive on Facebook. At that time, she had added anyone as a friend who sent her a friend request for the sake of being connected.
–‘Carin Lanzsmarnsson, think I’
–‘Yes’ Carin confirms without pointing out her misspelt surname. She notices the caller has hidden his geographical location. The moment the questions arises on her mind, she gets a message from the caller.
–‘I am from Palestine’
–‘Thanks’
–‘calling you’
–‘Please write’
–‘Fadil in Palestine Israel’
–‘What can I do for you?’
–‘where you from’
–‘You know where I am from, you can check’ Carin expects at least the caller should have the common sense to know whom he his calling and where the person is.
–‘Gothenburg USA’ Fadil answers after six minutes.
–‘Gothenburg in Sweden’
–‘you in Sweden’
–‘Yes’ Carin excuses his unawareness of two Gothenburgs with the same spelling.
–‘I need money west bank no good for Palestinians’
–‘Sorry. I live on little budget’
–‘Are you Christian’
–‘Not completely’
–‘I am sunni Muslim’
–‘I respect you and your faith’
–‘What are you’
–‘I am a woman and human’
–‘religion’
–‘Half and half’
–‘what’
–‘half Christian half Jewish’
–‘so donot you help me’
–‘Sorry, I cannot’
–‘you pig’
–‘I do not like what you said’ Carin replies. She is sadly pleased for the anger couched in the word ‘pig’ directed at her for the scheme of things happening in his life. She starts to pack her bag for the day and spruces herself before she ventures out to the supermarket before going home. As she gets ready to get out from work she considers to unfriend him. Before closing down the Facebook window, she gets a message.
–‘sorry I angry’
–‘Why are you angry with me’
–‘not you. mylife myself myworld’
–‘I am sorry’ Carin is gladly angered for the regret aired at her as quickly as he termed her as a pig. Pig! The common thing between Jews and Muslims: not to eat pork. Pig! She stands in front of her window. The water is still in the canal. Spring is in full Spring. The foliage of the trees in the park on the other side of the canal are getting greener. Sky is blue. She feels the breeze on the trees and in her body. She thinks of the issues of people gnawing in their hearts and minds and directing them at someone else somewhere. Why anyone would hurt anyone if surrounded by fine things, beautiful things, desired things. How could anyone change one’s life, one’s self, one’s world? Carin feels empathy. Still standing. Still her glance on the sky and trees and water. She returns to shut down her computer but finds a message.
–‘sorry I say you’
–‘How much you need, I can only spare 500 Swedish kroners. If it helps you’
–‘You good woman I expect no but you yes’
–‘Should I send this money or not?’
–‘Yes. You kind. I use wrong word to you’
– ‘We make mistakes’
–‘Fadil Hidjazi, 21 years, you send money gram or Western Union’ Fadil is aware of his few folks receiving money from other parts of the world for fake and factual reasons. He has been trying to see success like his mates. The success stirs his heart that never stirred before for people labelled unlike his people.
–‘Sure. There is one nearby. I will do it this evening’
–‘so soon’
–‘I will finish it today’
–‘You not common woman, angel’
–‘I have to go and do your work. Good luck’
–‘I cry joy’
—Lucinda Palme
