Memorable face

This summer I visited a few countries, one of which was Pakistan - where my mom's family is from. It was the standard trip.

Hung out with family. Did a little bit of shopping. Relaxed and ate plentifully. But one shopping experience turned out to be a little out of the ordinary.

In Pakistan, I have seen plenty of hijras when we go out to popular shopping districts. Don't know what a hijra is? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijra_(South_Asia)

So we're around Tariq Road and a hijra approaches me asking me for money. It's hard for me to ignore people, to say no, etc...but that's exactly what I'm supposed to do with them.



The following conversation was in Urdu, but for readability purposes, I'll write it in English.

"Money? Give me some money, sister, please."
"Umm, I'm sorry I don't have anything."
"Ask your mother."
"Uhh..."
Enter my mom
"KIRAN! Come back here, what are you doing having a conversation with him??"
"I...uhh..."
"Sister, some money...."

We walk away.
You probably had to have been there, but it was awkward, scary, and uhh awkward. For me, at least.

The next day we were shopping in Zum Zumma and then BAM! Some other hijras walk by. I was prepared this time! I thought...

And then from behind these hanging fabrics outside the store I was standing outside of, one hijra comes into eyesight, looks at me HOLY MOTHER it's the same one. Remain calm, re-main calm.


"Oh sister, can I have a little bit of money?"
"Umm, sorry, I don't have anything."
This time I was going to walk away and end the "conversation" but before I could -
"Oh I saw you yesterday at Tariq Road as well and you still didn't give me anything then."
WHAT THE HAY!??! He/she remembers me!!

I start to walk away and -
"Ask your mother."

I'm gone by this time. Totally freaked out. In a country with roughly 172,800,048 people, for me to see the same hijra in two very different places and for him/her to recognize me, despite me wearing totally different clothes (American and Pakistani) and two different hair styles (up and down), is very weird. Very, very weird.

Oh Pakistan.

The hitchhiker at Aljibani

The other day, Beena and I went to the Aljabaani halal meat store in Diamond Bar. Standard procedure, you know? Pick up the stuff, take it home.
We picked up the stuff, but taking it home required a detour.


So we go to our car and old woman with a roller backpack and gypsy-esque clothing is standing outside. Beena and I kindly smile, nod, and cautiously proceed to Maximus almost right in front of her.

She catches Beena's glance.

Beena looks at her too.

I'm weirded out, I just open my door and right as I'm about to get it, I hear her saying something to Beena. Beena, looking totally perplexed looks over at me and asks, "What do I do? She's asking where we're going."

This is where it gets interesting.

Woman: (with a pretty strong Arab accent) Where are you going?
Me: Just home.
Woman: Temple, you go to Temple?
Me: Temple the street, we pass by it. I'm going home though.
Woman: But if you go to Temple, you can take me? Just there. It's very hot.

If you know me well enough, you know what I said.
"Ok."

So she gets in the car, front seat. Beena and I are SUPER creeped out. I've never done this before. Never. And yes, it might be a good deed, I mean the poor woman needed a ride, but what would I do if something went astray??

We're in the car -
Me: Ok, so you want me to drop you off on Temple? The street?
Woman: Um, where is your home? Where are you going?
Me: (oh mother) Umm.. Chino Hills.
Woman: Oh, by the shops. The shops.
Me: Yes, around there.
Woman: You can take me there then.
Me: (what the hay?) I'm sorry, where?
Woman: Chino Hills, yes.



Now keep in mind the ride from the store to Temple is probably 2 minutes - it's just down the street, literally. The ride to Chino Hills is like 10-15 minutes. That's 8-13 more minutes with her. What's going on????

Woman: They have the Sam's Club?
Me: Yes.
Woman: Is that where you are going?
Me: Yes, we need to go to the store (because I was not about to take her home)
Woman: Ok, I go there.
Me: Ok

Silence...

Now I don't remember all the dialogue on the way there, but I remember her asking SPECIFICALLY where we lived. And then Beena asked her where she lives and she hardly responded.

We exit.

We arrive at Sam's Club.

Woman: Do you have any money? I don't have very much. Any change or anything?
Me: I'm sorry, I don't have any change.



Beena had some quarters so she gave the woman 3 dollars, I think it was, in change.

She left the car, said thank you (thank God) and we didn't see her again.

Wow.

Anyone living in Tuscany must be a celebrity

The Laker victory parade kind of ruined my life ... or Wednesday.
Streets were blocked. People were everywhere. And I swear, it was like the streets of LA threw up purple and gold.

Anyway, my priorities were clear - get to my apartment, show some potential roommates around, drop off my cousins, bam! Only it took me approximately 45 minutes to get from the San Pedro exit to my apartment.

X <-- that's San Pedro


T <-- that's my apartment

OK, they're not that far.



After making a giant circle around Jefferson through Main then back on Broadway, I - THANK GOD - made it to Flower.
But there they were... the orange cones.
They had been blocking my every move for the last half hour and gosh darn it I needed them to move (move) get out the way. So instead of turning left onto Exposition like everyone else who was following the cones and the police men's hands, I kind of went forward. Relax, I didn't hit anyone.

I pulled up the cops were directly me to the left but Maximus and I just waited there until I got some attention. The cop came up to my window and I said while pointing straight to my destination, "Excuse me, I live over there."
"You live in Tuscany?"
"Yes."
"Ok, go forward. Let her through!"

Ye-ah! Jai ho! Bam!

I go THROUGH those darn cones, through the police men and then again cops at the corner of 37th and Flower.

"I live there."
"Oh ok, go ahead."

Ye-ah! Jai ho! Bam! That's right, you betta make way!

I knew Tuscany was worth something...

I fobed my little way into the parking lot and after 45 minutes of driving around what was probably 2 miles, I made it. 229 still smells the same.