i s h t a r r i a........

Fury, in no time, engaged in a give-and-take whisper with her neighbour, unearthing information about her presence there, and summing up for her our backgrounds. I shot her a few meaningful glances, lest she broadened her unselfishness, and divulged more than she should. Wisdom called for caution in such uncertain environment. The Iraqi aphorism , ‘ Ishterri oula tbee , buy and don’t sell’, seemed particularly apt in this context. 'it takes a while to test the water out and discern good from evil'. Moments crept by at snail’s pace. The wait extended for over an hour. Finally the decisive moment of truth arrived, and it was my turn to meet Ms. Hanna. She was in her forties, short and full, longhaired, with some aging highlights striving for survival against the grand creeping of the silvery hair. Dangling on a neck chain, her specs lay upon voluptuous breasts. She was standing behind her desk when I entered. Her smile put me somehow at ease. We shook hands, and she sat on her c...