The Gonu Effect

Right...so now going to the bathroom is as exhausting as walking up a steep hill, in the middle of the summer, with high humidity and tempreature, and absoloutely no water. No water, that's the clue. Gonu came and robbed the damn water and I don't like people who rob me, especially if they're cyclones...Going to the bathroom with no water supply is ,in short,the closest imitation of hell you can get on Earth. Electricity keeps coming and going as if there's this guy who's spying on us, and who thinks it's funny to watch these guys with and without light. Flick...Flick. On and off. Light and dark. Cold and sizzling.

Alright, but still...One has to thank Allah that this is all we got from that cyclone. I mean, who wouldn't thank Allah if a cyclone came and didn't rob his car, his family, his life, his house but only his water and electiricity. Oh, I'm content alright. I'm content that it was only the water and the electricity that Mr. Gonu robbed and nothing else. Hopefully, he'll rob us of nothing else ever after. And I hope that if Allah somehow makes Gonu a man, he'll torture him in the deepest, hottest cores of hell.

Now, here's something that's not that funny...But seems like a nice plan of fate. On the day of Gonu, that ACTUAL horrible night that destoryed lots of Muscat's beautiful places, we were sitting in the living room. Candles were lit, and we were just sitting and taliking and barely being hit by some wind or the other from the windows. The streets were deserted and the lights, even on the bridges, were completely out. The rain was gushing as if the clouds of the universe felt like spitting REAL bad all at once. So, the candles were flickering here and there, and then I had an idea...I had that rechargeable poly-functional thing that had a fan, a radio, a tape-recorder and...a lamp. It was SO cool. We ACTUALLY HAD A LAMP. I almost jumped from happiness. So I rushed on to my room, led by nothing but instinct, inside. And I found it nicely wrapped under my sister's desk.

So here's old Threadlike, happy with his new genius finding...goes back to the living and announce my victory. But too bad...Just as I was about to light the thing up...Turns out it has no charge because ("Duh!" my brain had responded that moment), it HAD NEVER been charged. Shitty little thing was actually our last resort at useful light and...Gone with Gonu. So I slept on a candle that night that nearly choked me (it was one of those aromatic ones that almost always say they have a 'magical' smell when they all do is stink and choke). I had to wake up in the middle of the night and turn it off, my sister was still awake with my parents. Our relatives had called from everywhere, and many relatives who we had never heard from the whole year actually phoned us and asked. Anyhow...I don't need to tell you about the experience of trying to sleep while reading a Stephen King book, with an aromatic candle spreading shadows on the walls, and gushing rain, echoing across my window. A bit scary, but once you fall into magical slumber...It all goes off.

The next day was a (for need of politeness) beach. I had a Chemsitry exam...And the shape of our roundabout was FAR from round and too close to being almost rectangular. The rain and wind had got a tree down on the roundabout and there was a long column of cars parked beside the yellow line over the bridge...I thought, 'Wow, those guys have left their cars to go and help' but no...The people were standing there, laughing, literally laughing...And taking pictures with their phones of the devastated Wadi Odai on the other side. It was outrageous...I felt like I needed to spit on them if it wasn't for my Chemistry exam. I did well in it by the way...Not excellent, but (inshAllah) a nice good A-grade. Exactly what made the day a 'beach' was that it was the day that the water was out...And I realised that half of Oman was gone...Except for the buildings, many many things were gone.

But I know, as well as many of those who live in Oman that Gonu is nothing to our strength. Now, speaking of 'our': Is it true that ONLY OMANIES are allowed in the aiding processes? Because the television said only the Mowateneen (The Citizens) so is that true? Because if it's not, then I would LOVE...love to help anyone at any place if I can get there. This is my country too...And it's the one place that I have loved living in other than Egypt.

My last saying is a doaa (a prayer) to all those who were affected by that idiot Gonu...
May Allah give you and us strength to face this and may it never hit Oman or any place ever again...Ameen.