With Alex’s plan in motion, things start to look up for Hashim until they crash when Hashim reveal to his best friend where he’s going to enroll.
Please go to henrikwilenius.com for more info.
With Alex’s plan in motion, things start to look up for Hashim until they crash when Hashim reveal to his best friend where he’s going to enroll.
Please go to henrikwilenius.com for more info.
While the words ricocheted in the grand dome, hashim kept his head low and said a silent prayer asking for mercy, like he had done thousands of times since realizing he was gay.
Speaker 2:My name is Henrik Vilengis and I'm the author of the Rise Up Trilogy, a young adult coming of age story about Hashim, Alex and Marion confronting real life issues like climate change, corrupt politics, animal cruelty and racial and gender equity. This weekly serialized audio book podcast is narrated by Scott Summers 9.
Speaker 1:Hashim bit back a smile as he heard Alex humming while loading their stuff on the conveyor. It would start any minute. Now A gush was gaining momentum and Hashim didn't mind. He felt an unparalleled lightness in his chest. It was the first time he had ever actually witnessed somebody being interested in him, and that felt damn good. He had even carried on a coherent conversation with the girl, even if it lasted only a few minutes. What a stunner, alex said, bouncing from foot to foot as he started packing items in the paper bag. That girl could be a model or that princess straight out of Aladdin, princess Jasmine. Those eyes, oh, you could easily drown in them. You were real good. I mean somewhat unconventional, but it did its job. Damn, nobody will pay attention to me anymore.
Speaker 1:Hashim laughed after Alex and the blonde had left him alone. He had blurted out something about another favorite of his, baba Ghanoush. To his amazement, he and the girl ended up swapping recipes and by the time the others returned, his palms had stopped sweating Like this was something he did all the time. The way she looked at you, alex said, cocking his head. Oh, she wants you. And you never know what might lie underneath that shyness A real volcano, a true vulva explosion. Hashim saw how the middle aged cashier lady frowned, but Alex was on a roll. Shhh, can't you hear that in your ears, that buzzing sound from all those libidinous college girls closing in on you? Libidinous Alex had been reading his mom's dictionary again as they were leaving. Alex turned to him and said but first we need to update your style, my friend. You going to college and all. Hashim rung his hands as he suddenly remembered there's something I need to tell you. I mean to be honest, we need to drag you into this century. You don't want to look like.
Speaker 1:Hashim stopped in glance at Alex I'm leaving in ten days for Columbia University. His smile turned into a grimace as Alex coughed to clear his throat, mustering all his strength to keep his voice steady. Hashim said I got a scholarship. Alex turned away to catch his breath before asking does Miriam know? Hashim lowered his head in shame. She's going to be devastated. Alex pushed his shoulders back, put the shopping bags down and drew Hashim into a bear hug. Congratulations, I'm really happy. His voice breaking, he held onto his friend as if he were drowning. His hands gripping Alex, his sheen gulped at the air. He felt so guilty and heartbroken. This was something he had never wanted to happen. He had only applied to Columbia to please his father and when he got accepted he said he didn't want his parents spending so much money on his education. He wanted to go to state, which was less than an hour away. He just couldn't imagine a life with Alex so far away, dressing his lips together. Alex took a step back. No, we really need to fix you up. As Hashim nodded. His head bowed. Alex grabbed the two shopping bags and marched out of the grocery store.
Speaker 1:Hashim followed Alex to Urban Outfitters, a trendy clothing store he had always managed to avoid Somehow. Dressing conservatively had been his way of telling God he was not a frivolous person. But couldn't God see straight to his heart? How much did it really matter where he bought his clothes, as long as he didn't start walking around only in his boxers? Alex stopped by a shirt rack. You're going to be living in New York City, for God's sake. He took out two shirts, but as he was handing them to Hashim, they somehow dropped to the floor. Cursing to himself, he picked them up and shoved them into Hashim's hand. With blurred vision, hashim stared at the shirts and sniffed. Two hearts were breaking at the same time. I'm sorry, alex said, his shoulders drooping. I wish I could come too. Me too, hashim said and bit his lip You'll come to visit me, right? Alex rocked in place and nodded.
Speaker 1:Since leaving the clothing store, hashim had racked his brain to find something to say. All explanations sounded so false. They were but empty words. They had never said it out loud, but it was understood by both that they would be best friends forever. That's the way they talked about their future. Four years apart was a long time longer than they had known each other and it felt like an eternity. Alex led the way ten feet ahead of him. As they walked toward Miriam's car, hashim felt a thickness in his throat that wouldn't go away, no matter how much he coughed. He was replaying in his mind the steps that had led to this, but there was no way out of it. He had promised his parents that if he got a scholarship, he would go to Columbia and not the state one where he had planned to go on the first place.
Speaker 1:Hashim saw Miriam saying goodbye to her dad. Apparently they had finished lunch on time. As Miriam got into her car, her father headed back toward the mall, toward Alex and him Same sense trouble. When hastened to catch up with Alex, who was staring at the ground Right before bumping into Mr Hussaini, alex looked up and yielded. Miriam's dad stopped and said with a downturned mouth so tell me, Arthur, what your plans are. It's Alex, not Arthur.
Speaker 1:Hashim cut in as he joined the two, waving his hand dismissively. Mr Hussaini repeated the question without mentioning his name Plans. Alex blinked a few times. I just finished high school. Miriam's dad smirked and continued and next, what college are you planning to attend, sir? I don't.
Speaker 1:Hashim took a step forward. Not everybody can afford it. There are always scholarships for the gifted and there are other people he needs to take into consideration, hashim said in a carefully controlled tone. Besides, college is not exactly my thing, alex said. Miriam's dad tilted his head back. And what is your thing? I, alex, tugged his hair.
Speaker 1:Hashim placed his hand on Alex's shoulder. He's going to be a writer. A writer. Miriam's dad barely hit his sneer and turned to go. Some of us won't give up on our dreams, hashim said and clenched his fist. He wanted to run after Merriam's dad and make that stupid man see how gifted his friend was. But he knew there was no use. Like his own parents. Merriam's dad, a first generation immigrant who had achieved success in his new home country, considered any job outside of business or medicine a waste of time because there was no money to be made For them. Wealth was the great equalizer. Keeping his wrist, hashim drew steady breaths. Alex reached out and patted him on the back, relaxing his shoulders. Hashim turned to Alex as quickly as it had come. His anger was gone. Now he really felt the lump in his throat. He was going to miss his friend so much.
Speaker 1:Leaning forward in the back seat, hashim said to Merriam I thought so too. Everything this scholarship pulled through. He didn't want to go through this downer of a discussion again, but he had no choice. He had to tell Merriam too. Merriam adjusted the rear view mirror to get a better look at him. But your parents sure could have afforded it in the first place. I said I wouldn't go without a scholarship. Why is that? I think my father's income is not so steady. Whenever there's a terrorist attack anywhere in the world that makes headlines here, my father loses patience.
Speaker 1:Alex sat up in his seat. How can people be so stupid? How could a family practitioner have anything to do with that shit? Actually he does, Merriam said. Alex struck his head back. How can you say that? It's not All of us Muslims do? We have to take a stand and stop blaming non-Muslims for our misfortune. We are the makers of our own misery. We have to stop having such low expectations of our fellow Muslims.
Speaker 1:There's a verse in the Quran that says God does not change the condition of people until they change what is inside themselves. Whoa, alex broke into a grin. You take no prisoners. People remember that verse very well. He hadn't heard it for a long time. Haji Khalil used to recite it often in Saturday school. Once his teacher had told the class a story about how the Prophet had received soldiers returning from the war front, had commended the warriors for performing a minor jihad, but said they had yet to perform the major one. Then the Prophet clarified that the major jihad was the jihad of the self, in other words the struggle against one's own self.
Speaker 1:Feeling Miriam's eyes on him, hashim raised his head. She was staring at him in the rearview mirror. Hashim crumpled in his seat. Was he now blaming his mother for making him marry Haji Ali's niece? She was only doing what she thought was right, what she thought was best for him. But the only one who knew the truth was God, not his mother, nor his relatives, nor the Imam. He had to set out on his own jihad to try to find out what that was. Hashim pulled his shoulders back and gave her a curtain nod.
Speaker 1:Hashim raised his eyes to their tenth floor apartment, still thinking about the verse Miriam had quoted in the car. If he really wanted his mother to treat him differently, he had to chain something within the way he looked at himself and the world. One of the central principles of Quranic message was to gain authentic knowledge of one's own nature. In addition, one had to always stay aware of God's presence and guard the rights of others, even if it meant sacrificing yourself. The Imam Haji Ali's nephew had dropped the first one, the part that demanded self-expiration, and kept the other two. He wouldn't do the same.
Speaker 1:As Hashim entered the kitchen, his mother was rolling dough to make pita bread, while a bunch of falafel sizzled in the frying pan. As if sensing his presence, she turned and broke into a smile. I like your haircut. You look so handsome. Like your father did when I met him for the first time, she reached out to touch his gelled hair. What is this stuff in your hair. You should wash it off.
Speaker 1:Hashim took a step back, not now. He inhaled deeply through his nose and exhaled through his mouth Mom, we need to talk. She wrinkled her brow About what? About the engagement? Hashim said and pressed his lips together you must be so excited. I'm so happy for you. She took a step closer, but Hashim kept his distance. Mom, it's… she might not be as educated or as worldly as you are, but she'll make a good wife. She knows how to Please listen and she'll be a wonderful mother for our grandchildren. Hashim took a wider stance. I'm sure she would, but…. You know, I was once like her, just a girl from the village. If it weren't for your grandmother's strong will to find her son a good wife, you wouldn't have even been born. Hashim bowed his head, shoulders curling around his chest. How could he ever argue with that? You're a good son. His mother continued in a softer tone. I know you won't disappoint me.