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Dear All, good evening
Year 2006
Wajih loved Clara and Clara loved him back
Wajih loved Clara and Clara loved him back.
He accompanied Ghenwa Souki, Clara and I in lunch breaks, morning coffees, and in rushing between classes on AUB campus. He was obnoxious, annoying
He was obnoxious, annoying and we usually entered heated disputes. Some of them went on for days and days.
July war started. July war ended. we went back to having coffee afterwards as if the war never happened.
Year 2007 Brakes and some common sense. Ajouz and I held conversations
whenever he wasn't smoking
or getting off dreams induced
by Jack Daniels and his pals. Summer came. Rawad surprised me
with a birthday party at De Prague, Hamra.
And he asked Ajouz to pick up the chocolate cake. His phone number
is still on the receipt.
2008 I started walking over
to the smoker's section so we won't interrupt our conversation.
His fat head didn't annoy me so much any more. He did upset me sometimes,
and there was this one time I threw a bottle of Sohat him in front of everyone (College Hall). He joked about it, saying I made him look like a Casanova who broke maidens' hearts
Rawad left to the States, and on that dry summer,
Jiji insisted on accompanying me around AUB,
on the walk back home, and sometimes in the supermarket. Year 2009:
Growing up and dreaming. Jiji contributed
good music and mature thought
while we were all working on our final year project.
We hung out in every campus corner, and he was a delightful support.
Summertime. His office was next to mine.
We started the custom of "post-work coffee"
where we talked about everything.
We accused each other of greatness and rubbish. We awaited what was coming with great anticipation.
2010 More music and some crying in the rain. Life was becoming challenging and difficult.
"Riders on the Storm" -The Doors was a frequent song in our meetings.
Clara Ghenwa Soulafa and the rest of our friends have travelled.
He started mentioning new names: Gisele, Taher, Ibrahim, Sami, Karim,
and his sister Lara (and other names).
His blood was beginning to boil and he amused me.
He met May, Natalie, Nour, and other members of my family. "I am honored to have met this honorable family" he once said.
We had our first sushi, we loved it. we went again and again.
Year 2011 Jiji became a friend of the family. We loved him so dearly and we enjoyed his company, thoughts, and his taste in music.
He came to my wedding. He didn't dance
and I didn't find many pictures of him. I left to the States,
and he got Rawad and I a Kamasutra book to kick off our first married year.
Year 2012 Lebanon was beginning to boil.
The Arab Spring inspired and challenged him. He worked with abundance and dedication.
He spoke and took action. As heated as he always was, I never saw him lose his head (well not completely anyway).
On the very first night back in Lebanon, I met him with the girls in my Volvo Station at the Elsa Chocolate corner, as usual.
He came by another day to drink matte.
September 14th A car accident. May told me at 5 in the morning.
Jiji left and took so much with him. So many colors, thoughts and music
and so much beauty. Jiji loved so many people and so many people loved him.
We will always see you in Coffee shops, pubs, streets, and even in News reports. You will always be an exception in our memories
and I will always remember you in all that is beautiful in this world. Farewell Jiji