7/27/2019 SW 2013 Civic Reflection Reading

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Gate4A

byNaomiShihabNye

7/9/2013 Page1of2

WanderingaroundtheAlbuquerqueAirportTerminal,afterlearningmyflighthadbeen

detainedfourhours,Iheardanannouncement:IfanyoneinthevicinityofGate4A

understandsanyArabic,pleasecometothegateimmediately. Wellonepausesthesedays.

Gate4Awasmyowngate.Iwentthere.AnolderwomaninfulltraditionalPalestinian

embroidereddress,justlikemygrandmawore,wascrumpledtothefloor,wailingloudly.

Help,saidtheFlightServicePerson.Talktoher.Whatisherproblem? Wetoldhertheflight

wasgoingtobelateandshedidthis. Istoopedtoputmyarmaroundthewomanandspoke

toherhaltingly.Shudowa,ShubiduckHabibti?Stanischway,Minfadlick,Shubitsewee?

Theminutesheheardanywordssheknew,howeverpoorlyused,shestoppedcrying.She

thoughttheflighthadbeencancelledentirely.SheneededtobeinElPasoformajormedical

treatmentthenextday.Isaid,Yourefine,youllgetthere,whoispickingyouup?Letscall

him.WecalledhersonandIspokewithhiminEnglish.ItoldhimIwouldstaywithhismother

tillwegotontheplaneandwouldridenexttoherSouthwest.

Shetalkedtohim.Thenwecalledherothersonsjustforfun.Thenwecalledmydadandhe

andshespokeforawhileinArabicandfoundoutofcoursetheyhadtensharedfriends. ThenI

thoughtjustfortheheckofitwhynotcallsomePalestinianpoetsIknowandletthemchat

withher?Thisalltookupabouttwohours.Shewaslaughingalotbythen.Tellingabouther

life,pattingmyknee,answeringquestions. Shehadpulledasackofhomemademamool

cookieslittlepowderedsugarcrumblymoundsstuffedwithdatesandnutsoutofherbag

andwasofferingthemtoallthewomenatthegate. Tomyamazement,notasinglewoman

declinedone.Itwaslikeasacrament.ThetravelerfromArgentina,themomfromCalifornia,

thelovely

woman

from

Laredo

we

were

all

covered

with

the

same

powdered

sugar.

And

smiling.Thereisnobettercookie.Andthentheairlinebrokeoutthefreebeveragesfromhuge

coolersandtwolittlegirlsfromourflightranaroundservingusallapplejuiceandtheywere

coveredwithpowderedsugartoo.AndInoticedmynewbestfriendbynowwewereholding

handshadapottedplantpokingoutofherbag,somemedicinalthing,withgreenfurry

leaves.Suchanoldcountrytravelingtradition.Alwayscarryaplant.Alwaysstayrootedto

somewhere.AndIlookedaroundthatgateoflateandwearyonesandthought,thisisthe

worldIwanttolivein. Thesharedworld.Notasinglepersoninthisgateoncethecryingof

confusionstoppedseemedapprehensiveaboutanyotherperson.Theytookthecookies.I

wantedto

hug

all

those

other

women

too.

This

can

still

happen

anywhere.

Not

everything

is

lost.

NaomiShihabNyewasborntoaPalestinianfatherandanAmericanmotherandgrewupinJerusalemandSanAntonio.Herbooksofpoetryinclude19VarietiesofGazelle:PoemsoftheMiddleEast;AMazeMe:PoemsforGirls;RedSuitcase;WordsUndertheWords;andYouandYours.

7/27/2019 SW 2013 Civic Reflection Reading

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Gate4A

byNaomiShihabNye

7/9/2013 Page2of2

ClarificationQuestions1. Whatwasinitiallyhappeninginthestory?2. Whatistheolderladysproblem?3.

What

causes

the

change

in

the

older

lady?

4. Instanza6,theolderwomanpulledoutcookiesandsharedthemwithotherwomen whatdoyoumakeoutofthisgesture?

5. Aftersharingthecookie,theywereallcoveredwiththesamepowderedsugarandsmiling.Issomekindofcommunityestablishedatthispoint?

6. Neartheendofthepoem,thespeakercommentedthatthisisasharedworld.Howdoyouunderstandthesharedworld?

7. Thepoemendsonnoteverythingislost.Whatislost?Doyouseethelossinyourowncommunity?

SignificanceQuestions1. Whatmakesacommunityorsharedworldinyourexperience?Isitaseasyassharingand

takingcookies?

2. Doyouseelossinyourowncommunity?3. Whatmakesitpossibleforustoconnecttoothers?Whatgetsintheway?4. Whatassumptionsdowemakeaboutothers?Howdowerespondtostrangers?5. Whatmakesacommunitystrong?Whatmakesitweak?ImplicationQuestions1. Whoinourserviceworldsatsomepointintimefeellikestrangers?2. Howcanwehelpmovethosethatmightfeellikestrangerstoaplacewheretheyfeellike

theyaretrulyapartofsomethinggreatandfindtheirroleinhelpingthelargerwholemove

towardsacollectivevision?