Uncle Khoury Ibrahim Nassar – By Hassan El-Bietar

8th February 2000

Dear Manuel,

This is a story about my Uncle Khoury Ibrahim Nassar.

My mother, Lousiana, came one Saturday noon to Uncle Ibrahim house. Some chicken kept coming from his neighbor’s place, Hajj Adel Salam Al-Ali (he lived across from my uncle’s house). Uncle Ibrahim told my mom to "kishi el-jajet ya Louisiana" (get the chicken out). My mother tried and when they kept running about she took a stone and threw it on them. Well! The stone hit one of the chickens so bad that my uncle had to slaughter it. He told my mom not to say anything to any body.

Next day after returning from the church my uncle set the barbecue and called Hajj Abdel Salam who had counted his chicken and found that one is missing. He was looking for the chicken. Accepted the invitation, El-hajj was wondering where could the chicken be. There is no fox "wewi" around and, therefore, for sure someone must have stolen the chicken. My uncle agreed and told him it is most likely that some one has stolen the chicken. By this time the barbecued chicken was ready and my uncle offered the first piece to El-hajj and insisted that he should start eating.

Well, at this moment my uncle was agreeing that some one must have stolen the chicken and perhaps, eating it.

El-hajj started eating while saying: "yekul fezzor ya jor yalli akalu" [O neighbour, may the person who ate the chicken eat until he bloats to death]. My uncle will reply: Amen and started laughing with his wife Paulina. El-hajj became aware of the plot. He continued eating and laughing along.

This is a true story that took place before uncle Ibrahim became a priest.