<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656</id><updated>2012-02-16T19:42:10.574-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Tha Star</title><subtitle type='html'>Tha Great Adventures of a Fallen Star:
tha chronicles of a modern day super hero</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>14</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-3184772556283218468</id><published>2007-09-13T22:57:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-09-17T20:38:07.575-07:00</updated><title type='text'>the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiiiiiiiii</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I make the impossible seem possible.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I am the greatest superhero ever to come out of the state of &lt;?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /&gt;&lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Maryland&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:state&gt; or even the D.C. metropolitan, tri-state.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;A black, triple X t-shirt; dark grey sweat pants that magically hovering under my butt; roughed up Timberland boots missing a shoelace; a faded black bandana covering my long, curly, black hair; a black Ghostface-style jacket made from fake rabbit fur is far from normal superhero attire.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Spandex and cape was the style for the last millennium.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;I am your unconventional hero, armed with only a 52 lethal assault array of chaotic force that lies in a small box, which rests in my pocket.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Once taken out, the shock and awe powers will leave opponents in dismay as if they were hypnotized, followed by the underhanded words, “pick a card.”&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Word.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;A menacing and lethal combination of style and charisma, to my knowledge, is unattainable by the average American youth. I make it look easy.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;I give David Blaine and any other fake me out magician a run for their money.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;I am so damn good at times I amaze myself.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;It should be illegal that I possess a deck of cards in my hand.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Not only is my sleight hand quicker then the eye.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Every movement is stealth like that of a cheetah possessing lightening quick reflexes. But, I also have the sleight of mouth.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Every letter to every word unites to formulate a sentence which can cause many affect to the feeble human mind.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Affects vary from anger to confusion, to anger again and sometimes confusion.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Every now and then I do make people laugh or smile, most likely to quell my ever growing boredom.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:14;"&gt;♠&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span class="body"&gt;Silence is the best answer to the stupid. The fool has his answer on the tip of his tongue.&lt;?xml:namespace prefix = o /&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;i&gt;-Arab Proverb&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;With highly technological gadgets orbiting his environment like satellites, our new hero is filed with the stress of making a mere eight dollars an hour.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;From batteries to microphones to wearing a black collared polo shirt as his uniform, this child was on the route to survive college life.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Stocking shelves, taking inventory and having to meet monthly sales quotas can take a toll on a young man.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Plus, the added pressure of school and other social aspects encircled by the university life can add boulders to a growing man’s shoulder. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;This hero was slightly over weight, unintelligent, and unattractive.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He was in infatuated by a young girl who possessed a hypnotizing smile.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He would walk her to class and wait ever so patiently for her; at times he would even attend her classes; even though his campus was 25 miles away.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;His relentless attempt of romancing went unnoticed.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;And before his very eyes, the young heroine was swept off her feet, falling madly in love with another man.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;What can a man do when his heart is shattered?&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;A million pieces, facing cardiac arrest, the hero has no choice but to live his life.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;A broken heart can never mend, and a broken heart can make a man do terrible things.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;This man started his journey back to single life in a terrible way, making only one mistake.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Cable connectors and wireless communication devices, our hero returns to his weekend job at Radio Shack in the local mall.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Behind the register, as he assists the herd of battery consuming shoppers.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;When finally a customer arrives, 40 at age, old enough to be his mother, they start conversing in Urdu.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;She asked politely about his studies, and he replied stating he was a student at the &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;University&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; of &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Maryland&lt;/st1:placename&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;She then asked if he knew of her nephews, (the rule with Pakistani’s is that there are 2 degrees of separation.)&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He replied, yes, he knew of them.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He could have stopped there and continued on to a lovely conversation about curry and samosas with the elder women or in Pakistani terms auntie.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;But he was now full of spite and jealousy, and as if the weight has taken its toll, he said one of them has been fooling around with a girl.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;This Aunt had no idea how to react, Pakistani culture is much different then the premarital sex or relationships that occur every other second in American society.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;The immodest sexual practice is new trend for humble Pakistani immigrants.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:14;"&gt;♠&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Words. They are powerful things. Nations have fallen.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Wars have been commenced.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Lives have been slain.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;The power of words is the most unexplainable phenomenon in the universe other then my forever increasing cell phone bill.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;People do not know when to shut-up.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;They keep talking and talking expecting nothing will happen with their inane ranting.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Severe headaches and migraines can form, even small tumors known to cause cancer, with all this blah-blahing.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Mental contusions can cause mental illusions, which therefore may proceed with a beating causing bleeding, bruising and contusions.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;It is spectacular how the human tongue works without thinking as if it has no correlation to the brain.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:14;"&gt;♠&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;During a dynamic debate that discombobulated the psych with my salafi advisor, my phone began to vibrate.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;I do not like ringers, nor would I pay a ridiculous amount for the latest ringers advertised.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;It’s another way the man has devised to swindle me out of my non-sufficient funds.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Anywho, the phone vibrated, I never answer the phone immediately.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Good things are worth the wait, and nothing is more gooder than me.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Noting it was Hassan, my mentally dilapidated cousin, I tentatively ignored the call.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;In theory if it was important, he would call back.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;He called back.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;He asked where I was, what I was doing and who I was with before I could I even say hello.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Noticing a great deal tension in his voice I instantaneously noted that something was wrong.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He then stated someone was going to die tonight, and ordered me to meet him at his house as soon as possible.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;My salafi advisor overheard our conversation and recommended that I stay away from trouble.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;I cogitated to the advice advised by my salafi advisor.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;If I were to heed his advice more often, I would not have a story to write.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;I wished him peace, and went along my merry way.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;A long car ride between my salfai advisor’s house and my cousin’s house can unravel many thoughts that play in my mental theater.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;I am infatuated with those thespian mermaid twins that my imagination conjured, and Daffy Duck serving us cotton candy by waterfalls made of chocolate milkshakes like a Willy Wonka factory.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Bugs Bunny making funny jokes with an Arab accent, I love my mind and the short entertaining theatricals it plays.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;But before my imagination could turn indecent and vile, I arrived at my cousin’s house.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Darn. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Before entering the basement of his house, questions after questions flooded my brain.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Why do I always wear sunglasses indoors?&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Is it permissible to tuck in one’s undershirt into their underwear?&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Most importantly, is it uncivilized to floss my teeth with my long hair?&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Oh, and why am at my cousins house; and who is he going to kill?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Upon entering I was greeted with cacophony and vivid group of people, reminding of an immigration office.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;There were at least fifteen people, maybe sixteen, possibly seventeen and eighteen, if I was included.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Heavy hitters, rowdy rapscallions, treacherous thugs, who are careless when it comes to human emotions, human welfare and laws that preside over them, were still left in the dark on the reasoning of their attendance.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Who shall wreak the eternal slumber after the nightmare we bestow?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;After calming the swarm of people, congregating in the crammed basement, Hassan addressed the crowd.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“we are gonna kill that son of a female dog.[censored]”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“who?’&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Someone in the crowd rightfully inquired.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“azim.” Hassan answered.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;“that homo told my aunt eye was messing wit a girl.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;then my aunt told my mom and now i’m in trouble.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;she went 2 radio shack 4 batteries and all she got was his stories of me.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;An apology can never be a panacea for most sensitive issues.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;If Napoleon would have apologized to the native Haitians in Papa New &lt;st1:country-region st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Guinea&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:country-region&gt;, would a second world war have transpired?&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;The answer is no.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Plain and simple, using history as an example, apologies don’t work.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;If Michael Jackson just keeps on saying, “my bad” after all his Ninja Turtle themed slumber parties, would that be acceptable?&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;NO.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;No weapons of mass destruction, so what?&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Gandhi was a pacifist, and look at &lt;st1:country-region st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;India&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:country-region&gt;, now harboring Al-Qaeda terrorist.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Say no to diplomacy say no to terrorism.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Say yes to Paris Hilton.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;What was my role in this debacle?&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;After all, I am good for instigating a quarrel.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Now to sound braggadocios but I can rouse up a conflict between Martin Luther King and Mother Theresa on who can pacify the conflicts in my life.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Accordingly, the hoodlums gave me the phone after connecting it to our new victim; and told me to do what I do best. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“meow.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“huh?” Azim questioned not sure if what he heard.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“I tawt I heard a puddy cat.”&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;I replied to his confusion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“what the fudge?”&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He responded, leaving him even more confused.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“I did, I did hear a puddy cat.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I could expand more on our senseless conversation, but due to graphic words and regrettable statements I would rather not offend any readers.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;But, there is a methodology that I abide when confronted with such matters.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Three rules to infuriate an adversary:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.5in"&gt;1. Insult their mother.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.5in"&gt;2. Insult their sister, if there is no sister applicable then proceed to insult another female family member such as an aunt, niece or my personal favorite their grandmother.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"&gt;3. Insult their mother.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;He gave us his address.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;Mission&lt;/st1:city&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; successful.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Sixteen or seventeen maybe even eighteen individuals including me departed from Hassan’s basement to teach this poor fellow a lesson.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;You see, this child, Azim, was coerced by our persuasive technique to get into an altercation.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;It would be rather nefariously inhumane of us if we would pound his head in without a sufficient motive.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;So, we angered him enough to seek a legitimate reason to pound our heads.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Everyone in life has certain strings that can be controlled; I was to be that marionette to put on show not only for the readers but the sixteen or seventeen other delinquents.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;To make a long story short we arrived at his house, only to see him not there.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Actually, we were not sure which house was his; so we called him to step out and meet us at another spot. &lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;(We had no intention of meeting at another place, this was our surprise tactic.) &lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;While someone called him one of Hassan’s friend opened up his trunk and started handing out weapons.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;I would hate to be stereotypical but his Asian friend handed out a pair of nunchucks.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;A few baseball bats and metal pipes were dispensed out as well; those always add excitement to a fight.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Juggling his keys, Azim ran out his house and towards his car.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Visibly intoxicated the stench of the vile alcohol could be seen through his actions, barely able to run as if his body stood on rubber pegs.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;His judgment was impaired; it took awhile for him to realize that he was surrounded by 16 or 17 even 18 hostile people.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I have never seen fear as I did strike on that man’s face.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;I saw the white’s of his eyes even in the midnight hour that glowed like being powered by an &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Edison&lt;/st1:place&gt; invention.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;His hands and speech began to shake, barley able to hold on to his car keys.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Now, given the anarchic circumstance it would have been the perfect opportunity to apologize.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;A man’s ego sometimes is too powerful for a 5 letter word to disperse from their tongue.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Hassan confronted the poor man, asking for a simple apology.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He was circled by us hoodlums like blood thirsty vultures on to their prey, who were curious as to the outcome of the situation.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He reached in his pocket and quickly grabbed his only life saver, a cell phone.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Hassan slapped it way, the echoes of it breaking were the only thing that was heard, when all of sudden from afar a voice was heard.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“hey, azim!”&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;A man, who was witnessing the whole catastrophe from his porch, asked.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;“u need help?”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“no.”&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Azim responded as if he could handle the situation in diplomatic means.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“ok, bye.”&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;The voice disappeared in the darkness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;That was a minor inconvenience to cure our little problematic parasite.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;There was a long delay and it seemed as if our trip was fruitless.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;We hoodlums were beginning to get restless as Azim was relentless on not apologizing.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;And, before we could encourage Hassan to either fight, or bounce; he stuck him in the face with his fist.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;I seen it in slow-motion as the impact of the hit made Azim do a total 520 degrees, pleasing the whole crowd.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Then, to add insult to injury, Hassan kicked him in his large and cumbersome behind.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;The problem with Zike lies within the fact that he does not care.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He does not care for his family.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He does not care for his house.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He has nothing.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;No job.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;No car.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;No money.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He has nothing and is nothing.&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;So if we deal with him in military manners like the Bush regime; how would he retaliate?&lt;span style="font-size:0;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;If the problem lies, then who knows if the answers are true?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;"This ain't funny so don't you dare laugh. Just another case about the wrong path, straight and narrow or your soul gets cast." Slick Rick, A Children's Story&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:12;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-3184772556283218468?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/3184772556283218468/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=3184772556283218468' title='12 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/3184772556283218468'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/3184772556283218468'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2007/09/great-adventures-of-fallen-star-part.html' title='the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiiiiiiiii'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>12</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-7870890505433945282</id><published>2007-08-20T19:50:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-08-20T19:52:45.795-07:00</updated><title type='text'>the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiiiiiiii</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;There are a few things in life that I do not comprehend.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;One of which is my intense infatuation with Paris Hilton.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Another is my constant attraction to hazardous situations.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In fact what I do understand is the concept of reruns.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When a television show is first aired, there are many viewers who missed it the first time round; thus, the rerun was impeccably conceived to serve those who neglected the show.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Now, a word from our sponsor.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;There are a few things in life that I do not comprehend.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;One of which is my intense infatuation with Paris Hilton.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Another is my constant attraction to hazardous situations.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In fact what I do understand is the concept of reruns.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When a television show is first aired, there are many viewers who missed it the first time round; thus, the rerun was impeccably conceived to serve those who neglected the show.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Now, a word from our sponsor.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;The chicken is the wisest animal on the farm.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They lay eggs.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Now right after the chaotic incident at the mosque, I quickly called his older brother who is my friend.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His brother at that time had several personal issues, often confusing himself.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Like staring at the sun, his own thoughts are blinding himself. I worry about him at times, more than I worry about my evil counterpart.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His brother heard my version of the scenario, which is the same version you all read in the previous chapter.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Not surprised, by his brother’s stupidity or utter delinquency, he gave me advice.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I do not remember word for word what he said, thus I paraphrased his thoughts.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“When I was child I would take the bus. And, there was this bully, who would always pick on me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I would try my best to ignore him.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But that didn’t work, and he still picked on me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Then, one day I decided to confront him. I told him that I was sorry for what I have done.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And after that day he stopped picking on me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Even though I knew I wasn’t wrong.”&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;His Oprah Winfrey advice would have worked on bunch of unemployed feminist, but was I to take his advice seriously.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;So I told his moronic brother, in the most sarcastic tone, “thank you for your help,” which sounded more like go to hell with your advice you retarded hamster looking gremlin.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He understood, and hung up the phone.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Stupidity runs in the family.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I sympathize deeply with this tortured soul, who grew up in a dysfunctional family with issues that daytime talk shows would tackle.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I was disappointed, not that I expected answers from his brother, what upset me most was he wasted my day time minutes.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;7 days later.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I like jumma; it makes me feel more Muslim.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is in our nature to sin, therefore jumma is the day I feel I can cleanse my inner-self.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A weekly cleansing to rid my soul of the impurifications that I have fornicated, the soul is often overlooked. So on this jumma day, I started it off with a nice long session of ghusul.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Randomly, my doorbell rang right before I left to the prayer.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was my cousin, not Hassan (he was in &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Houston&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:City&gt; assaulting gay male prostitutes), Zain.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He heard about the incident that happened last week with Zike and offered his assistance.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Bless his little menthol congested heart, but I doubt this scrawny kid could hold his own against Zike.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I told him that I did not want him escorting me to the prayer, but he refused.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I don’t need protection, I have a gun. Meow.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I vegetated in my usual spot in the masjid, in deep concentration.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I tried.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And, I tried hard to understand the imam, the cleric, and his lessons.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But, I dozed off to world led by imagination.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Cotton candy fantasies, enjoining in the wealth of this world with a pair of twin mermaids and Bugs Bunny, the imagination is an escape that we seldom use.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I then envisioned, the rascally rabbit delivering the jumma sermon.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That’s when I woke from the uncontrollable daydream.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;After the prayer, like always I gathered my shoes and went on my way out the mosque.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;From the corner of my eyes I saw my future brother-in-law conversing with Zike.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I hate to think the worst of people, but I already knew Zike’s intention was at the mosque.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(He did get shot the previous week.)&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My sister’s finance was trying to quell the dilemma of any drama between Zike and me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What intrigued me most was Zike’s ridiculous outfit.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He was dressed as if he had a trial in the morning and the only place open was Wal-Mart.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Adorning a red and black plaid colored shirt that most rednecks would be proud to wear at any formal event, which was tucked into his pleated khakis, Zike was costumed like a gump.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Envisioning himself as a thug, Zike was walking paradox in his get up.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His outfit made me chuckle.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My future brother-in-law was satisfied with the progress in alleviating the seven days of suppressed anger Zike had in store for me; thus my future brother-in-law walked away.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I could have walked out the mosque with no conflict.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I should have walked out the mosque with no conflict.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I would have walked out the mosque with no conflict, but that would have made for a bad story.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Before I could even acknowledge Zike, I felt his cold reptilian eyes piercing through me like a mouse in a loin’s den.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I returned to Zike a smile.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He hates it when I smile.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Subsequently, he started a small ruckus, not as big as last week’s circus.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;How low do you have to go to insinuate a quarrel at a place of worship, Zike succeeded to go that low twice consecutively.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He may have set a record, going as lower then my credit score.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was not that I was irritated or frustrated or agitated or aggravated or even infuriated, it has become annoying.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Like when reading a magazine and al those little subscription cards keep falling out, Zike is sublimated spam.&lt;span style=""&gt;   &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“they call me the Blockbuster!”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Zike proclaimed proudly.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I was stunned; I had no reaction for his statement.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Stupidity is unpredictable, but did this word have a deeper meaning?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Blockbuster.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Block: noun, hindrance or obstruction, an obstacle.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Buster: a person who breaks something up.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Was he implying that he breaks up or busts an obstruction?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Was I an obstacle in his path?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Am somehow in his way, to his greater goal?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Or did he merely use the word as a metaphor that he was going to rent movies.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“What!?”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I responded in pure and utter confusion.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Yea, man.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I’m the blockbuster!”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Zike declared his silly iconic name.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;He is the prime example of the harmful effects of drugs.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Children, drugs are bad.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Like Peter Parker, he fell prey to the sweet seductress known as Mary Jane.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Tetrahydrocannabinol is the active chemical compound released that causes psychoactive and physiological effects.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Scientificial studies, which I did not participate, have shown that cannabis can impair short term memory and affects the hippocampus of the brain.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Those, that are predisposed for psychosis, my arch nemesis, increase the risk of psychotic symptoms.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is argued that long term effects of consuming the drug have an effect of personality or possible brain damage.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Now, you see what I am dealing with, the poster boy of the harmful effects of drugs.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“I don’t get it?”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I asked as if I was to get a coherent answer from this idiot.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Blockbuster.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He reaffirmed confidently, “I bust blocks.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Stupidity is ubiquitous.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I do not comprehend how hard it is to create an appealing moniker.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Was his goal to strike fear in my blood with that name.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Super Mario was known for busting blocks with his head.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If he was making a comparison to the legendary video game emblem, why could he not use more clever title?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Pyro-Hurler, Koopa Trooper Stomper, or even Raccoon Man sounds a tad bit more menacing than Blockbuster.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Zain, my cousin, was not present when I was confronting Zike, I think he was engaged in conversation with my future brother-in-law.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What they were discussing, I don’t know.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But I believe it was my boisterous brother-in-law parading that he extinguished a confrontation.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“y r u dressed like bob tha Builder?”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I commented on his hillbilly attire.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;His response was laced with profane obscenities and obscene profanities.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I smiled.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He hates when I smile.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Now inciting his anger, I figured this is the best time to get the upper hand.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I would no longer be the victimized by all the Danny’s out there and I will fight for all those like me who have been oppressed.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“meet me at tha mcdonald’s and we’ll take care this.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I did not know why I said this.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“let’s go then.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;he responded, which was not the answer I was hoping.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“let’s go.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What I have I got myself into?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And, why would Zike agree to this.&lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“let’s go.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The retard reiterated.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“I’m going.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I am now consuming as much time as possible, so I can think of way to get out of this mess.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;“or we could go 2 blockbuster,” I added with a smile.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He hates it when I smile.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Camels are efficient animals. &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Throughout history, they have been known to provide their services in the military without the concern of draft regulations; economic and trade with seldom challenge and restrictions; they assist in the diet’s of man through history, providing protein rich milk and meat eaten in many East African and Middle Eastern countries.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Camels can adapt to their environment by changing their body temperature, ranging from 93 degrees F to 106 degrees.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Able to survive unheard of climate changes, and the ability to travel long distances are a few benefits that civilizations in the past have utilized.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Camels can carry up to 990 pounds, but that last statement I said to Zike, was the straw that broke his back.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;A small riot almost broke.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I have good news, and I have bad news.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;No physical altercation ever occurred that jumma day.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My cousin Zain and Zike’s cousin who was also present at jumma intervened before blood could spill.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But the good news, my cell phone is activated.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;A man will not abandon illusions he believes as facts in favor of facts he believes as illusions.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Because of too much 2pac, Zike vicariously lives his life as a thug.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His mind is deluded from the mere reality that the ideology of “thug life” is not needed to live in suburbia.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Now, I may have said a few words that would have garnered the wrath oh my lethal numbskull hooligan of a friend.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Even the wise man dwells in the fool's paradise.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If it is true that ignorance is bliss; subsequently, Zike must be in absolute utopia (after the drugs of course).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-7870890505433945282?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/7870890505433945282/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=7870890505433945282' title='11 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/7870890505433945282'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/7870890505433945282'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2007/08/great-adventures-of-fallen-star-part.html' title='the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiiiiiiii'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>11</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-3322703146604155664</id><published>2007-06-24T01:53:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-06-24T01:55:22.624-07:00</updated><title type='text'>the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiiiiiii</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;“when I die, I wanna be a living legend.”&lt;br /&gt;-2pac&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Those are words to live by, or die by; honestly that man has got me in a state of utter confusion.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Slap bracelets, the running man dance along with Vanilla Ice, grunge, before Marky Mark was an actor, and the governor of California starred in the highest grossing movie of that year, before Jordan won a championship, ripped jeans and florescent colors, children adorning fanny packs and scrunchies, parachute pants made famous by MC Hammer, Del the Funkee Homospaian released his first album as a Tribe Called Quest released their second, it was either Me, Myself and I or engine, engine number nine on the New York transit line; I am back an era that laid the foundation of who I am now.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The same year when the leader of our nation (Bush) obliterated &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:country-region st="on"&gt;Iraq&lt;/st1:country-region&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;; a lot has changed since then.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;When a newly incarcerated individual enters prison, they are labeled a fish.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I am not familiar with the rationale, but in my opinion it is possibly due to the fact that fish have gills.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Entering elementary school, I was the new kid in town, transitioning from &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;Alabama&lt;/st1:State&gt; to &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Maryland&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:State&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The adjustment was hard or maybe it was all the learning that was taken place; whatever it was, I found it difficult.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Reading&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:City&gt;, writing, arithmetic, on top of all that nonsense I had to become socially accepted among my new peers.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;As always, I was the only Pakistani in the whole class.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Being different is hard, especially when you smell like curry.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;My own best friend is me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This is what losers say, when they in affect have no friends themselves.&lt;span style=""&gt;   &lt;/span&gt;So, I am that fish, ignorant of the elementary ways of the social etiquettes in &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Maryland&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:State&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;Alabama&lt;/st1:State&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;, I was the big shot; everyone wanted to be my friend. (They still do.)&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Therefore, making friends was new to me; it was a task that I did not want to accomplish. I feared not being accepted among my peers.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Was I supposed to enter a new world full of solitude and emptiness?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;An abyss surrounded by peers who reject me?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Or forever being alienated by those who smell better than me?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I am a lonesome child unwanted like brown M&amp;Ms.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My own best friend is me; however, I am my own worst enemy.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Lessons being taught and lessons being learned, it was my first day of school in &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Maryland&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:State&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I paid little attention to what was being taught; instead I was intrigued by the enormous size of the class.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The teacher kept blabbing on and on, while I kept analyzing the class.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I noticed the students were mainly Caucasian sprinkled with a few minorities here and there; which was much different than school in &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Alabama&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:State&gt;, where I was surrounded by an unending population of white people.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The teacher, I think her name was Ms. Roberts, but who cares the story does not involve her, was lecturing about &lt;st1:country-region st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Mexico&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:country-region&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I zoned out, not caring about her telemundo lesson plans.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Later, she instructed the class to draw a Mexican environment.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;One of my many amazing talents was the ability to make giant spit bubbles.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I am not sure what that fact has anything to with anything.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But another uncanny talent in my arsenal is the ability to draw the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles without glancing at the image.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Not to boast, but my artistic skills at my young age had a slight resemblance of a sane Salvador Dali.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;After the Ms. Roberts handed out the paper, I quickly began drawing.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Lightening as my pencil hit the paper, quickly doodling my rendering of a Mexican environment.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When the storm had cleared, my paper exhibited a grand portrayal of Michelangelo, from the ninja turtles, wearing a sombrero and eating a taco.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;All the other students were in awe of my masterpiece, as they all praised my work.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;One kid, named Danny who had a strong similarity to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, asked me to draw the same image on his paper.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Maybe my talent was a gift to make friends.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I agreed to his wish and began drawing.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I was not about to draw the same image, a masterpiece can never be duplicated, thus I drew Donatelo with MC Hammer pants.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He was not nearly as impressed with my new artistic piece, so he insisted on switching papers.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I was not about to part with my work of art, consequently I called him “fat.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He retaliated by calling me “skinny.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If those aren’t fighting words then I do not know what is.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Fast forward the rest of the class period to lunch, while I stood in line, Danny cut right in front of me giving me an evil stare.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Was I supposed to be offended that a fat lard cut in front of me in a lunch line?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But, whatever makes him happy.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He then farted, and stunk up the entire line, the aroma of rotten eggs was too much for a class of elementary students.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Chaos erupted.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;During the pandemonium, I lost my appetite, worse he blamed his stench on me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This was not the first impression I would have liked in front of my new peers.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;During lunch I was now known as the lunch line farter.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Echoes of laughter and teasing bellowed the large cafeteria; classmates would now acknowledge me with this new title.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Kids are cruel; but so am I.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Tensions between me and my new chubby friend had grown.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I confronted my new enemy, approaching his table, asked him ever so politely if he ever stops eating.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He took offense to my question, and told me to go back to my home land.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I wish I could, honestly this hostile environment had given me nostalgia for &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;Alabama&lt;/st1:State&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Let the trash talking begin, all the kids crowded up.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;For some reason, children find joy in other people’s misfortune.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This is bizarre phenomena that I cannot explain, either for lack of education or not caring.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I perform well in crowds, especially under pressure.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“u look like a rescue ranger.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Danny the obese child yelled.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;ur&lt;/st1:City&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; an overweight Gummi Bear,” I responded as well as the crowd with a roar of laughter.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Alf.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He retorted.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Fat Albert.”&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;So far, I had the upper hand; poor child had no idea what he was getting into.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His smile quickly turned into an unsmile. (Not a frown but not a smile, I do not think Mr. Webster put that word in his book of words.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But, I do plan on sending him an e-mail, until then I reserve all rights for the usage of that word.)&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I always got in trouble for breaking things in my youth, even up until my adulthood.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Breaking things is always fun; except for the fact of facing the consequences and repercussions.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That day I broke the feelings of my new overweight and circular friend with embarrassment and shame all over his face.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I could have stopped there, and let Danny wallow with humiliation, but I opted to make him cry.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Mr. Belvedere.” I added to the injury.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The children who served spectators to this unrehearsed mean spirited game of dozens could not control their laughter.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I love pouring salt on an open wound, already knowing Danny is over sensitive about his weight.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;There were many ways my foe could react to such an insult, but that would require quick wit and clevarity, none of which he possessed.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And instead of crying, like I hoped, he got furious.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The new lunch line farter kid stole the spot light from the over eating pudge.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He then challenged me to duel, wanting to fight me and pound my face in with his stocky and flubbery arms.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Little does he know that I have an older sister, and can take a great deal of damage.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was settled; we would meet at the playground during recess, and fight it out mano y mano.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Yo hablo Espanol, muy bein.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Bring it on.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The class was dismissed to recess, and I walked alone towards the playground.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A huge crowd hurdled around Danny, like small moons orbiting a large planet.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They escorted him to the jungle jim in an entourage fashion.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Walking alone, I noticed I had this feeling tingling sensation in little tummy.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Butterflies or school-made French fries, I am not sure what I ate.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I also did not know how to fight such a large opponent.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Quickness and stealth is what I relied on against this sumo-wrestler.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I also doubt that I could talk my way out of this out of control incident.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Once we both arrived at the playground, we shared evil glances at each other.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The children were screaming, almost animal like behavior as if they were characters come to life from Lord of the Flies.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Danny’s body was now eclipsing the sun, as he stood thirsty for blood.&lt;span style=""&gt;   &lt;/span&gt;The children were either taunting me or encouraging their portly classmate, “Danny the Killer” or something creative like “Dan the &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Man.&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:State&gt;”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I planned on winning the hearts of my classmates with a swift and quick victory.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Without warning I ran full speed at the fat turd, only to bounce off like a rubber ball.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The fart accuser stood his ground, and then ran towards me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His blubber flapping while he ran, his stomach bounced up and down in the air like a pogo stick.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I stood helpless, screaming on the top of my lungs.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I have never seen a fat boy run at me as fast as he did.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Black, as if was trapped in the night without lights while closing me eyes.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I do not recall where I was, or what had happened, I could not move my body, paralyzed yet my mind awake in the darkness. &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Then, I slowly assembled the pieces of the puzzle; the plump child was sitting on top of my forty pound body.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Ouch.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Thinking back, I have never been successful in duel against my sister.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I do not recommend violence to end any dispute.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My mind is quicker than any fist, my wit is sharper than any blade, my words are weapons and my weapons are words, delivering lethal blows and demolishing the esteem of my peers and foes alike.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I have learned a valuable lesson that day.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Who said that you don’t learn anything from school?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Including that mulch leaves a nasty after taste.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The ink of a scholar is holier than the blood of a martyr.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Fighting does not always have to be physical. &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;This was in essence my first fight, but was it to be my last?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-3322703146604155664?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/3322703146604155664/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=3322703146604155664' title='8 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/3322703146604155664'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/3322703146604155664'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2007/06/great-adventures-of-fallen-star-part_24.html' title='the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiiiiiii'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>8</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-2126244121726526710</id><published>2007-05-03T20:56:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-05-03T20:59:33.612-07:00</updated><title type='text'>the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiiiiii</title><content type='html'>The last I heard of Zike, was on an instant message conversation online.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The proceeding was an actual reenactment of the online conversation.    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;Zike: I heard u got in trouble lol&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;Me: tru, but how did u kno I was at her house?&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;Zike: wtf? im going 2 kill u&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;Your warning level has increased by 5%.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I intentionally infuriated my advisory by insinuating that I was at his “girl’s” house, even though I was at my salafi advisors couch that night.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His anger was only a minor part of my great impulsive scheme.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;POW!!!&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Huh?&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Through certain situations heroes are made.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;On the other hand, &lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;u&gt;super&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;heroes are born.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;On a murky July night, I was born.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was far from a normal birth of a normal child.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You see, I am not that normal.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In fact normalicty and its boundaries were unknown to me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I do not know the definition of the word normal or normalicity.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Remind me to look it up one day.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The day was the 7&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; of July.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;President Reagan nominates Sandra Day O'Connor for the U.S. Supreme Court.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Hawaii&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:State&gt; is officially announced as the 50&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; state.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The New York Yankees win whatever baseball teams wins.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Steroids?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And, a superhero is born.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(My birth was so anticipated, that three days before my actual birth, the &lt;st1:country-region st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;United   States&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:country-region&gt; government displayed fireworks for the whole nation to celebrate.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;To this day, fireworks still go off annually.)&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;After coming out of my mother’s womb I had unresolved anger issues while I was in there, suffocating in the dark, with unpleasant dungeon like conditions.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Most of my anger was directed towards my mother’s doctor, who helped with the procedure.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;With nine months of bottled up aggression, I attacked the doctor and strangled him with my umbilical cord.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;From the moment I took my first breath, I knew I was different. If you ask my mom, her story differs.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;She would say something along the lines; I was born naked and crying.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Honestly, who would believe that?&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Every Friday I would attend the local congregational prayers at my mosque.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was clockwork, I always came at the same time, sat in the same place, and I wore the same outfit.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Tick tock.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Actually, I wear the same outfit everyday of the week for the past 5 years.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I keep it hood in the suburbs.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;On my way to the mosque, curiosity struck me like bowling ball on Fred Flinstone’s head.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Where was my mortal and dim-witted enemy, Zike?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I have not heard from him in a while.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Maybe, because he does not know how to dial numbers from a touch tone phone; or maybe, because my cell phone is cut off.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Maybe he finally forgot about me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Maybe he finally progressed to place that accepts his barbaric and delinquent persona.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I just hope he does not drop the soap.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;After editing the last sentence, I had a mental picture of that disturbing scene.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Astghafullah.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I took my usual seat, slouching by the wall.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I strategically crossed my legs, my head facing the ground with my hands covering my face.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This position provides an illusion of deep contemplation.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Instead, what I was really doing was catching up on some necessary sleep.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;One o’clock in the afternoon is quite early for a professional bum, I mean uh super hero. &lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Meow.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I awoke form my state of trance only to be dulled again by the voice of the imam.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His monotone voice covered with a thick West African accent bored me to death.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Not only could I not understand what he said, it made whatever he said less understanding.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(If you can understand that, then you understand my ordeal.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Understood?)&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;While the imam was speaking, blah blah blah, I came across a great mystery; which surprisingly, unfolded right on the tips of my fingers, literally.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A mystery that was in front of me all my life, yet I never paid much attention to it.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I never realized it before, but today it came across like a sign.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Mankind has traveled far in search for answers of the greatest questions.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;From the vast miles of ocean water to dangerous space traveling, man has always been on the constant quest for key to the unknowns.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was no coincidence that I stumbled upon a great unnoticed mystery, today.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Since the discovery, it gave potential to open doors for more and more questions.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Cuticles.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What the fudge are they?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Do they serve a vital role in our lives?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;How does one get rid of such things?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;More importantly, do females find them attractive? I may have been the only person to ask such bold questions.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Never have I heard anyone discuss this strange phenomenon, being ignored by modern society.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I will be the first to lead a team of researchers to this scientific exploration.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Anyways, right after the jummah prayer, I walked out the mosque in excited at my discovery.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And, impatience grew wanting me to enlighten the rest of my peers.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Hurrying I put on my shoes, like a child with his first secret I was in a rush to open my mouth of the finding.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And, as soon as I opened the door I ran right into my friend Shairef; he’s my favorite Bengali.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He also has a boatload of problems, no pun intended.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;One day, my salfai advisor and I should actually sit down and discuss that he sucks in Madden.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Now I am standing outside of the mosque or in Muslim terminology the masjid; eager to tell my Bengali friend of my discovery.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But being raised by television, my favorite babysitter I have developed an incurable level of ADD (attention deficit disorder).&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Thus I forget my discovery.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Huh?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I am surprised I have written this much; especially, since I am plagued with this high level ADD and an above average level of laziness.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;However, I am more surprised that you people are still reading this.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Congratulations!&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;While talking to Sharief about something that is non-important, I was brutally interrupted by voice of man standing behind me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“do u hav ghusul?” a muffled voice said with a sense of anger.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Oh, my God!&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The story has finally picked up. &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;After pages and pages of pure creative artistically written rubbish the story has finally hit its climax.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You would never guess who was standing right behind me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Wrong answer, guess again.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Not to delay anymore of your precious time, and to kill any suspense that was dramatically built; it was my arch-nemesis, Zike in the flesh.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He was standing inches away from me; his eyes boiled with unrelenting anger, his mouth filled with lethal venom, and his nose filled with boogers.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Yuck!&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Our eyes locked with immense tension; I sensed he was not happy at my appearance at the mosque, thus causing a chaotic scene.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“do u hav ghusul?”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He repeated, as if I was blind.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Zike was at least thirty pounds heavier then me and at least five inches taller.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His voice was resonating within the bones of my skeleton.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was not fear nor was it anxiousness; it was just that I anticipated something was going to go wrong.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In other words, my spidey sense was tingling.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“did u do ghusul?” again he repeated, but I had no reply to his silly little question; because I was dumbfounded for his reasoning for asking such a retarded question.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;Ghusul&lt;/span&gt; is an Arabic term referring to the full ablution in Islam. In order to enter a state of purity before Sal’at (prayer), a Muslim usually performs the partial ablution, or wudu. In some cases, like on a Friday it is preferred to have a &lt;span style=""&gt;ghusul&lt;/span&gt;. In other cases a &lt;span style=""&gt;ghusul&lt;/span&gt; must be performed. These cases are:&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;After having sexual intercourse.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;After a woman completes her menstrual cycle.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;After a new Muslim takes Shahada for the first time&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I hope you were taking notes; I rarely give out useful information.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Actually, I usually give out false information.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;For example, I’m pregnant. &lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Where was I? Oh, yes, Ghusul.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Exactly what was my unbeautiful friend insinuating? That I was convert to a religion that I was born? Or was he stating that I had sex before coming to the mosque? (I wish).&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Astghfullah.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Or maybe that it was that time of the month?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If that was the case, than I can’t be pregnant. &lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I was dumfounded by his stupidity.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Looking at his face is as if one was looking at vomit.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is so nasty and repulsive, yet we sometimes stare at it out of sheer curiosity to understand what the vomit consists. Indeed, one may find food that appears hideous and inedible after going through the gaseous states of the human stomach. &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Curiosity gets the best of us at times.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His pimples made up most of his gruesome Halloween mask-type face, where they formed vast geometric type regions, similar to that of the &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Appalachian Mountains&lt;/st1:place&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His muskrat moustache covered his upper lipped, but was easily camouflaged by his nose hairs, which grew out of his nose like wretched, garden weeds.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Interestingly enough, most of his pimples made up constellations.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was as if I was gazing upon a flesh colored canvas with bright pink and red stars making up the night sky.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I saw the Big Dipper, Bug Bunny and Orion.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The craters on his flesh made his face look like an alien landscape.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This may have been inhabited by some new form of bacterial life feeding from the pores of his skin.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Craters that was large enough to hide Sadaam Huesian, when escaping the American militia.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;People like him have coined the redundant phrase “beauty is only skin deep.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;One does not realize how ugly a person has to be.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I know they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder but not even Ray Charles can find this man reasonably decent.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I highly sympathize with the poor women who had to breast feed this monster.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Sometimes, God makes ugly people to remind us how blessed we sexy people really are.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;No wonder Zike is always angry; if I had to wake up, every morning, looking like a mistake, I would be angry too.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I doubt that cosmetologists, dermatologists and plastic surgeons with scholarship knowledges cannot help his face, even with reconstructive surgery and the technological advances in cosmetic surgery.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Zike is doomed to remain ugly and stupid.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;While observing his face, Zike kept yelling at me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It grew considerably annoying, and I tired my bestest to ignore this fool.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;There are times when the stimulus in my brain realizes that I should leave.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Secreting acids in my cerebellum causes me to fail.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That probably explains a lot.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“ghusul!” Zike yelled, as if I never heard him the first time.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;“u ruined my prayer, and the prayer for the rest of us.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;u hav 2 ask tha imam 2 pray again.”&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;At this time, all I am thinking is how this acid is emitting out of my ear.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Yuck, I need a q-tip.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“tell the imam 2 pray juma again!”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His decibel level was increasing; it hurt my eyes to hear him speak.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His tone was rather vicious, like a pitbull who chewed off his tail.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“mayb, I will.” I responded.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I am quite the clever one, no?&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;One could admit that I was in a quirky quagmire, a peculiar predicament, a difficult dilemma, a perplexing position, a troublesome tribulation, a titanic tangle, a chaotic complication all at the same time.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His voice resonated with fierce anger, and the only resolve was to pound me to death.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I do not mind dying, as long as I am still alive, but Zike had me in a catch 22.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Not that I would question his faith, but this is the first time I have seen him at jummah in about year; probably, to knock me out.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Finally, I turned around and gave the product of malfunctioning contraception device a piece of my mind.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;“Zike, do you always talk out of your butt; that would explain your breath.”&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;What I love most is angering my opponents. At that point in time Zike was absolutely baffled, and for few seconds he did not know how to respond.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He must have had an inclination; if he came to jummah to intimidate me that I would I bow to his greatness.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;At this point Zike responded with an awful amount of profanities that would have made the FCC faint.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The retard retorted that he would resort to violence.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;We are now standing face to face, as if we were about to be engaged in a preflight ritual of brutal trash talk.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Like a bull, ready to attack the matador, Zike’s eyes grew with intense rage.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Yet, I still did not budge; I kept my feet planted as if they were roots to tree, wrapped underneath the concrete I stood.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Zike kept yelling inaudible blabber, hoping that it would intimidate thy.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Yet, I still did not budge.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Sharief, at his point, was getting bored; thus he tried to separate us, and try to force me to walk away.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Yet, I still did not budge, neither did my antagonizer.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Sharief tried again and again; but to of his avail his efforts were futile.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Finally, a white convert, who was larger in mass then either Zike or I, felt compelled to split us apart.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I just got bored so I walked away; knowing Zike would not be able to do anything.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Honestly, if had wanted to do something he already would have done it.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Walking away from confrontations, does make one feel good.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I walked with my back facing Zike, still frustrated from the event, towards Sharief’s car.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Sharief was talking, as he was walking besides me, some type of talk, which I completely ignored.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Possibly he could have given me advice or some type of talk dealing with the intense scenario.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He kept talking and talking, reminding me of the imam.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I stopped and stood still, turned around to see if Zike was still there.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;There was a large crowd congregating, veiling my view.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I waited for the crowd to clear, while Sharief was still walking and talking, thinking was right beside him.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Once the crowd cleared, I made eye contact with Zike, shaped my finger to a gun, pointed at his hideous face and fired.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;POW!!!&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Walking away from confrontations, does make one feel good, but shooting your adversary with an imaginary gun makes one feel even better.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Meow.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I saw Zike’s eyes reignited with anger, after I pulled that trigger.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I turned back around and walked with a swagger, as if I shot Ariel Sharon.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A large smile came across my face.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I heard the steps of an individual running towards me. Predicting it was Zike, I did not respond to those steps.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Turing around to see what was pursuing me, I saw Zike being stopped by an older man, persuading him to calm down.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A smile arose on my face, to see Zike out of breath from trying to capture his prey.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Poor guy was convincing the old man who held him back, that I possessed a gun.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Angering any individual to the point they want to kill me, I boast, is a another tremendous super human power.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“he had a gun!”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Zike exclaimed.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;“he shot me!”&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;A deck of cards, $2.98; a pair of grey sweat pants, $14.99; Large black t-shirt from foot locker, $5.25; a black pair of Timberland boots, $120.00; inducing Zike to make a fool of himself, priceless.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;He, who last laughs, laughs last.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;As along as it makes no sense, it makes perfect sense to me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Thus, I laugh last.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And with all that laughing aside, I have not yet unleashed that ace that anxiously waits up my sleeve.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Muhahahahaha.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(Evil laughter.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-2126244121726526710?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/2126244121726526710/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=2126244121726526710' title='14 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/2126244121726526710'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/2126244121726526710'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2007/05/great-adventures-of-fallen-star-part.html' title='the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiiiiii'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>14</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-114050788075225133</id><published>2006-02-20T23:41:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-02-20T23:44:40.776-08:00</updated><title type='text'>the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiiiii</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;The common characteristics of a sidekick are not too appealing.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The sidekick is far inferior then his predecessor.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He lacks intellect, personality, and the natural animal instinct that every hero requires.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The sidekick, more often than not, has homosexual tendencies.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Seriously, look at Robin.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Hassan does not shy away from the sidekick role at all.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Instead he has fully embraced it.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;At times, he even wears his underwear outside his clothes.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Due to his extensive diet on protein bars, he tends to give gas.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Gas is merely an understatement.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;His expelling intestinal gas through the anus can employ nuclear energy, which both the Ayatollah and Kim Jong desire to possess this powerful technique of dispensing natural fatal gas for an experimental use of biological warfare.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Deadly.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Ever since we were kids Hassan and I have always gotten along. Even though he is my cousin; he is also a good friend and even a better sidekick.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;All the mistakes he makes and all the homosexual inclinations actually help fulfill the role of him being my valuable yet destructive sidekick. Never have we gotten in a fight.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Never have we argued over trivial and minute matters.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Okay, alright, there was this one time…&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Que flashback music, fade 2 black.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Tha making of a sidekick.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Working at a bank is more tiresome than tiresome.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Counting hundreds of thousands of dollars, that is not mine, a day can cause fatigue.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Especially, if the hours are counted down by second by the contemplation of an Ocean’s 11-esque heist.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I am not ashamed of my once so not so prominent career path.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Indeed I was a mild mannered banker fully equipped with a tie and wing tipped shoes but by night I am a vigilante superhero to save the day.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Every superhero has a secret alter ego not known by the rest of society. I chose to become a banker; the irony is that I have no money.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I may have been the poorest super hero of all time, but at least I have my looks.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;After a hard day of work, I decided to retreat to my Cousin Hassan’s house and unwind.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I would occasionally make random visits at my sidekick’s place for numerous reasons, one of which was to kill time.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was an excellent location to relax, primarily after a strenuous day at work.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Plus, I saved a lot of money by raiding his fridge.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Winter nights always start early; the darkness crept up like a bad wedgie.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I parked my car on his small driveway.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;After slamming my car door shut, I approached Hassan’s house.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Goosebumps and the hairs on my neck stood up, I had an eerie feeling when walking towards his house.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Something was not right.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(Foreshadowing.)&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But I ignored this feeling, mainly because I was hungry.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Food for thought is not thought without food; think about it, that’s deep.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I rang his doorbell and to my surprise there was no answer, only an unnatural silent.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The awkward silent had begun to worry me, and negative thoughts immediately flooded my sexy little head.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I rang his doorbell again, hearing it echo through the walls of his house yet again I there was no answer.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My worriedness begun to grow, not wanting to imagine what could have befallen my trusty sidekick.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Peering through his window, I struggled to see behind the curtains.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Then I knocked on the door.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;The door flung open.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;All I saw was dark shadowy figure, which immediately grabbed my petite body, and threw it to the floor.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I slammed violently against the cold hard linoleum floor.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;All I felt was pain.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Oh, how I loathe pain.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My cartilages or my bones or my skin tissue or whatever keeps my ankle connected to whatever it is connected no longer felt connected as if it were disconnected.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Pain, I hate pain as much as I hate writing.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;The figure had not loosened his grip; no instead his grip grew stronger.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Like the boas constrictor of the Amazon, tightening its grip and releasing life from its victim, I felt hopelessly weak.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My lungs were stiffening, I could barely breathe. It was a downhill struggle to loosen my right arm.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But through the agonizing ordeal I had freed my arm using all my energy.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:country-region st="on"&gt;Tibet&lt;/st1:country-region&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; I learned a Korean funk kung-fu move made famous by the notorious Moe from the 3 stooges and I gouged the monster’s eyeballs.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Screams loud enough to wake the dead were echoing through his house.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He quickly loosened his grip; at that same moment, I jumped out and without delay grabbed my precious ankle I hobbled towards the light switch t unveil my attacker, who was masked by the darkness.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The hallway light provided me with enough illumination to answer my question.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But, that answer came with more questions that I bargained for.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;To my surprise my attacker was none other then my idiot cousin, Hassan.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Meow.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;How could he?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What have I done to receive his wrath?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Is he retarded? Where in the heck is that cat?&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I stared hard at him with a look of disbelief and disgust on my face.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He gazed back at my eyes and smiled his gay Mr. Ed smile.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;At that time I was speechless, and only one word came to my mind. &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;“Why?”&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“I don’t know?” he answered pathetically.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Was he serious?&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Why I am always surrounded by idiots?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Every step I take I cannot avoid someone who is intellectually inclined.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is as if I am stuck on the short yellow school bus on the path to who knows where.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;To make matters worse behind the wheel is a chimpanzee diagnosed with Down syndrome.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Idiots to the right of me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Idiots to the left of me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I am in desperate need of valium.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;This next statement maybe totally irrelevant and most likely one hundred percent pointless, but I would like to share it with my readers.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;At this moment I am not wearing any pants.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Back to the lecture at hand….&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Sorry, I’m sorry,” my retard cousin apologizing.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;“I didn’t mean to hurt you.”&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I did not respond to this primitive animal nor did I accept his existence.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I was in too much pain.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I quote Shakespeare in one his boring books, “et tu, Brute.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Betrayal is the ultimate form of humiliation.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But my pain was not revolved around his honor and duty; instead the anguish I felt was directed at my illustrious and promising basketball career, which was no longer a foreseeable dream.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I squeezed my ankle, ignoring all the agony.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;In desperation Hassan, my bastard cousin, runs and get bandages and a bag of ice, apologizing at every moment of every second.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I stood strong, in my stance, refusing his apologies.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He was groveling, literally on his hands and knees begging for forgiveness.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I was stubborn with my ways.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;No matter what he did, nor the amount of his sincere apologies I was never going to forgive him.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“I am no longer your friend, nor do I want 2 b associated wit u.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I expressed my thoughts to the monkey.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;“I am going home.”&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“I’ll make you brownies!”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He exclaimed.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Every man has a weakness, the breaking point in which they fall prey unto their desires.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My kryptonite is brownies, for all super heroes have flaws.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Yes, even I am not perfect, close, but not perfect.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Later that night Hassan baked brownies and mended our once tattered relationship.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;On that note, I’m hungry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-114050788075225133?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/114050788075225133/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=114050788075225133' title='25 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/114050788075225133'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/114050788075225133'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2006/02/great-adventures-of-fallen-star-part.html' title='the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiiiii'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>25</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-112806323483714751</id><published>2005-09-29T23:51:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-09-30T00:00:02.376-07:00</updated><title type='text'>the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiiii</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Because you look suspicious.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That was the answer the pigs gave me when I asked for their justification on their actions.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;On my way back from the incident, I am contemplating on the event that just occurred.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Can my day actually get any worse?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If you have been reading the past chapters then you would realize the answer to this ridiculous rhetorical question.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I am climbing the ladder of life; the irony is that I am afraid of heights.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;When I go as I high as I can, I fall.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I fall all the way down landing on my precious sensitive buttocks.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Ouch.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Once I try to get up again, some idiot (who intentionally tries to sabotage my life) places a banana peel near the ladder.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I failed to mention that the ladder is foolishly placed near a cliff and I fall to my doom.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This whole story is about how, when, where, and why I fall.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In scientific terminology this phenomena is most commonly known as the While E. Coyote effect.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;Meep! Meep!&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Rewind back 24 hours.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Ringty-ring.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My phone rang on my way back from work.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Yes, I actually had a job at one point in my life.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The time was &lt;st1:time minute="0" hour="23"&gt;11 pm&lt;/st1:time&gt;, the night before Eid-ul Adha.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(Which is the festival of sacrifice, in which the prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son for God.)&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I did not recognize the number, yet my curiosity gets the best of me at times.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;So, I picked up the call, and I did not distinguish the voice.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Whoever it was, he was speaking hardcore Urdu.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;After awhile, I got tired of listening to whoever was speaking.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Too much Urdu gives me a headache.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I let the anonymous caller know that I was hanging up if I did not get a translator.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He quickly replied in English, “Yo.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Lo and behold, and to my surprise, it was my arch nemesis Zike.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;For some reason a smile came across my face.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;No hero can be complete without an evil villain.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Honestly, how cool is Batman without the joker, Superman without Lex Luther, David Lettermen without Jay Leno.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;To keep the story going, adding fuel to the engine, Zike had to have come back.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Without him I would be writing nothing but pointless stories that have little to no meaning.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In other words he somehow makes my story from ordinary cheese doodles into Picasso-type doodles.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I would like to add that my doodles are quite artistic.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He, and I hate to say this, gave life to what would be a rather pholonous story.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;We had another delightful conversation.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It mostly consisted of how he was emotionally over that “girl.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;(He didn’t actually say “girl”, instead used a derogatory term that I deemed to profane and obscene for my audience.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I want to keep it PG.)&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Funny, how he switched hardcore Urdu into Ebonics in a matter of seconds.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I doubt he can speak normal English.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I doubt he can read.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I doubt he can think.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Whenever he spoke, it reminded me of a rap song; ignorant ranting with no point, that should include a parental adversary sticker.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I sympathized with my undomesticated enemy, in that the only girl he ever loved and truly cared for, left him.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Any girl with half a brain would leave a man if he tried to run her over.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If my wife ever tried to run me over with her car, I would slice her throat…uh, I meant, she would have to hear it from my legal team and get struck with a restraining order.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;All I am saying is that I show women respect, I won’t Ike Turner a girl.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Especially, since my mom is a girl; and so is my sister, I think.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He kept going on and on about how the “girl” was so nice to him, but she broke his precious heart.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was right then and there, that I figured that my heart-broken enemy had a heart.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I thought he was born without a heart.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It turned out he was born without a brain.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;There is a medical condition where a baby is born with a hole in the heart.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is a sad and tragic occurrence and to my knowledge is not curable.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I am no doctor but I heard there is an another type of occurrence where a baby is born with a hole in its brain.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Our buffoon, thug evil villain may have been born with a hole in his brain.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That theory would explain everything and make sense in this nonsensical story.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Or maybe he has a mental condition known as Phonemophobia.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Why does he continue to tell me his life problems?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I don’t care for him or his problems.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He rants on an on about his little love life.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If I wanted to hear about tragic love stories I would have read…I meant I would have rented Romeo and Juliet.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Do I look like a psychologist?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Dr. Phil, himself, would not be able to help this poor twisted being into rationality.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I, myself, personally, am need of a therapist.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Sometimes I think and it hurts.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My dear friend, Zike is in need of some electro-shock therapy or even a lobotomy.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;After just rereading this paragraph (while I was editing and speel chekin) Zike is almost reminiscent to Frankenstein’s monster minus the brain and change the green skin into turquoise.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;After a few minutes on the phone, Zike went straight to the point.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I knew for a fact that he did not call me for relationship advice.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And, if he did I would have told him kindly to jump off a bridge.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Zike was asking for a ride for Eid prayer.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I refused, based on the fact that he only calls me for a ride or to get “crunk.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;No.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I love that word.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;NO.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But, Zike on the other hand, was not too thrilled with my answer.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Thus, he insults me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The male ego is a precious thing.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Once challenged it stands to wrestle all who opposes it.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The next ten minutes of our conversation was an exchanged of verbal engagements that consisted of feelings being hurt and egos being crushed.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;By the time I hung up the phone, I still had a smile on my face; I wish I could say the same for my friend.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Rewind back another 24 hours.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Before the anonymous phone call, I was in a heated debate with my salafi advisor about stuff.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I was at his house conversing on the subject of stuff.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Our talks ranged from an array of topics that scoped from issues about stuff to stuff about stuff.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was deep.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My advisor’s brother even joined in our conversation, which was accompanied by chocolate and a refreshing cold glass of milk.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;My salafi advisor’s brother is quite a character.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He is the first person I met who has an undying love for food.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The relationship he developed with food is actually in fact astonishing.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Slowly throughout the years, the calories and the carbs came sneaking like my cat.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Meow.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In time it made him quite pudgy.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He reminds me of those obese babies the network always showcase on Maury Povich.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If you look close enough you could see a double chin forming.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Disgusting.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Yuck.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;And after such conversing we participated in tactical rounds of strategical battling that may help in the near future if ever confronted in certain situations.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;We are now dressed in fatigues, armed and equipped ready to strike first and to kill at will.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Some might call it a simple video game but we call it the ultimate first person shooter, Halo.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Senseless acts of inhumane killings justified by pure entertainment.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;I still could smell the blood in my defeat.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My salafi advisor shows no mercy as he brutally kills his brother and me just for the thrill to see our agony.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The painstaking rounds of dying grew tiresome.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The battling session lasted past the late hours of the night and unto the early hours of morning.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My eyelids felt like bricks and I doubt I could have survived a drive to my house in my condition.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Those battles were strenuous and tense and took a lot of energy out of my little body.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Thus, that night I fell asleep on my advisor’s couch.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Fast forward 48 hours. &lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;After coming home from the whole pig ordeal, I was confronted with both my parents.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They started interrogating me on where I was, and who I was with the other night.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I let them know that I was with my salafi advisor.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They asked me again who I was with.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I answered them again, saying I was with my salafi advisor.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They asked me one more time, and I gave them the same reply.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I had no idea what was up with the serious and tense and heated questioning.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They had me backed in the corner and I sensed some sort of anger and disappointment in their faces.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My parents tend not 2 believe a word I say.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It reminded me of the story of the boy who ate the wolf.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But, I am no wolf nor do I eat boys.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Then, my parents said they had a phone call from my friend Zike, who stated I was at some “girl’s” house and that I spent the whole night with her.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That would have been lovely if it was the truth.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But all I could say is ouch.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That Zike know when and where to hit, and he hit hard.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Never underestimate stupidity.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Because stupidity has a certain level it can reach and it cannot go any lower. &lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Zike had created a new level of hatred from me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A level hatred that has no bounds of mercy.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A level of hatred that defies the spectrum of emotions.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A level of hatred that can only be shared with my sixth grade English teacher.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But, with all the hating on the side, I was thoroughly impressed at his decisive tactic to get my parents involved in such a feeble matter. &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;He has defiantly out done himself this time. &lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;But, I, the suburban superhero, always keep an ace up my sleeve.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Fast forward to the present.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;My cell phone is cut off.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-112806323483714751?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/112806323483714751/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=112806323483714751' title='21 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/112806323483714751'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/112806323483714751'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2005/09/great-adventures-of-fallen-star-part.html' title='the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiiii'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>21</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-111458483043235385</id><published>2005-04-26T23:52:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-04-27T00:09:33.793-07:00</updated><title type='text'>the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiii</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b&gt;pig&lt;/b&gt;    (p&lt;!--[if gte vml 1]&gt;&lt;v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"&gt;  &lt;v:stroke joinstyle="miter"&gt;  &lt;v:formulas&gt;   &lt;v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"&gt;   &lt;v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"&gt;   &lt;v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"&gt;   &lt;v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"&gt;   &lt;v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"&gt;   &lt;v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"&gt;   &lt;v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"&gt;   &lt;v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"&gt;   &lt;v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"&gt;   &lt;v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"&gt;   &lt;v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"&gt;   &lt;v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"&gt;  &lt;/v:formulas&gt;  &lt;v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"&gt;  &lt;o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"&gt; &lt;/v:shapetype&gt;&lt;v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style="'width:5.25pt;"&gt;  &lt;v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Tariq\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.gif" href="http://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/ibreve.gif"&gt; &lt;/v:shape&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if !vml]--&gt;&lt;img src="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CTariq%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_image001.gif" shapes="_x0000_i1025" height="15" width="7" /&gt;&lt;!--[endif]--&gt;g)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;i&gt;n.&lt;/i&gt; &lt;/p&gt;   &lt;ol start="1" type="1"&gt; &lt;li class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;ol start="1" type="a"&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;Any of several mammals of the family Suidae, having short legs, cloven hooves, bristly hair, and a cartilaginous snout used for digging, especially the domesticated hog, &lt;i&gt;Sus       scrofa domesticus,&lt;/i&gt; when young or of comparatively small size.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;The edible parts of       one of these mammals.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;u&gt;Informal.&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/i&gt; A      person regarded as being piglike, greedy, or gross.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;ol start="1" type="a"&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;A crude block of       metal, chiefly iron or lead, poured from a smelting furnace.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;A mold in which such       metal is cast.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;Pig iron.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;u&gt;Offensive Slang.&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/i&gt;      Used as a disparaging term for a police officer.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;u&gt;Slang.&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/i&gt; A member      of the social or political establishment, especially one holding sexist or      racist views.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ol&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Red white and blue.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Dead in the middle of winter, cold enough that one’s breath is not only visual but frozen.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I was coming out of a local McDonald’s, after only eating a fish filet.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I started walking towards my car, when I saw a cop.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I froze like my brain when I am drinking a slurpee too fast.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Ouch.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The cop, still in his car, gave me a long, cold hard stare.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Not carrying my license on me, I walked past my car, knowing in fact he would pull me over.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I had my hands in my pockets to fight the bitter cold.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Ignoring the pig, I casually walked past my car and towards the shopping center.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Call it intuition, call it the sixth sense, call it raw animal instinct, call it what you want, but I knew that I was in for some trouble.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I was in need of a deck of cards, and determined to buy one.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Red white and blue.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The bright flashes of sirens are now blinding me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I needed that deck without it I felt powerless; so, I kept walking.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The officer jumped out of vehicle and yelled “freeze.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Knowing, in fact, he was talking to me, I kept walking.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Now, he jumped in front of me, standing as barrier between me and my deck of cards.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;“I’m talking to you!”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Damn.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Meow.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I told the officer, “I didn’t kno u were talkin 2 me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I thought u were talking 2 her.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I pointed at an old lady with a cane that reminded me of a grandma.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Let the fun begin.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;As a child growing up, I always wanted to be a cop.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Honor, glory, a shiny badge, a dark uniform, saving lives and best of all, a gun.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I always thought cops were fun, from Axel Foley to &lt;st1:place&gt;&lt;st1:placename&gt;Police&lt;/st1:placename&gt;  &lt;st1:placetype&gt;Academy&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I allow television to shape my view on almost every aspect of life.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Lo and behold, my perception of cops along with everything else, as always, was wrong.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“What are you doing?”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Walkin.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Where are you going?”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“2 the pharmacy.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“To buy drugs?”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;This cop, I mean pig, somehow felt I committed a crime.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He interrogated me for ten minutes straight for whatever reason he had.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Cops abuse the precious law that they uphold, enforce and protect.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They become power hungry and eventually obese with the amount of power they possess.&lt;span style=""&gt;    &lt;/span&gt;This is not my first incident with a pig, not even my second.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Each incident provides a greater hatred for these public servants.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;The pig asked me for my identification.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;As usual, I did not have it.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He got my name and address, and then radioed to confirm it.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Do you smoke?”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“No.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Can I search you?”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“No.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Do you have something to hide?”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“No.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Then why do you have your hands in your pocket?”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Cuz it’s cold.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Stop getting smart.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Cops are like dentists.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They ask the most ridiculous questions at the most inopportune time.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The pig somehow implied that he would not leave me alone until I was searched.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I refused at least a half dozen times.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;How retarded does a person need to be to ask, “Why do you have your hands in your pocket.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Especially, since it was the coldest day of the year.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;At this time the relentless pig has gotten me flustered.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The hardheaded civil servant was now reminiscent of a nagging mother asking her child for their report card.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;By his implications, the pig insinuated that I would be free from his grasp if I was searched.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;So, I let him search me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I took off my jacket and handed it to him.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“What are you doing?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Put your jacket back on!”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I did what I was told.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Put your hands on top of the vehicle.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I did what I was told.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;At this point I felt not only helpless but like a common criminal.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He patted me down; first, checking my sweat pants and then my heavy jacket.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My cousin, Hassan, would have loved this.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I kept a watchful eye on the cop, making sure he was not putting anything that would incriminate me in my pockets or even seizing the twenty dollar bill I had.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;After a throrough anal cavity- type search, the cop reaches into my packet and finds…&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“What the hell is this?!”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“What?” I innocently inquired.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“This?!”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Gum wrapper.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Gum wrappers?” the pig repeated&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“I don’t believe in litterin.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“There are trash cans everywhere.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He said while pointing at a trash can.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“I was on my way there, until u stopped me.” I said with a hint of sarcasm.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Sometimes I never know when to shut up.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I keep talking and ranting on and on.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I doubt people even pay attention to what I say.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Half the time I say nothing of importance.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The other half,  is when I talk out of my butt.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And, let the record show that talking out of one’s butt is never beneficial.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The pig was not humored by my comments and proceeded to call for back up.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;The back up cop was even worse.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Nothing like a normal pig, his resemblance was that of a wild boar.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Disgusting.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Since boars don’t have any sweat glands, they must wallow in the mud to cool off.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That explains the nasty smell.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Wallowing may also help get rid of fleas and ticks.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;During the rest of the year, boars eat roots, grass, fruits, mushrooms, bugs, eggs, and even dead animals.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I think they tend to eat their own feces.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Boars have tough noses, or snouts, which help them dig.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They have an excellent sense of smell and can sniff out underground foods.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Their eyesight is not very good, but they hear very well.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In other words, he was no different then the rest of his primitive species.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Once he arrived the two pigs had a dialogue.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Oink oink oink. Oink.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Oink?”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Oink. Oink, oink oink oink.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Oink”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Oink, oink, oink”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I am not fluent in pig, but after being pulled over at least a dozen time and a few other altercations with cops; I have been able to pick a few things up.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Translation:&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“This is kid I told you about.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“I’m hungry.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“He’s the one getting smart.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Do you have a donut?”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Oink”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Now this cop came at me with a different approach.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He must have wanted to be a psychologist and obviously failed.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He came at me trying to be my friend.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;As if being my friend, I would answer all his stupid and pointless questions.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I don’t even know the answers for pointful questions.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What makes him think I can answer all that?&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Hey, if you don’t smoke, then do you have friends who smoke?” He asked convincingly&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“No.” I answered.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“C’mon now, u can tell me, buddy,” he said convincingly.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I seriously started to ponder about his question.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Maybe, if I dealt with this situation with the most adult like manner then my little pig problem would just disappear.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;So, I started thinking, then recollecting.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Hmmmmmmmmm.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Well, to my knowledge, I do not have any friends who do drugs and only a few who actually smoke cigarettes.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My answer would have to be a resounding “no.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;“Liar!”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The pig exclaimed, “Your eyes rolled to the left; classic sign of lying.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Oh my lord.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Cops are retarded.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This incident truly answered my question if cops have to take an intelligence test to get a badge.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Any idiot can be a cop.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If their brains were J-ello it wouldn’t jiggle.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Basically, this cop watches too much CSI.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He figured out suburban life is not that exciting so divulges in primetime television to escape from reality and creates a fantasy where he plays a Dennis Franz type bad boy type character.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The world has become a cesspool infested with parasites who have become deluded by cable television and TV land reruns of CHiPs.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Now, for one second, you (the reader) think of the last time you or someone you know smoked?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Think, long and hard.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You got your answer?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;LIAR!&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Your eyes rolled to your left.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You can’t pull a fast one on me.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;The cops finally promised to let me free, but under one condition.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Their condition was to have my picture taken. &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;If I refused he would have taken me to the station and have my picture taken there, all because I failed to present any identification.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I think it is for some convict dating service the sate of &lt;st1:state&gt;&lt;st1:place&gt;Maryland&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:state&gt; is trying prescribe for all those murders and rapists who are getting out of jail.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The first picture he took, I blinked.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The second picture, I looked pretty damn gangsta, if I don’t say so myself.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;After taking my picture, making me feel like a criminal, wasting my time and harassing me they let me free.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Before they let me go. The pig shouted barbarically, “thank you for wasting my time.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Walking towards my car, a kid approached me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He was about 18 or 19, and witnessed the whole scene.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He sympathized my ordeal and I thanked him for kindliness.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Thereafter, he cordially offered me some “green.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Word.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-111458483043235385?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/111458483043235385/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=111458483043235385' title='28 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/111458483043235385'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/111458483043235385'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2005/04/great-adventures-of-fallen-star-part.html' title='the great adventures of a fallen star part iiiii'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>28</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-110998869823398800</id><published>2005-03-04T18:09:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-03-04T18:11:38.256-08:00</updated><title type='text'>the great adventures of a fallen star part iiii</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Only one word can summarize the pain and agony I suffer.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That word is: Ouch.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Day by day the pain escalates.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Insurmountable pain, that my words barely illustrate the wounding ordeal.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Ouch.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Just thinking about it hurts.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Tears from my discomfort are flooding down my cheek.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Unbearable, even as I reminisce on the pain staking experience.&lt;span style=""&gt;   &lt;/span&gt;The terrifying torture is totally tormenting, turning into a tremendously troublesome trial. Ouch.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The throbbing sensation does not stop.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Ouch.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Not even for a split second.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Pulsating at every breath I took.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;One, pain ouch.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Two, pain, ouch.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Three, pain, ouch.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was a never ending cycle of pain. Four, pain, ouch.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Finally, I could not take the pain anymore.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I had to go to the doctor, uh dentist.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My tooth was literally killing me and the pain was too much.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Ouch.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I called up my salafi advisor and told him about the sharp pain I was feeling in my tooth.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You see, I do not have insurance nor do I have money to throw around, therefore I was hoping my advisor would come up with a viable solution.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Like always, my salafi friend did not let me down and he found me a dentist.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Not only was she a dentist, she would also do the task for a small fee.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This is great, not only did I find a way to rid my toothache but rid it in an inexpensive manner.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Life in the suburbs is rough.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;On my first visit the dentist said I had healthy teeth.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;She only said that to cheer me up before she gave me the really bad new.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And that news is…you know that I am going to add a little suspense before I actually reveal the bad news.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;An overtone of extreme danger is circling my head, like an omen sent from above.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Dentist appointments are always the worst.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The spot light right in your eye like it is an interrogation.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I am sorry that I don’t floss, really I am.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And, I promise I will brush my teeth at least twice a day.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And mouthwash and eat less chocolates and sweets and from now on I will chew on sugar free gum.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My new dentist asks me all these silly questions with her fingers in my mouth.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;How does she expect me to answer them questions without biting her hand off?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And the questions she asks are extremely retarded.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;“How often do you floss?”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;“Do you brush your teeth regularly?”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;“Did you know that you have cavities?”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;She knows the answer to all these questions; why else would I be at the dentist.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It’s not like I go to the dentist for fun.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I should have just bit her hand off when she had her fingers all up in my mouth for being so annoying.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Even worse, here is the bad news: she has to pull 5 teeth.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Five of my precious teeth are going to get pulled out of my mouth.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The same teeth I use to bite down food and the same teeth I chew food with and the same teeth that was going to bite her hand off with.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;What kind of logic is that?&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;“since you have pain in your tooth, we have to get rid of it.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That’s like if you go to a neurosurgeon for a headache and the surgeon chops off your brain.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;To make matters worse she is not a full practicing dentist.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;She is just student and the only dentist I could afford.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Finances are tight and I could only manage to pay for a bootleg dentist who does basement surgery.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My life is getting rougher by the second.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But, at least she gave me pain killers.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It’s no oxycontin but it will do.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A week later, I had a follow up appointment.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That day, the rain was coming down hard. &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;The hardest I have seen it that year.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I was an hour late due to traffic and morons who for some reason like to drive 3 miles an hour because they feel it is safer.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;While writing that past sentence I realized the world is full morons.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It took me forever to find a parking spot. &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;My dentist assisted me to find a spot right under a bus sign.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;After parking I make my way towards her office.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;She sits me down on a chair, and takes out the hugest needle I ever seen.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I am strong man.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I don’t cry.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I got punched in my face once.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I got hit in the eye causing my contact to come flying out.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I fell from the top of the steps, when I was a child.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But, when that needle penetrated into my skin injecting who knows what, I shed a tear.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Pain, I hate it.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Her professor came up to me and told me to be a man. What?!&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Let me shove a 5 inch needle down the back of your mouth and see how you like it.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Here comes the fun part.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My bootleg dentist takes out some sort of instrument that looked like pliers.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I do not know how hygienic it was.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;She shoves into the back of my mouth and with ease takes out my wisdom tooth.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Next, she aims for my upper first molar.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;She puts the tool on my tooth and starts twisting it.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Never mind, that I am human and I feel pain.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;She starts using brute force and breaks the tooth.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Her professor comes in and started showing her how it is done.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I am so glad that he showed up.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Even though, he had bifocals and I doubt that he had reliable vision. He took out the rest of the broken tooth.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Actually, a week later a piece of my tooth was protruding out of my gums.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It later fell out and I accidentally swallowed it.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I left that appointment with a numb mouth; I was unable to speak.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;As I walked towards my car the rain had furiously picked up, drenching me as each step I take.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Approaching my car, I noticed that the parking enforcement was kind enough to give me a notice of how I was illegally parked.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;That notice also came with a $75 service fee. What a day!&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;In other news, my car was broken into.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Every single window of my car was smashed.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And, it was not only my car.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Hassan had the same exact problem.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was a going away gift from our buddy Zike.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He is such a sweet guy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-110998869823398800?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/110998869823398800/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=110998869823398800' title='10 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110998869823398800'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110998869823398800'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2005/03/great-adventures-of-fallen-star-part.html' title='the great adventures of a fallen star part iiii'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>10</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-110897410244830807</id><published>2005-02-21T00:20:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-02-22T09:13:25.526-08:00</updated><title type='text'>the great adventures of a fallen star part iii</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;There’s a great difference between me and Zike. Even though he lives “thug life,” don’t forget that I too have a little thug in me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Anyone who knows me, that by blood, I’m 3% Pakistani, 2% Persian and 95% thug.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;So, there is a little hardcore in me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;One may ask, “Can a superhero be a thug?” why not? I am not 100% thug.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And, even though Zike is missing a considerable amount of much needed brain cells, you have 2 be conscious that he does indeed have a heart.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He is intensely in love with a girl, but can only show his love in a true thug manner.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Even though, one may argue that violence and aggression is barbaric; it is perhaps the only way he can display what is actually in his heart. Although he wants to kill me, maybe in fact it is a twisted and perverted way to exhibit his love towards me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Delightful.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;This chapter maybe shorter then previous ones, since there is no conflict or introductory of new characters.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;And, because I have a test and homework which I should be doing right now as I type these words.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;At this rate I think I may never be done with school.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But, on with the story.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Friends.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Whoodini said it best “how many of us have them?” I now have one too many.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Zike now calls me off the hook.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He wants too chill in other words get high.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He is now calling for rides and favors.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Wanting me to take him to the club and get “crunk.”&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I, still to this day, have no idea what “crunk” means. &lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;After becoming my new best friend; I thought I had the power 2 change him from haram 2 halal.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Spending a few days with him, I came up with another conclusion; that I do not posses this power.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In fact, it is like making a roast ham a delicacy in the Islamic world with white wine as the beverage of choice.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Nearly impossible.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Everyone knows that Saudis like red wine with their ham.&lt;span style=""&gt;   &lt;/span&gt;Plus, I am no magician, well, ok maybe.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But even David Coperfield’s and David Blaine’s illegitimate love child could not miraculously solve such a travesty.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Anyways, I took the kid out to eat.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I paid for the food and obviously gave him a ride.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;During our dinner (cute isn’t), we had numerous conversations.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Most were revolving him and his impeccable way of always finding trouble.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He was boasting about his fight records.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The stories went on from minor crimes of stealing, to hitting his high school teacher to ramming his car into his “future wife’s” car.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Even though I was getting input on his psychoness; I was very much intrigued.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He had exciting stories; action packed like a low-budget DMX movie.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Speaking of movies, I am hungry.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Sorry I easily get sidetracked.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My salafi advisor says I have a mild case of ADD.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Back to the lecture at hand, I try my best to get him out of his thug mentality.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I told him that he should start reading.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He would say something like there is no reason to and that &lt;st1:city&gt;&lt;st1:place&gt;hollywood&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:City&gt; will make a movie about any book.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And every time I would give him in my opinion good advice, he would shoot it down with confusing, insensible ignorant comments. For example, I tell the kid to pray and he responds, “Nah, man.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Like I pray and then I think.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And when I think, I need to get high.” Huh? Exactly.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Meow.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Word.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;One day I come up with a brilliant idea.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I figure that if Zike would chill with my other friends they might influence him to do good.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Me and my cousin, the moron, were going to chill (socialize) on a Friday night.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;I call up Zike and told him to be outside his house.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It was a cold night; I don’t remember the month or the season, but I remember pumping gas in my car and thinking that it would suck waiting outside that night.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Now, I was on my way to pick Zike up, when my Einstein of a cousin Hassan somehow convinces me not to pick him up.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Sometimes I have no idea why I ever listen to my cousin.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He is my Gilligan to my Skipper.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;My Pinky to the Brain. &lt;span style=""&gt; &lt;/span&gt;My Janet to me being Justin.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In essence, he is like all three stooges combined in one man with GNC supplements.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Zike ended up waiting for me for about 3 and half hours that night.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;He called me up the next day wanting to kill me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Joy!&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Realizing now, I found that Zike has a great temper.&lt;span style=""&gt;   &lt;/span&gt;It didn’t hit me when he rammed into his “girlfriend’s” car or got suspended from school for hitting a teacher or even when he tried 2 kill me.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But I realize it now.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Now, we become enemies again.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Great!&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The story must go on.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But he goes to &lt;st1:country-region&gt;&lt;st1:place&gt;Pakistan&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:country-region&gt;.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Darn.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;But, a new villain comes out of the darkness.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Yay!&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And, a whole new story unravels.&lt;span style=""&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Fun!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-110897410244830807?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/110897410244830807/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=110897410244830807' title='8 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110897410244830807'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110897410244830807'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2005/02/great-adventures-of-fallen-star-part_21.html' title='the great adventures of a fallen star part iii'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>8</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-110852573794075248</id><published>2005-02-15T19:47:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-02-21T00:18:42.480-08:00</updated><title type='text'>the great adventures of a fallen star part ii</title><content type='html'>I found that life is just merely a metaphor. For what exactly, I do not know. But, I do know the world is spinning. And I don’t get dizzy. all I am saying is that I need to stand on my own 2 feet. Do not rely on anyone or anything. And, once the world stops spinning hold on 2 something quick. Newton’s 3rd law of motion. I haven’t even taken physics. You could say I am ahead of my time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A warm summer breeze, birds chirping and bees busying away on a Monday afternoon doesn’t quite set the mood. Add a day, and a few hours and it becomes Tuesday evening. Now the mood is really set. With a ring on the cell I get an unexpected caller. You guessed it, my arch nemesis, Zike. (The names of the innocent and guilty have been changed, for their own protection from humiliation, embarrassment, or any other disgrace they may face. And, also protection from any lawsuit that I may face.) Anyways, Zike got my phone number from my idiot and never thinking moron of a cousin, Hassan. (His name has not been protected and neither has his phone number. Feel free to call him at anytime, 240.481.6546). It is about midnight and Zike is begging for a ride. I felt pity on the poor child. I mean the kid is almost an adult and basically on his hands and knees asking for a ride. Not only was he groveling but the kid was also throwing around compliments like I was his high school teacher ready to fail him. But while, he was on the phone he was literally kissing my toes, hehe it tickled. It was sad. But, I would be lying if I said that it didn’t make me feel good about myself; especially with the words coming from my worst enemy. So it didn’t make me feel good. Ok, I’m lying. That was cheap shot for a laugh. Anyways, what had happened was that this guy had persuaded me 2 give him a ride. Not only does he live mad far deep in the cut, he needed a ride 2 the other side of town. The year was 2004, and to my knowledge I have not committed any good deeds, so in affect you can say that this was to be my good deed of the year.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I’m ready 2 pick this kid up. I grab my keys and bounce. For future notice, I rarely carry my license on me. I take my mother’s car because I was low on gas plus she got a v6 engine and its pretty damn fast. Which is not a good thing; I have 5 points and coming fresh from a suspended license. That is a different story all together. Zoom! I’m out in a hurry. Blinding fast speed and I get to his house in seconds, actually in 12 minutes, but who’s counting. As I approach his neighborhood I give the kid a call. He is not picking up. While driving I see a dark shadowy figure underneath a streetlight. The figure doesn’t move but it seems 2 be coming closer probably because I’m driving towards it, but who knows. The figure is wearing a dark hoodie covering his head and hiding his face, he was holding something in his hands which I could not see. I tried 2 see what he was holding but with limited light I failed to see what it was. Before I knew it the figure ran straight towards my car opened the passenger side door and jumped in and yelled “go!”&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It turned out 2 b Zike, what a relief. (Sarcastic comment) he was thanking me for the ride; I assured him that it was no problem. He told me that he got me gift, I was flattered. He grabbed what looked like a black box from under his hoodie and gave it to me. It was a Kenwood stereo, “I stole it just for you.” My better half told me not 2 accept it, but my poorer and realistic side knew that I need a new head unit for my car. I have been listening to 36 chambers lp on tape ever since it came out. “Can it be that it was all so simple then.” I listened 2 my better half. I knew how the laws of the jungle worked. You give a lion a ball of yarn. And I knew that I would be obligated for a favor in the future. He asks if he can smoke and I said it’s my mother’s car. He assumed that my mother is smoker, so he lit up his cigarette and started smoking. Cough, cough, second hand smoke kills.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Once we got onto the highway we had a series of interesting conversations. I told Zike that he needed to pray, he insisted that I need to get high. I told him to go to school, he told me to get high. I told him that he should read a book; he said he hit a girl on the head with a book. Oh dear. Now this is where I figure out he is really a psychopathic, deranged, ice cold mad man. Insane, like the hamster that runs the wheel in his brain stopped running. Maybe it has asthma, I do not know for sure. For some reason the girl, that he is truly, deeply and madly in love with, will not talk to him. So, he does what any man would do in his position and ram his car into her car while she was still in it. And I thought flowers and chocolates were romantic. She in turn got a restraining order against him. Not quite a match made in heaven. I finally arrived at his destination, and dropped him off. He was thrilled and thanked me a million times. I made a new friend. This is only the beginning of the adventure. More confusion and stuff lies ahead. Meow. Where is that pesky cat?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-110852573794075248?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/110852573794075248/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=110852573794075248' title='5 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110852573794075248'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110852573794075248'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2005/02/great-adventures-of-fallen-star-part.html' title='the great adventures of a fallen star part ii'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>5</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-110810617682308943</id><published>2005-02-10T23:09:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-02-21T00:16:41.596-08:00</updated><title type='text'>the great adventures of a fallen star part i</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;I have come 2 a conclusion. A simple conclusion, one that needed much thought. But I realized my life maybe more exciting then the average superhero. And even though I possess neither superhuman power nor strength (we'll leave my charm out of this) I have somehow managed make an arch nemesis. My sworn enemy, like me has no power, but in fact is a brainless buffoon. He has been desenizted by american pop culture, and for some reason he believes he is the reincarnated version of 2pac. It’s rather cute, actually. But, I do worry about him sometimes. But I do think that his main power maybe the fact that I have no idea what the hell he is thinking. Sometimes people do things for a reason but this guy has me baffled. It's like when you see someone doing something, and you have no idea why they do it. Bananas. The electo-magnetic stereo waves received from hardcore gangsta rap music have descrambled his brain. Poor guy. He is not like the normal 2pac impersonators, he in fact really lives life as a thug. Weird, especially since he was raised in the suburbs in &lt;st1:city&gt;&lt;st1:place&gt;montgomery&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:City&gt; county. 1 of the richest county's in the east coast. He has mastery in the skill of ebonics, where he performs at a high linguist level. Word up. &lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;But, he is not my only problem. I have a sidekick. At times he can b my best friend but most times he is like my enemy. And even though he is my cousin we have very few similarities. I’m cute, he looks like a gremlin. At times I maybe funny, he is funny looking. I dress nice, he wears a dress. He is very stubborn and most time does not like 2 use his brain. He believes real thought comes from protein bars and health shakes. So basically I use him 4 his muscle and I do all the thinking. I am probably the only person 2 know that he is really not a homosexual, but is just really affectionate 2 the same sex.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;I also have an advisor, he is salafi. He tells me 2 cut my hair and wear clothes that fit me. He also tells me that it ain't cool to have your pants hanging off your butt. He also has a super power. He has knowledge of stuff. Not ordinary stuff. But stuff about stuff. Sometimes it is deep philosophical stuff or stuff that relates 2 stuff u never thought about. So deep that you say “wow, that’s some deep stuff.” Sometimes I don’t understand his stuff. It’s like he is on another level thinking, not even Socrates could comprehend. His stuff would confuse some of the greatest thinkers of our time. He personally has me puzzled or befuddled. Whatever. He gives me a headache. Because of his stuff he has the power 2 give headaches at will. That is sum powerful stuff.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style=""&gt;Now, I’m not your typical protagonist, especially in western sense. I have no steady income, I’m skinny, arrogant and I’m pakistani. meow. Did u hear a cat? Anyways, where was I? Plus, I’m also a victim of mtv propaganda and have been brainwashed to a point where I have become a mindless zombie. That is until now, television has soaked so much in2 my brain that it no longer affects me. I no longer believe anything on TV, or any other media. Now, that I think about it I don’t believe in a lot of things. I’m lazy; I have no idea why I even started typing this story. I don’t own a pair of sneakers and I don’t floss. I have high mastery in the art of cards and vast knowledge of hip hop. Basically, lb fam. Also I have a skill that somehow every month I go over my cell phone bill. Amazing, is it not. Especially since I have free incoming. And what I truly do not grasp in life is...stuff. And, now our adventure begins.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-110810617682308943?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/110810617682308943/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=110810617682308943' title='8 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110810617682308943'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110810617682308943'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2005/02/great-adventures-of-fallen-star-part-i.html' title='the great adventures of a fallen star part i'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>8</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-110740622837139420</id><published>2005-02-02T20:49:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-02-02T20:50:28.370-08:00</updated><title type='text'>sacrafice</title><content type='html'>slaughter the natives and forced to reservations&lt;br /&gt;for the greater good of the nation&lt;br /&gt;take the black man captive, enslaved on2 plantations&lt;br /&gt;for the greater good of the nation&lt;br /&gt;territorial acquisition, brutal unjust invasion&lt;br /&gt;for the greater good of the nation&lt;br /&gt;rich get richer and poorer get 4gotten,&lt;br /&gt;social injustice, social separation&lt;br /&gt;for the greater good of the nation&lt;br /&gt;the white man shall prevail with great pride 4 caucasians&lt;br /&gt;for the greater good of the nation&lt;br /&gt;black &amp;amp; white can never integrate,&lt;br /&gt;separate but never equal, segregation&lt;br /&gt;for the greater good of the nation&lt;br /&gt;ceos of corporations&lt;br /&gt;live lavishly while they feed on those facing starvation&lt;br /&gt;for the greater good of the nation&lt;br /&gt;political prisoners silenced,&lt;br /&gt;fundamental rights confronts violation&lt;br /&gt;for the greater good of the nation&lt;br /&gt;historical facts dismissed with no past recollection&lt;br /&gt;media revelation, twisted lies become reliable information&lt;br /&gt;for the greater good of the nation&lt;br /&gt;double standards, hypocrisy, globalization&lt;br /&gt;ethnic cleansing, suppression, soul annexation&lt;br /&gt;moral decay, social injustice, commercialization&lt;br /&gt;misled narration, ignored reparations, ideological fornication&lt;br /&gt;veiled from the Creator of all creations&lt;br /&gt;for the greater good of the nation&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;sacrifices must b made lives have 2 b laid&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-110740622837139420?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/110740622837139420/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=110740622837139420' title='5 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110740622837139420'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110740622837139420'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2005/02/sacrafice.html' title='sacrafice'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>5</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-110732980209516712</id><published>2005-02-01T23:36:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-02-01T23:36:42.096-08:00</updated><title type='text'>poltics</title><content type='html'>pornographic painted pictures&lt;br /&gt;of pained prisoners&lt;br /&gt;proudly parading in published papers&lt;br /&gt;protested by pompous presidential powers&lt;br /&gt;panic polluting the public&lt;br /&gt;paranoia prepares a paradox of propaganda&lt;br /&gt;politicians plunder and pillage&lt;br /&gt;patriotic poster boys practice&lt;br /&gt;principles that r improper&lt;br /&gt;perverse pages of proverbs&lt;br /&gt;as pious patrons pray 4 paradise&lt;br /&gt;paralyzed by the parasite&lt;br /&gt;passion of the priest perceived as passive&lt;br /&gt;the project of the planned peace process&lt;br /&gt;perishes with the rest of the primitive policies&lt;br /&gt;probables and possibilities ain't positive&lt;br /&gt;patience and persistence seem preposterous&lt;br /&gt;potent poison put in2 practice&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-110732980209516712?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/110732980209516712/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=110732980209516712' title='6 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110732980209516712'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110732980209516712'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2005/02/poltics.html' title='poltics'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>6</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358656.post-110706582261608622</id><published>2005-01-29T22:13:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-01-29T22:23:44.333-08:00</updated><title type='text'>tru story by azeem</title><content type='html'>I was walking on Devon Ave&lt;br /&gt;And this MAchlee Bachee tried to cut me with her rusty camry&lt;br /&gt;while I was crossing the street&lt;br /&gt;So I transformed into voltron&lt;br /&gt;and let the lions take care of her&lt;br /&gt;the lions are the feet&lt;br /&gt;but since my feet were seperated&lt;br /&gt;I had to sit on the sidewalk&lt;br /&gt;and beg for change&lt;br /&gt;since thats all i could do with my hands&lt;br /&gt;but since I still had my tail&lt;br /&gt;I was tripping people with it&lt;br /&gt;and then robbing them&lt;br /&gt;but since i didnt have legs I couldnt run away&lt;br /&gt;so they robbed me&lt;br /&gt;and slapped me up&lt;br /&gt;but since i had metalic hands I could block and fight back&lt;br /&gt;but then people started stepping back&lt;br /&gt;and shooting RPGs at me&lt;br /&gt;which left a whole in me&lt;br /&gt;but as you know voltron has 6 people&lt;br /&gt;who sit inside&lt;br /&gt;3 died&lt;br /&gt;two were in the lions&lt;br /&gt;and the 1 that was left was me&lt;br /&gt;so I hopped out&lt;br /&gt;and said Im outta here&lt;br /&gt;then I headed to the masjid&lt;br /&gt;and I prayed in the masjid&lt;br /&gt;but this dude saw me&lt;br /&gt;doing massah on my socks&lt;br /&gt;and he reported me to the imam&lt;br /&gt;the imam flipped out and said I had to marry his daughter&lt;br /&gt;and she turned out to be a man&lt;br /&gt;who was related to me&lt;br /&gt;and he was my mehram&lt;br /&gt;so i couldnt marry him&lt;br /&gt;plus it would be gay&lt;br /&gt;and gay marriages were revoked in 11 states&lt;br /&gt;on election day&lt;br /&gt;so Im still not married.&lt;br /&gt;the end.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10358656-110706582261608622?l=thastar.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/feeds/110706582261608622/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=10358656&amp;postID=110706582261608622' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110706582261608622'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/10358656/posts/default/110706582261608622'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thastar.blogspot.com/2005/01/tru-story-by-azeem.html' title='tru story by azeem'/><author><name>tariq</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/04519961055117261510</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='24' height='32' src='http://bp1.blogger.com/_qcKHr4Eg1Sg/R-dv99AtI6I/AAAAAAAAABU/Bzvp25Cau74/S220/n7412634_32932972_576.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry></feed>
