the silver lining

This morning Taufik received an SMS on his handphone.
"Taufik, my name is Axxxx. I am looking for Elisa's number. I just arrived in riy@dh 5 days ago, would like to contact her please"
When Taufik showed it to me, my first thoughts were "Axxxx?? Which Axxxx??".

So I gave her a call and tried to figure out her face by listening to her voice.
No idea which one, but she sounded very very very friendly, as if she had known me for a long time.
Then I asked her where she got my number, and she explained how she called Baber before she left, and Baber gave her Buck's number and Buck gave her Taufik's number.
In my head I went "oh. my. god!!! Axxxx Yusuf!!!!"
We chatted for only a bit coz she was in the middle of registering her children for school, but she promised to call me back later in the afternoon.
After putting down the phone, I was reeling with excitement and shock!!

Axxxx was my roomate in high school when I was 14 or 15 (or was it 14 *and* 15, i can't remember). She's a very chatty person and we shared a lot of stories between us. I also found her to be a really funny. She never fails to make me laugh. The last time I saw her was when I left high school in 1988, so that means I have not met her for 18 years!

So anyways..
She called me back in the evening and we chatted some more, gave each other updates on our lives.
Then i told her that yesterday (after I wrote travelling twarthed), Taufik told me that the embassy informed him that Izani's passport has arrived , so we can go and pick it up anytime. Before I could tell her that Taufik wanted to drive to Riy@dh alone, she said "ehhhhhhh datang duduk lah rumah I!!!!" (come stay at my house!!). It just so happens that she is living in the Diplomatic Quarters, only a few minutes drive to the embassy!
I couldnt believe my luck!
We might be going to Riy@dh next weekend afterall, and I'm going to be able to meet an old friend!
This deserves a huge "YAY!!!!!!" :D

All we need to do now is ask the embassy whether we can pick up the passport over the weekend (at the officer's house or something), then plan for the trip.

so Kim, you were right ... there *is* a blessing hidden in what was initially seen as bad luck!! If I had gotten the passport earlier, i would have had no excuse to go see my friend!
tee hee... !

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YAY for luk@s r0ssi!!!!
i hope he learns how to properly enunciate the lyrics though.