Towelhead by Alicia Erian

Author:Alicia Erian
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2005-08-24T04:00:00+00:00

1. Are you scared to get killed?

2. Do you think you’ll kill an Iraqi?

3. What kinds of things will you take with you from home?

4. Will your wife come and visit you?

5. Can you receive packages?

6. Do you think this is a war for oil?

Christiane Amanpour came on CNN while I was working, and I thought it would be nice to have a tan jacket like hers, with all those pockets.

When Daddy came home and I told him about the school paper meeting, he said it sounded good. Then I told him about my reservist article, and he got mad. “How is that representing the Arab view?” he asked me. “Here you are, living with an Arab, and you want to interview the scumbag next door? What kind of stupid idea is this?”

“But what if Mr. Vuoso gets called up?” I said. “Then I won’t be able to interview him. That’s why I want to do it now, while he’s still here.”

“Do whatever you want,” Daddy muttered, and he went to the fridge and got a beer.

“I can interview you next,” I said.

“The Arab perspective,” he said, opening his Heineken. “That’s what’s missing in the news. You could’ve made a difference, but instead you chose the easy way out.”

While I was washing the dinner dishes that night, the phone rang. Daddy set down his drying towel and went to answer it. “It’s for you,” he said, and I pulled off my rubber gloves and went to take the phone. I figured it was my mother from the angry look on Daddy’s face, but it wasn’t. “Jasira?” a man’s voice said.

“Yes?”

“This is Mr. Vuoso.” When I didn’t say anything, he added, “From next door.”

“Yes,” I said. “I know.” I was afraid to talk since Daddy was standing right there, staring at me.

“How are you?” he asked.

“Fine, thank you.”

“Good,” he said. “I was a little worried. I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

“I was sick,” I said.

“With what?”

“The flu.”

“Oh.”

“I’m better now,” I told him.

“Well,” he said, “Zack mentioned something about you wanting to interview me for your school paper?”

“Yes,” I said. “I wanted to write an article about reservists.”

“Okay, sure. When did you want to do this?”

“I don’t know,” I said.

“How about Saturday?” he said. “Zack and his mom are taking the kitten to the vet. You could come over then.”

“Okay,” I said.

“Say, around noon?”

“Sure.”

“Hopefully I won’t get called up before then,” he said, and he laughed a little.

“I hope not, either.”

“What do you hope?” Daddy asked, once I had hung up the phone. He was still standing there with his dish towel, staring at me.

“That Mr. Vuoso won’t get called up before the interview,” I said. I walked around him so I could get back to the sink and finish the dishes.

“You’d better watch what you say to him,” Daddy said.

“I’m just going to ask him questions about being a reservist. That’s all.”

“This guy thinks he’s a real vigilante,” Daddy said.

I didn’t know what a vigilante was, but I didn’t feel like asking.

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