I Dream of Kelbi

Arabic word of the day: Kelbi

Meaning: Dog (of course)





I figured going into the intensive summer course would help the last bit of time pass before we got home. I figured it would keep my mind off all the things we are looking forward to (yes, seeing my dog is one of them). What I didn't figure was that, when I go to relax and sleep at night I can't stop the Arabic! Phrases, words, all these things I've heard repeated over and over and which I haven't understood are like the banished balls, files, clothes, brooms, books, knicknacks and other shamefully-shoved contents of a closet filled to bursting and held suspended behind a closed door. And these Arabic classes, well, let me tell you, for six hours a day it's like someone is chiseling away at the lock on the door and splintering off little pieces of the hardwood that holds everything in. And every piece chipped off lets things get a little closer to an explosion.

Or maybe the explosion is already happening?

Last night I awoke, startled, in the middle of the night. Jacob, I sensed was awake, too. "Sorry," he said. "Did I wake you up?"

Confused, but not completely so (we both talk in our sleep and are prone to knocking into the other - each occurance can sometimes stir the other, so we've gotten used to it and generally accept a no-fault waking policy), I said, "No, I was having weird sleep, I think I may have woken myself."

"Yeah," he responded. "You were talking in your sleep...in Arabic."

"NO, I was not," I said.

"YEAH, you were," he said. "You said, 'ma ayn-di kelbi."

Then I knew he wasn't lying. What I'd said?

"I don't have my dog."