ISLAMABAD, Pakistan--The
big SUV screeches to a sudden stop, the
foreign passengers thrown against their
seatbelts.
What
was that?"
"Iftar," says
the driver--the end of the daytime fast Muslims
observe during Ramadan
month. It seems from his driver's position he
could see the sun set. Time to break out the packed
lunch.
Talk about grumpy!
And grumpy the Pakistanis frankly admit being.
After all they haven't had a bite to eat, or a
drop to drink, not even water, since sunrise.
Even the high and mighty get grumpy.
"I can meet you for an interview this afternoon
at 3:30 or tomorrow morning at eight," said
the high ranking official over the telephone, "But
I would very much advise you to go for the eight
because at 3:30 my mind will be on food and I'll
be a bit snappish."
Eight it was.
Ramadan is almost universally observed here and
in neighboring Afghanistan--all sides in that
war are Muslims except for the Special Forces
from Europe and America. This is something that
the invading soldiers might want to keep in mind.
Beware of grumpy enemies and allies after, say,
noon.
It is a recognized phenomenon. According to local
police the traffic accident rates go up just before
sunset because not only is everyone rushing home
for Iftar--traditionally celebrated at home with
all the family, but also they are testy. Courtesy
to the other driver is not the highest item on
their mental agendas. Common assaults and battery
are up just before sunset, according to the local
newspapers.
Store clerks are notoriously short tempered in
the afternoon, and salesmen schedule morning calls.
Westerners, known
locally as "Christians" no
matter if they practice or not, are allowed to
eat and drink whenever and wherever they want,
within certain limitations. Some hotel restaurants
aren't open after dawn, and finding a meal at
noon can sometimes be difficult.
But if successful, the Christian is likely to
find the service, guess what? After all, the waiter
hasn't eaten since breakfast, and then there's
the cook, who is handling all that delicious food
but can't eat it.
But, there's another side.
Take your average Christian. If he doesn't get
up before dawn, he may too, not have had his breakfast.
And that means he, too, may not have had his coffee.
Mix in a wee bit of understandable testiness on
the part of the people he meets, and add to it
the fact that here there's no beer--no booze of
any kind, and what do you get?
A grumpy Christian.
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