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Saturday, November 05, 2005

The Dress from Outer Space

Last Thursday, I decided to go find myself a dress for my sis-in-law wedding party. I went to the "only shop in town" that sells evening gowns. It also happens to be that the owner of the shop is my neighbor and my friend as well. So I went to pay her a visit at her shop, however, I wish if someone told me not to go, ro7t we yaraitny maro7t.

It seems that I asked for a dress from Mars that doesn't exist on planet Earth and of course to find that dress we need the assistance of some professional aliens to accomplish the mission for us!!

What I asked for is a simple dress with a very simple design preferably without any embroidery or beads. I also asked for something else that was totally unacceptable from my friend and the girls working in the shop!!! I asked for a dress that is either sleeveless (cut) or japounaise (1/4 sleeve). That is, I do not want to wear an off-shoulders or a striped dress.

The first sentence the woman said after hearing my request was "you won't find any"!!. At the beginning I thought that she didn't understand what I asked for, maybe she thinks that I am asking for a dress worn by a celebrity in a Hollywood movie!!! I just wanted a simple dress for God's sake. She started showing me some "half dresses" … yes I really mean it … "half dresses. I guess the tailor didn't find enough time or material to finish the dress. Then, she asked me to try them on to see what we can do to cover them up.

Well, I tried more than ten dresses on. A dress that shows my belly, another that shows my breast, a third one that shows my back and a forth lump sum dress that shows literary … everything. Again, I said to myself maybe the woman misunderstood me, after all I am using an Egyptian dialect that is not so familiar to her ears!! I told her, excuse me "D", I am looking for a dress not a lingerie. She looked at me as if I am an ignorant person asking for one of the "seven impossibles".

Anyway, the dress was not the problem, the problem was the stupid argument afterwards between "D" and her friends on one side and I on the other side. They kept accusing me of being an old-fashion person who is coming from the Stone Age.
"D" told me that the wedding ceremony is a family party and there is no big deal to wear a dress that shows my body cause the people at the party will be respectable and trustworthy people who will never look at me in a bad way (bassa we7sha!!!). I tried to tell her; this is my religion, this is my culture and that is the way I think and believe … but in vain.

I don't know … Do people consider a person who respects his/her religion and culture a retarded old fashion person?!!! Do I have to show my body to be a civilized and sophisticated person?!!! I came back home feeling down, I don't know way!! Maybe, because I didn't find the dress I wanted, maybe because I hated the discussion that took place, maybe because I felt that there is no common ground between the people here and I!!!

Posted by Wonderer :: 3:43 PM :: 16 comments