Dear Hikmat,
I am writing to you this as a tribute to our short but close
friendship. Wherever you are I hope you will see this and have a good nostalgic
smile. A smile, that at first sight so
happily we shared together here in London that was to be first of many truly
entertaining times together. As it
turned out a meeting of heart and minds that eventually became a full blown
laugh during our times together in Baghdad.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you again and again in addition
to the thousand times that I did thank you for all your help and kindness you
have shown me. With your consistent and
single minded efforts you tried so hard to secure my long lost but rightful inheritance. Remember, as I later discovered and came to
appreciate, to me, you were a precious find of long lost relative.
It was friends at first sight! If you remember, we had met
here in London at your sister’s house, Hannaa,
hitting it so well from the word go. I
followed this by taking you out on a car ride to show you London’s attractive
riverside. Your speculative mind was
wondering on the feasibility of rental and purchase values of properties but in
contrast I tried to interest you in the historical context of old buildings’
historical perspectives. I think you reluctantly
but finally listened to my narratives but that was the first of many brick by
brick building of our friendship. Over
many pints of Pale that evening our friendship quickly cemented.
Even then I warned you not to expect me to pay the £50 fine
if caught without the safety belt on. Little did I know then money would be your
driving force as that belt went on instantly.
Since then, I have come to know you better that many others who knew you
for longer. Your qualities and values
were decent and honourable that stands head and shoulders above many.
After some 50 years absence I finally went back to a
country I no longer had empathy with except it was a country of my
birth. I was in the middle of Karrada
searching for our old family house. After
combing some of the streets it was serendipity, I’ve found it! Once inside I started
to have my doubts somehow. The tenants
told me the house belonged to someone, a guy who does not live in Baghdad, he
only comes and goes.
I asked, so what’s his name?
Basmaji they replied!
Basmaji what?
Hikmat Basmaji!
Basmaji House
I just leapt out of my seat and my mobile phone went into
overdrive. You came, we hugged, and we
laughed much to the bewilderment of all around us. You took me round to show me our real house
which was still standing but almost derelict.
Far from the glory it was once was.
My childhood happiness was all in that house.
Oufi House
From that moment on, your care for my interest was ceaseless. Your love for Baghdad was rubbing off on
me. You re introduced me to the Karrada
I once loved, Asfar Street, Abu Klam, Irgheta , Abu Nawas Street, Nadi Al Hindya,
Nadi Al Elweeya and much more to the
simplest poor man’s food as well as the street food from Arabanaat. I think I gave up hygiene to the mercy of the
gods. I enjoyed every minute and I knew
you enjoyed the fact that I was enjoying it all. There were times when you did go to extremes
but you did not mind my refusals because I knew then your happiness coincided
with mine. You were so sensitive to my
care.
Thank you Hikmat for your help and kindness you have shown
me; at all times, you knew how grateful I was to you. I shall never forget you and I shall never
forget your genuine efforts of help. Our
paths will surely meet at some stage.
Until we meet again, good bye my friend!
Yours very sincerely,
Freddie
Freddie
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