Tales of the Jewel

Al-Haddar wrote: ↑

Mon May 30, 2022 8:22 am

"I try to be. Interesting lives are often short lives. Especially for those without armor of coins or pedigree.

And living is something I like very much. It has a lot of advantages. For example, I get to tell the tale of these interesting people that are now too dead to do so themselves."

"I take it then you are not the sort of person who die standing than live on their knees?"

Soraya al-Menjari wrote: ↑

Mon May 30, 2022 8:35 am

"I take it then you are not the sort of person who die standing than live on their knees?"

"Of course. Dying standing is the coward's way in my opinion. Dead people don't care for their family, they don't work hard to pay for grandpa's medicine, for ma's new pot, for bro's burial. They cannot tend the sick and play with the children.

Yourself, you could spit in the Khadi's face at any time I get? Yet you do not, because it would serve no purpose but get you killed, and you wouldn't be able to do any good any more once dead."

Al-Haddar wrote: ↑

Mon May 30, 2022 8:50 am

"Of course. Dying standing is the coward's way in my opinion. Dead people don't care for their family, they don't work hard to pay for grandpa's medicine, for ma's new pot, for bro's burial. They cannot tend the sick and play with the children.

Yourself, you could spit in the Khadi's face at any time I get? Yet you do not, because it would serve no purpose but get you killed, and you wouldn't be able to do any good any more once dead."

"That is correct. It is also how I've lived my life up until now, being willing to bend my will or objections if it means something easier, something safer."

She took a sip of water, looking over at Qasim talking on stage with some of the other guests, "But still... do you not think there is a balance? Some things to fight back against rather than simply bow your head and accept?"

Soraya al-Menjari wrote: ↑

Mon May 30, 2022 9:04 am

"That is correct. It is also how I've lived my life up until now, being willing to bend my will or objections if it means something easier, something safer."

She took a sip of water, looking over at Qasim talking on stage with some of the other guests, "But still... do you not think there is a balance? Some things to fight back against rather than simply bow your head and accept?"

"A popular sentiment. And a dangerous one to have in public.

I would say that no sane man should enter a fight he cannot win. Ask me to punch a solid wall and I'll refuse, even if there are incommensurable treasures on the other side, knowing far well I'll only break my hand. Show me that the wall is brittle, that with enough perseverance it might indeed break it, and I may be tempted to try a kick."

Al-Haddar wrote: ↑

Mon May 30, 2022 10:33 am

"A popular sentiment. And a dangerous one to have in public.

I would say that no sane man should enter a fight he cannot win. Ask me to punch a solid wall and I'll refuse, even if there are incommensurable treasures on the other side, knowing far well I'll only break my hand. Show me that the wall is brittle, that with enough perseverance it might indeed break it, and I may be tempted to try a kick."

"You think I talk of rebellion or something? No. There are other ways to get a wall down besides punching it with your fist anyways; Violence isn't always the answer, nor the correct method to use when one wants change."

Soraya al-Menjari wrote: ↑

Mon May 30, 2022 2:43 pm

"You think I talk of rebellion or something? No. There are other ways to get a wall down besides punching it with your fist anyways; Violence isn't always the answer, nor the correct method to use when one wants change."

"You'll have to be more specific than that. I'm a simple man of simple means. I have never seen actual change that wasn't earned through radical action. Walls might not crumble all the time, but at least a few windows have to get broken."

Al-Haddar wrote: ↑

Mon May 30, 2022 7:19 pm

"You'll have to be more specific than that. I'm a simple man of simple means. I have never seen actual change that wasn't earned through radical action. Walls might not crumble all the time, but at least a few windows have to get broken."

"I suppose means don't get any more simple than a rock through a window..."

She shrugged.

"Regardless, hopefully my windows don't deserve breaking, and hopefully talking like this isn't futile."

Soraya al-Menjari wrote: ↑

Mon May 30, 2022 7:29 pm

"I suppose means don't get any more simple than a rock through a window..."

She shrugged.

"Regardless, hopefully my windows don't deserve breaking, and hopefully talking like this isn't futile."

"Might I hazard the guess that's because your window is still closed?

Though, all this talk about walls and windows, remind me of a saying in... aggressive door-to-door marketing. Yeah, that.

If you cannot go through the window, if you cannot go through the wall, then there's only one solution left: Going through the door.

In that context, that means persuading someone who has that power to open the door for you. Half open is good enough actually, you just need enough space to position your foot so they cannot close it back."

Sora thought again a minute.

"...you know, for someone who essentially said only action works, you sure do have a lot to say. Especially for a simple man of simple means."

Truthfully, she liked the analogy he had given. It made sense to her. But at this point, he was more interesting than the message.

Soraya al-Menjari wrote: ↑

Mon May 30, 2022 9:55 pm

Sora thought again a minute.

"...you know, for someone who essentially said only action works, you sure do have a lot to say. Especially for a simple man of simple means."

Truthfully, she liked the analogy he had given. It made sense to her. But at this point, he was more interesting than the message.

"Words are the one thing I have in abundance, and one should always be generous with what they have in excess!" emphatically declared al-Haddar with a not so subtle look at the heavy purse of a not to far away Dahabi merchant.

"I am unlearned, ignorant of any skill or art I didn't have to teach myself on the job to ensure my subsistence and survival. However, as a man who wakes up every day thankful that the roof of his hovel didn't collapse during the night and uncertain they will make enough money before sunset to pay for his own daily water, food, and protection, that basically means I have to learn a new trick every day."