Today I want to share with you a story that happened with a friend of mine over 20 years ago. Back then I used to live in NY, my friend just immigrated recently from Syria and taken residence in City Island, Bronx.
At the time compared to the area in general, city island was and probably still is an oasis. I enjoyed visiting this friend in particular and having some nice Turkish coffee with him often, he was a conversationalist, a story teller of some sorts. All his stories were real, but extremely funny. They were mostly about his experience moving to a new country and blending in.
Blending in, something not easy to do, but good or bad my friend always found the brighter side of things even in the worst of situations. He once told me about these "nice thieves", a group of teenagers who surrounded him on the subway as he was headed home one night and robbed him of everything he had, money, watch, ring etc... My friend smiled at them before they left and told them he needed at least one dollar back so he can pay the bus ride from his last stop on the subway to his home on city island. And they did give him a dollar back, thus him calling them nice thieves .
But that's not the story that popped to my mind today, it's another one I call "Death Sentence".
Ever since he moved to his home in city Island my friend had a roommate, his roommate would get all the mail everyday. My friend checked the mail daily, nobody wrote anything to him, no junk mail even. Since he was new in the country his name was not on mailing lists, and nobody mailed him anything, so everyday he would check the mail hoping that someone or some company paid attention that he is in America. He wanted recognition.
One day he brought the subject up while we were having coffee. He asked me how to get junk mail? he wanted to get it so bad, he wanted to feel like everyone else in America. He would wait for the mailman to see if someone finally recognized him as worthy of junk mail. I laughed at this, as we all are usually sick of getting junk mail. Yet, here is my friend who wants it so bad, some sort recognition that he blended in.
Finally the day came and my friend received his first junk mail, some company offering to sell him a piece of land. He called me right away, he said he will not open it until we meet in the evening over coffee, he wanted me to read it to him, and explain what this company was offering him. I told him most likely they wanted to sell him a piece of swamp land in Florida, but I will visit him in the evening to read it.
That night was a little different, my friend has prepared the best dinner, and made the "best" Turkish coffee. It was the same coffee he always made, but I guess his feelings were different that night, it was a celebratory coffee, so to him it was special.
After dinner and while we started to sip the coffee, my friend brought his first junk mail on a tray, this felt like his graduation day. He is now part or this big American melting bot. He wanted me to read to him loud and explain it.
The letter was more like a greeting card inside and envelope, the envelop had this nice looking piece of land on it...
As I opened the card, and started reading my friends face started to turn red, he did not need me to explain anything the words were so clear, my friends first junk mail was an offer to buy his eternal resting place at discount, the sender was a local funeral home.
I could not hold myself from laughing, my friend who finds good in every situation could not find a way to make sense of how his hopes of blending in were shattered like that. He actually would have been happier getting an offer to buy swamp land in Florida than to buy his own grave.
Ever since every time me an my friend talk, I still bring up the story of his death sentence, "Have you made good on buying that eternal resting place?" that would set him off.
Hope is a great thing to have, but associating our success with one event is a dangerous thing. Life will deal us a blow after another, and we need to come out strong. Twenty years later, my friend is a very successful businessman in NY, and he yet has no plans to buy his eternal resting place, but he sure as heck blended in and is a proud American.
you know what I love, I love people who make me laugh just like your Syrian friend. it is probably one of the most important things in a person, and for that, you are lucky to have such a friend.
The Irony, I am actually drinking a Turkish coffee while reading your post!
Upvoted and followed!
And you had to post that pic lol that is truly the best coffee. Do you flip it read your fortune once done with it? :D
Wish I could add the smell of it, but we are still waiting for steemit to add that option :D, unfortunately, i only know how to make it and enjoy it but still can't read a thing from the cup. maybe I should read the future of cryptocurrencies someday.
Que gran historia, podrías intentar escribir un libro.
I laughed so hard when I finished reading your story about your friend! The irony that he pinned his hopes so much on belonging as an American based on Junk Mail, that so many of us are so sick of that we are trying to find ways to STOP receiving it! A great story about attachment. I hope your friend has also grown personally alongside his career. I hope he continues to thrive and bring smiles to others with his cheery outlook on life!
I don't know why I thought this story would have a tear-jerking end.
Especially after that funny moment where he presented his mail.
I kept my fingers crossed while reading. "This should have a happy ending" I told myself. At this point I couldn't wait till the end to find out what became of your friend :) Good story!
Hello @joseph ..this is really a interesting and funny story ...name of the story is very apt -the death sentence ..I liked that your friend is positive person and also calls theives as nice theives ...
I'm started writing on philosophy and wrote about happiness in life , you can follow and check out my post here
https://steemit.com/philosophy/@nehachauhan/philosophy-1-what-is-happiness-nehachauhan-original-work--
lovely article thanks sharing it
Wow for the fourth
That's what i'm talking about "think positive"
tnx for sharing this story :D
Beautifully nurrated.. I'm looking forward to read such beautiful post's from you..
Life is a challenge, from your story.I can draw conclusions.Never underestimate anyone because tomorrow we do not know what happened to him and us.I really enjoyed it. thanks for share. @joseph
Interesting story. Always think positive you Will make your goal!!
I know of a scripture in the Bible that shows, Hope differed makes the heart sick. If you are going to lose anything, please don't lose hope. It's your searchlight of life
Nowadays we receive a lot of junk email which is a nuisance
Great story brother.. I think life is ment to be enjoyed regardless of where yoy lay to sleep once the experience ends. Hope is the next thing to will power which one can't take from another.. It is the gem which we all possess from birth and a tool to help us shape our lives the way we want them to be.
Cheers and all the best in life from me.
Goldie
Lol i laughed so much when he got a mail to buy a resting area. He is very good man i can that he called thieves as good thieves.
Be careful what you wish for...it might turn out to be junk.
I like It... nice pos friend @joseph
Nice story :-o, you've earned a resteem :)
Peculiar Story. Really nice it ended up well for him. He wanted that junky mail so badly that he got that offer, like go there and bury yourself lol
WOW MUY INTERESANTE!!
WOW!
I have seen you make that SAME comment on SO MANY POSTS!
America the melting pot....Loved the story so sharing for perhaps others to understand that we blend to become american...
This is chipest pepal
Lovely post, makes your really think about how we really take things for granted such a junk mail. Never though about junk mail in that way before. Thank you :).
Upvoted and followed
One of life's learning presented through unique experiences.. Kudos to you @jospeh, well written and captivating post...
haha good read
I'm actually literally wondering what does it do with "death sentence". Anyway, this is an interesting and motivating story.
Pray for the best but prepare for the worst! Or as they say, be careful what you wish for cuz you might just get it all! Wow... this story is mindblowing... I had to read it a couple of times to make sure I understood it fully haha:P But your friend seems so inspiring by the fact that he stays optimistic no matter what! That thieves story is the proof of this and I cant get over the fact that he was so nice to them... Wow. If only everyone were like him.
Man this story made my night. Thanks so much for sharing this. Hands down one of the best I read since Ive been on here💓 @joseph
This story was really great. I don't know why but it really hit a funny spot with me.
Beautiful story , thank you @joseph for sharing with us .i don't think somebody would like to buy his own eternal resting place .
Fabulous story, funny how people want to fit in with things others really don't want to receive. Glad your friend found a way to fit in.
Awesome story @joseph. That's what life is. Staying positive is a thumb rule to live a happy life.
Interesting story
nice 1 though
nice story mate :)
Nice reading... I liked the way you described the whole thing... If you have time, please check my blogs too @geetharao
funny story - it is the best way to find the joy in everything and share the happiness with friends
the way u compliment the turkish coffee is making me crave to drink it on this early cold morning, its always great to have such a friend who can keep u smiling and have fun, its a great story moral thanks for posting this :) i would love to hear more about the nice thieves , u dont get people who gets everything stolen and still smiles, he seems to be a really nice person.
nice story dear
lolz
That was a pretty cool story. We all have expectations and wants in life, which often we build to such a hype that we believe, we can't begin living without it . However, sometimes when we finally receive that prized desire, it ends up causing the exact opposite reaction. Luckily for your friend, he had a great friend in you. In the end, life is always way more entertaining and fun when we enjoy the little things, the small successes, the little blips on our way to success, and then finally we will all have our chance to become that successful NY businessman.
Love it! Its good to read something other than an old recycled joke under the funny tag! Upvoted and followed
Your story is really thought provoking. The majority of people hate junk mail because it is just rubbish and clutter. To your friend it symbolised something much more than that, making him feel that he belonged or that we are noticed. It is quite humorous what his first letter turned out to be though- I wonder how he got on that mailing list! Thanks for sharing.
thanks for share. upvotes your post & you upvotes my post
I loved this story. You really captured your friend's enthusiasm and eagerness, then very slight disillusionment. I love happy people!
HOPE!! One of the most important things in our lives! Thank you! I am following you
lovely article thanks sharing.
Great story, it is encouraging and colourful I'm gonna follow you. You send like a person of interest. Thanks again for your life insights
Great article man...👏👏👏
Good article! I have always heard that the most patriotic people are those who have relocated to the United States. Most folks do not simply move across the world and abandon their old life on a whim. It is an act of last resort or a quest for opportunity. But I think your friend's experience is such an excellent illustration of that simple hope that people have of making a home of whatever geographic location they find themselves in. Sometimes that expresses itself in junk mail. But you are right, our lives are built on days, months, and years; not single moments. What a cool story. I'm glad he has gotten along well in the US. Thank you for sharingf
Congratulations @joseph!
Your post was mentioned in the hit parade in the following category:
Hahahaha.. @joseph my goodness.. you nailed it
What an unpredictable story LoL
Reading the title, I was ready to cry especially when you start the story telling the detail of the main actor, your friend from Syria. Really, I was not ready for the super silly end of your story :D
Anyway, I love Turkce Kahvesi --> the Turkish Coffee
and I love this post hahaha
Great one ;) Waiting for your next post hopefully about your Syrian friend reaction knowing that he's getting famous because of your post lol