Evoking a song in a stranger

It can be a beautiful thing when your mere presence inspires another human being to song. As I walked the short distance between where I get off the #22 bus (an Israeli bus, "the only things that blow up around here", a coworker offered casually when they heard my mode of tranport to work-- ok, sure, maybe there's a sliver of truth to that, but that last time a bus blew up was a few years ago, so I'm not going to allow self-paralysis) and leave the world of West Jersualem behind, entering East Jerusalem, where I work, a construction worker laboring in the hot sun to complete the train tracks (Israeli government funded. ..I caught word that there will be no train stops in Arab neighborhoods such as the one I work, even though the train will soon become a daily part of our lives, as it goes flying by, just across the road) which are now the spine of a once wider road through the Arab neighborhood of Shu'fat, crossed the road towards me, and stopped as I walked by, breaking into song... "habibi..." That's all I understood of his Arabic tune-- "habibi" is a term of endearment, often meaning dear or sweetheart. Rather than allow this form of harmless admiration to consume me with anger and feelings of objectification as often the case seems to be, I decided to just enjoy it.. singing is somehow so much more respectful than honking horns or whistling or bellowing catcalls (although, I do have to say, compared to the DR, there's not near that level of blatancy.). Thanks to the stranger who made me smile today, even if it's just because my skin is lighter than his, my hair is now a lighter shade of brown thanks to the hotttt Middle Eastern sun, and I'm a female crossing paths with him.

Tomorrow is another day of work, as most Mondays-Friday, 9-5 seem to be. ..that's with the exception of a day off here and there, to travel to Nazareth with Nate Herr & Ross Weaver, or go to Nablus (that's this Friday. All Israeli's I've spoken with have warned that Nablus is 1 of 2 places they'd most recommend NOT to go. ..but, I went to Sderot, and survived that, despite what some would say. It's all perspective. People LIVE in Nablus, and yes, it's a tense place, but if a portion of humanity has to cope with that daily, why can't I sustain it for a few hours?), or go to Tel Aviv for a Bat Mitzvah.. OR, Friday, I get to leave early, as Shabbat begins at sundown, and thus the [Israeli] buses stop running at 4:30ish.

Dad and I are going to walk the entire outter walls of the Old City tomorrow, hopefully around sundown. Then I'd like to go to the Garden of Gethsemane and visit the Church of the Nations while there. And I just heard about a music festival happening later in the evening, so perhaps some local music will top off the night!