Dear Manuel

Thank you for the wishes regarding my return to SF. Are you planning to visit

the States? Remember you have a home there as well. Keep in touch and update

your news and where-abouts. Give my best to your family and folks.

Here is nice story about uncle Merched:

He loved to eat and when it comes to sweet stuff he couldn't control

his appetite. Halawat eljubnih was his favored. There used to be a guy,

Mohammed Hitler, from Bazbina working at Al-Arja in Tripoli. He told me this story:

Uncle Merched came one day and ordered 2 plates of Halawat eljubnih. He

asked Mohammed Hitler to be generous at the "atter". Well Mohammed Hitler was

a bit curious he asked uncle Merched why 2 plates. He told him he is waiting

for his son to come. Mohammed Hitler prepared 2 plates and was generous with

"elashtah" and "el-atter" but was suspicious. He went inside and kept

watching. Uncle Merched walked to the door and looked outside then returned

to the table. He looked at his watch then shook his head. He started eating

and finished the first plate in no time. He checked his watch again and

looked toward the kitchen to see if any body is looking at him. In a very fast

move he switched the plates and finished the second one.

God bless his soul, his appetite killed him but he was a great guy. I was a

good eater in my youth and Uncle Merched never miss to tell me: "kol ya

khol, kol, el-akl la leb-ghol". [Eat, uncle, eat – food is meant for mules].

Manuel

I received your fax and "thank you very much". While in Lebanon please

remember me and try to eat some of those green and delicious plums and

almond with salt for me. Don't forget to go and get some "zawba'e" and

"Hyiloon", the fun is to pick them up yourself. This is a fun thing to do.

By the way I did it when I went back to Lebanon in 1982. I wanted to pick up

some Hyiloon and zawba'e myself. I went with one of my brother Michael's

kid. It was a rainy day and I left early. 30 minutes later Mitri followed us

and he brought an umbrella. when I saw him I started to laugh and I asked

him why the umbrella. He said his father Mikhael sent him with the umbrella

so I don't get wet. I sent him back and I told him to tell my brother

Mikhael I hope nobody in the village knew about it, so it will be the story

of my life: "Hassan went to pick hyiloon and zawba'e with an umbrella". For

your information I got a good bunch of hyiloon and 2 pockets full of zawba'e

and Sarah fixed them the  Bazbina's style "ta'moton taht drassi"- my

mouth is watering as I am writing this.

Give my best to your family and to all our relatives and friends. Happy

Easter.

HASSAN I. EL-BIETAR

Equinix-Ashburn F Project

Tel (703)723-4715

Fax (703)723-4718