Friendship by Candlelight

Battery-operated LED micro lights
in handblown Nubian glass.

The electricity had gone out for the fourth time in one day.  Each time the stint was 1-2 hours.  I sighed as I asked John to bring the flashlight and hold it over the stove as I continued cooking. (Thankfully it is  operated by a side propane tank.)  Our city boasts one of the largest dams in the entire Middle East and was created to provide hydroelectricity for Egypt.  But somehow it ain't gettin' to us.  But I digress.

I was preparing a dinner for some of our friends who had just returned from a trip.  They requested American food (which could mean a variety of things) but I understood it to mean fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, extra fixin's and strawberry shortcake.  I understood correctly.

They arrived and the electricity still had not rejoined us, so we sat together by candlelight recounting our week.  No one was affected by the extra sweat trickling down our necks or that we were squinting to see one another.  You just learn to roll with it and we did.

We had a wonderful time laughing, talking and eating.  In what some would dub a "small miracle" the electricity came on just long enough for me to make homemade whipped cream for the shortcake and coffee to go with.  Then, it was out again.

We talked some more and then said our goodbyes.  As we closed the door I told John, "That was really fun." He agreed.

I didn't want to do dishes Helen Keller-style, so I decided to wait until morning.  Let the ants have their hey day.  

The electricity did eventually return and allowed the blessed a/c unit in our bedroom to function.  We sighed contentedly realizing that here even "small wins" are still "wins." We drifted off to sleep thankful for our friends, electricity when we have it, ants when they hibernate and cool air in the desert.