Beware of getting into debt! [Archives:2002/26/Last Page]

Written by Abdulrahman Mutahhar
Translated by Janet Watson
Ma God alone knows why youre so preoccupied, Musid, and what debts youve got!
M Dont talk to me about debts, Musida. Im up to my neck! The people want their money back. God knows what a fix Im in. Ive no idea how I can repay them.
Ma You shouldnt borrow other peoples money and then say youre in a fix. You know what the Yemeni philosopher said, Only put out your begging bowl if youve got the means and the will to pay it back.
M What should I do, Musida? What do you suggest? If I pay off some of the debts I have, I wont be able to pay for food, or the rent, or the telephone, or the electricity or water, or for the childrens things. And if I keep anything back for the house and the children, my creditors will come and pester me and accuse me of acting improperly in front of other people.
Ma Some things are more important than others, though. Go and get the money you have and buy me two 10,000 riyal dresses.
M You want me to buy you two 10,000-riyal dresses, Musida!
Ma Just make sure you get them. Ones for when the neighbors daughter gets married, and Ill keep the other for my nieces wedding.
M How wonderful you are; youre so loyal and dependable where other people are concerned.
Ma All we can do is be loyal to other people. When life becomes miserable, they say you should fluff up your pillow.
M Thats just it! Youve really got no idea, have you!
Ma What on earth do you mean, Ive got no idea?
M I am complaining about the trouble were having because of our debts and household expenses for us and the children, and all you can say is that you want two 10,000-riyal dresses!
Ma Look here! You havent bought me a single nice dress all the time Ive known you!
M I can only give you what I have, and youll have to be content with that!
Ma Youre right, but nowadays people are so concerned about appearances, and people will respect you only as long as youve got things.
M I dont care a fig about other people and their appearances. Appearances dont buy us anything!
Ma They may not buy us anything, but no one can live without other people. The neighbors daughters wedding is in a month, and my nieces wedding a month after that!
M And what exactly has that got to do with me?
Ma What I want is two dresses for 10,000 riyals each. Ill have them sewn up this week so that I can wear one for the neighbors daughters wedding and the other for my nieces wedding.
M When its time for the weddings just go along in one of the dresses youve already got. As the Yemeni saying goes, You can tell a good person, even if theyre dressed in a woolen rug.1
Ma Thats precisely the problem: there isnt any woolen rug, you arent a good person, and theres no way Ill escape ridicule from some of those stupid women if I go to a wedding with a rug over my shoulders. And all because of you!
M Now tell me, are we having a conversation about how to manage our affairs taking into account all our debts and household expenses and the childrens needs or are we rehearsing amateur dramatics!
Ma The amateur dramatics was already well rehearsed before all this started. You withdraw all your salary from your employer in the first ten days of the month: 1,000 riyals here, 2,000 there, and you spend it all on gat!
M Im only doing the same as everyone else, Musida. Why are you holding me to account for it?
Ma I dont need to hold you to account! The account was already been added up long ago: the children want their things for home and school, and want to keep up appearances in front of other people including their school friends. And I worry about them, and about how were going to live. Youre the head of the household, and responsible for a house full of children. The amount you spend on gat in a single week would meet the household expenses and the childrens needs for an entire month! Whenever people see Musid in the gat souk they congratulate his family!2
1 Cf. al-Akwa, p. 389.
2 Because he spends so much, and people assume he spends a proportionate amount on his family. Adapted from the Yemeni proverb, Whenever people see Ali in the souk ; al-Akwa, p. 1158, Zayd, p. 29.

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