Drapes

Concealed as an afterthought, hidden within, much of what passed now was passed in secret, doors shut, the protection of tiny courtyard gardens, the city outside not to be embraced. Michael was over and we yacked in the backyard, hidden even from the back lane by the washing on the line. We were all tromping into our fifties with disaster ahead, as if the focus had moved and we were no longer confident of anything we did. The times had passed us by. Once young men full of fascinating foibles, we drifted into being old men who's problems were boring, our issues unresolved and therefore our own fault; evoking no sympathy, our martyrdom ignored.

Not feeling well. Came home early. Just want to hide behind a closed door. Surely there will be other consequence; but not today; it's just a matter of juggling the order of things, of regrouping, of starting again for the umpteen millionth time. We were hoping for order and came within a breadth of doing nothing, of disappearing while new generations took over our path. Come hither, he whispered, and lost erotic moments had disappeared into history.

Sometimes voices speak to us from our own future, warning us to be careful, to look after ourselves, to protect our physical presence; not to smoke, drink or destroy ourselves, as we had once done with such abandon. I still want a dog; a secret garden, emotional sanity. Tides were hugging us away, and we clapped each other on the back, good to see you. And the memories we held in common, threads of parties and houses and people we used to know, they were all disappearing, our bodies wracked as we subsided. They sent me messages; I had been slow to respond. Be careful, they said, and it was advice I was only just taking. Embrace yourself, look after yourself, in the quiet times and the secret paths. There was a future, you just needed to be alive to see it.

Roundup of Iraq Violence -- March 6, 2007
by Dalia Hassan
McClatchy Newspapers
The daily Iraq violence report is compiled by McClatchy Newspapers Special Correspondent Dalia Hassan in Baghdad from police, military and medical reports. This is not a comprehensive list of all violence in Iraq, much of which goes unreported. It’s posted without editing as transmitted to McClatchy’s Washington Bureau.
1- Baghdad. The Source: The Ministry of Interior Operations Room
- 2 civilians were killed and 10 were injured in a parked car bomb explosion targeted Shiite pilgrims walking towards Karbalaa province near Um Al Tobool mosque in Yarmook neighborhood at 10,30 am BLT.
- 4 Iraqi army soldiers were killed and 1 was injured in an IED explosion targeted them in Al Ubaidi neighborhood east Baghdad at 12,30 pm.
- 1 Iraqi army soldier was killed and 3 injured in a suicide car explosion targeted Iraqi army check point in Al Arba Shawari'e area ( the four streets area) downtown Baghdad at 12,30 pm BLT.
- 9 civilians were killed and 23 were injured in a parked car bomb explosion targeted the Shiite pilgrims walking to Karbalaa province. The incident happened in Saidiya neighborhood south Baghdad.
- A civilian was killed and 3 others injured when gunmen opened their weapons fire targeting Shiite pilgrims on Mohammed Al Qasim high way east Baghdad at 12 pm.
- 5 Shiite pilgrims were injured in a mortar round attack in Dora neighborhood south Baghdad.
- 2 Shiite pilgrims were killed and 10 were wounded in separated fire shooting incidents in Dora and Saidiya neighborhoods south Baghdad.
- The head of relations and media department in tourism committee Ahmed Gati’a was killed when gun men shot him in Al-Iskandariya district (South of Baghdad)
- 24 anonymous bodies were found in Baghdad. 23 were found in Karkh, the western part of Baghdad in the following neighborhoods (7 bodies in Dora, 5 bodies in Hay Al Amil, 3 bodies in Baiyaa, 2 bodies in Ghazaliya, 1 body in each of Saidiya, Hurriya, Abo Disheer, Jami'aa and Amiriya). A body was found in Al Ameen one of the neighborhoods of Rosafa, the eatern part of Baghdad.
2- Tikrit – North of Baghdad
- 6 people were killed (one of them was a women and 2 were police men) last night when 4 mortar rounds fell in Balad which is part of Salah addin Province.
3- Dayala- East South of Baghdad
- 1 child was killed and 2 men were injured when a controlled IED exploded targeting a group of pilgrims going to Karbala. The explosion happened in Hibhib which is part of Al-Khalis town (15 km. North Baaquba).
- 2 police men from Al-Abara (North Baaquba) were injured in an armed attack. The police men were injured when they exchanged fire shooting with armed men.
- 1 civilian was killed and another one was shot by un known gun men in the center of Al-Muqdadiya town (North Baaquba) market.
4- Basra
- The spokesman of Basra police directorate said that a civilian had been killed and 4 injured in two separated incidents in Bsara city. The spokesman explained that a civilian was killed and two others injured (including a child) when mortar rounds fell in Al Najibiya area north Basra. The mortars targeted the British base in Shat Al Arab hotel north Basra. He added that a man and his wife were injured when mortar rounds fell on their house in Al Sa'ie neighborhood downtown Basra city.
5- Karkuk
- The operations room chief Colonel Yadgar Shukur said that gunmen kidnapped yesterday Sheikh Farhan Abdalla Ghanim, one of the Arabic consulting council. The colonel said that the incident happened in Hay Al Askary in Karkuk city north of Baghdad and the kidnappers took Ghanim to an unknown destination. Its to be mentioned that the Arabic consulting council is a council for the Sunni tribes and Arab people who live in Karkuk city and its one of the opposites of implementing the article No. 140 from the Iraqi constitution related to Karkuk issue. The council supervised lately the Arabic protests demanding to cancel the resolution issued by supreme committee of implementing the article 140 which asks to return back the immigrant Arabic residents in Karkuk to their original residence places in the middle and south of Iraq. The consulting council used to have a member in the supreme committee of the article 140 called Moahmmed Khaleel but after issuing the resolution of returning back immigrants, he suspended his membership according to a decision taken by the Arabic consulting council.
- A source in Karkuk city police said that an IED was exploded near Al Asdiqaa fuel station near the celebration park in the city of Karkuk. The IED exploded yesterday afternoon. According to the source, two civilians were injured seriously in addition to damaging the close vehicles.
- Tow children were injured seriously in an IED explosion near one of the police stations in Hawija district south west Karkuk city on Monday evening, police said