The Three Day Pass Ch. 20

"But that's Un-American!"

"I beg to differ with you on that point." Joseph said. "What religious charity allows its money to be invested in any other charity than it's own. Would the Jewish or Christian charities permit its resources to be shared with others? Remember this is a Muslim group of investors and it wants to remain that way! At least for the present time the only non-Muslims involved are Mr. Worthington and myself. While Worthington Investments will not make much on this fund, it is hoped that the 'good will' generated by the fund will attract other Arab money into using Worthington's as their investment brokers. Mr. Worthington has offered to take a small percentage of his usual fees to cover expenses and perhaps make a small profit. As for myself, my expenses will be taken care of by a small salary, which will go towards the payment of my college education. We can only hope that if things go well, and the members begin to gain confidence in the 'American Way' that they will see fit to open it to the public. Or even perhaps see fit to invest their other money with Worthington's."

"To tell the truth what we were thinking of was not so much investing money, but being able to make connections with this community and perhaps get them to invest some of their money in producing plays or other entertainment enterprises."

"You know that might not be such a bad idea. Perhaps we could invest in plays that would get Americans more interested in Arab culture or the Arab view of the world.' Carl said. "Maybe produce an Arab version of 'Gentlemen's Agreement' or something like that. You know a story about anti-Semitism against the other, forgotten Semites, the Arabs."

"Now that sounds interesting and I will keep you in mind and if you should happen to come across a property that falls into that category I will be most happy to recommend that the board consider it." Joseph said, reaching for their business cards. "Do you mind if I keep these? I will relate this conversation to Rich's father and the Sheikh. I am sure they will be happy to hear of your willingness to help the cause."

"Great and thank you. Now let's have another round of drinks." One of the other producers said. "By the way when are you going to marry the daughter of the Sheikh? I bet she is a young beauty. Perhaps there is a love story in there we could use in one of our future plays."

"We have been officially engaged." Joseph said and then told him that, "for now and until I'm out of the army, his daughter is living with relatives in Michigan while I am residing at the Sheikh's home in Paterson. It is an old Arab custom to keep the bride and groom apart before marriage."

"That must be hard on you, Joseph." Said Carl. "I mean with your future father-in-law looking over your shoulder and all."

"Not as hard on me as it is on her." Joseph smiled. "You see there are no restrictions on the male as far as sewing his oats or having affairs at this time or even after marriage for that matter... In fact it is rather encouraged as it provides the groom with the experience and knowledge to have sex with his virgin wife. Only the woman must remain a virgin until marriage."

"A virgin, how old is this girl? 12 years old!"

"No she is a beautiful young woman, over the age of consent, who was raised in the traditional Arab manner by a rather over-protective father." Joseph explained. "Had she been raised in the old country, or if her father had followed all of the customs, she would have been engaged at the age of 10 if not sooner. Anyway she was not and therefore her father, looking for a young man who he thought would provide him with many grandchildren, saw fit to offer her to me and I feel very lucky that did."

The three of them asked Joseph a lot of questions and after a few hours they all left the bar in good humor and said good night.

"Why the hell didn't you tell them that there was no chance of their getting involved in the Club?" Rich asked Joseph when they were alone.

"If I had done that, who knows, they might have got angry and pulled out of backing your next play." Joseph smiled. "This way we keep them interested in you and your career. As long as they think the door is open they will maintain an interest in you. We lost nothing by being nice to them and giving them hope as to how they might gain by helping you."

"That is downright sneaky as well as brilliant. You should be my agent!"

"It's not your agent I want to be right now. It is your bed partner. Let's get home and into bed baby. I'm all talked out for this evening and after I report on what happened this evening to Agent Barns I want a little tail." Joseph said as he drove the car back to Rich's place. "Hey, honey why don't I rent a monthly parking space in your building. In fact why not rent two spaces. I can afford it now and you could bring your car in from the Island and use it. On some weekends you can come out to Jersey and we could spend time together."

"You may be right. I'll see about it tomorrow. These over night fees must be adding up and we might just come out cheaper renting by the month." Rich said as Joseph parked the car. "I'm going upstairs and get ready for you. You can call Bill and then come up when you are finished with your business."

"Great idea!" Joseph said, picking up his cell and punching in Bill's number. "You go up and get that ass ready for me. All nice and clean and lubed." After Rich left the car his call to Barns went through and he reported on his meeting with Rich's father and the three producers. He also reported that the fact that Fazzi wanted him to become his representative to Worthington, and act as a tie between the Arab Community and Worthington.

"That's fantastic, almost too fantastic to believe." Bill said. "Do you think it's too soon to put your relationship with Fazzi to a little test."

"What do you mean by that? I think it's damn well solid."

"What do you think would happen if you were to show up when Fazzi was in the midst of a meeting with his Syrian controllers?" Bill asked.

"I don't know, most likely he would try to get rid of me. I'm not sure what he would do."

"Well you are about to find out. That is, if you are up to it. Fazzi is meeting them for dinner at his house tomorrow, I suggest you stay away." Bill said warily. "But on the other hand it would be nice to see just what he would do."

"How the hell do you know about this meeting?"

"Joseph, you are a grownup now. You are playing with the professionals now. You don't think we would let you operate completely alone, do you?" Bill said. "You know we have other agents who are looking after you. I told you that you were too valuable to loose. Now don't even ask me who they are. It's better that you don't know. Anyway, we were informed that they would be at Fazzi's house for dinner and a meeting tomorrow night at 7 PM. What do you say about turning up for the meeting, say at eight, to see what happens?"

"It could spoil the whole operation, but if you think there is something to be gained-I'll do it. I can use the fact that those producers want to get in on the action as a reason. In fact, I can also use the excuse that I came to give him a report on Richard's willingness for a club party. Yes I think that will do it. Of course, I could also tell him that I was hungry for his body and wanted to get in some sex. However, I think he will buy the other reasons more easily. Look Bill I have to go now, Rich is expecting me and I'm staying at his place tonight. I'll call you tomorrow, if I can."

"OK, bye now."

He opened the door to Rich's apartment and went in. Rich was waiting for him, posing nude on the open sofa bed. "Shit that's one hell of a picture to see when I come home. It reminds me of Julia Roberts waiting for Richard Gere to come home from the office in 'Pretty Woman' her feet up on a desk clothed only a men's tie"

"Oh is there some other way you would like to be greeted?"

"Any other time, hell no, but I just got off the phone with Barns and I have some disappointing news to tell you. He says that Fazzi is meeting with some important Syrians tomorrow and I have to find out what they are up to. I'm afraid that I'll be leaving after I take you to the theater tomorrow night. Is that OK with you?"

"OK? No it's not OK, but you can go, you have my permission." Rich said disappointed. "It's not that bad, just the matter of a few hours. Let's make the most of the time we have left. Let's not waist the amount of preparation I just did."

And so they did! That night and most of the next day they spent the time making love and when not doing bed maneuvers they walked around the village holding hands and acting like the rest of the Village people. Sitting on the green grass in one of the parks, eating some "Red Hots" for lunch and then eating dinner out in a little Italian Cafe. When it came time to say good-bye, Joseph drove Rich to the theater and dropped him off and then drove out to Paterson. As he drove onto the estate he saw a strange car in the driveway. Noticing that the plates had Diplomatic Plates he proceeded to the door and rang the bell. After a short while the door opened and a startled Fazzi stood there.

"Yussef! What are you doing here? I thought you were going to be away the entire weekend. Why didn't you use your own key? Come in I'm so happy to see you." He said as he grabbed him around and hugged and kissed him.

"What key you never gave me a key? What are you talking about?"

"Your key, the one to your apartment over the garage. The locks are the same. I'm sorry I thought I had told you that." Then whispering into his ear he said. "You did not think that I would let you live here without at least providing you with a key. I want you to feel like this is our home-not just mine. You are free to come and go, as you like. As a matter of fact I have been entertaining some guests that I am sure would like you to meet." Putting his arm around Joseph's shoulder he escorted him into the Library.

"Gentlemen this is Yussef, the man I was just telling you about." Fazzi said and introduced the two men to him. One was named Allie Balbak and the other was Hassan Segour. "Yussef these men are old Army friends of mine that are working for the Consulate now. They are here because they have heard about our project. And wanted to get all the information they could, first hand."

"Yussef we are pleased to meet you. Fazzi has been telling us so much about you. We are very pleased to meet you at last." The two men extended their hands and took Joseph's. "So you are the Army guy that is going to marry Fazzi's daughter and help our people to a better life. When Fazzi first told us about it we were skeptical to say the least. Now after only a few months it looks like it might work after all. You my boy are a genius."

"Me a genius? No not me, it was Fazzi's idea. I was just a helper. That's all." Joseph said, blushing. "Just, as I was telling someone the other night, a guy that happened to be there, just some idiot who blundered into a good situation. Nothing more. If I might ask what are your positions at the Consulate?"

"We are cultural and educational attaches. We are here to study the American educational system to see if there is anything we can learn from it as well as to advise our citizens in this country and offer them help in keeping their Arabic heritage from becoming lost in this country."

"Ahhhhh! Perhaps, if you let me, you can be of help to me." Joseph said

"Yes, Yussef is teaching causes in Arabic culture and history." Fazzi offered. "He has even asked me to give a few lectures."

"Yussef, and what makes you such an expert?" Allie asked.

"If the truth be told, nothing. I don't know much about the subject, only about what I have learned from Fazzi, his family and friends. But I have been able to learn something from the Arab/American community here in Paterson and I hope to teach it to American soldiers so that they begin to realize that Arabs are not the uncivilized people that our movies and some books have made them appear to be." The soldier said. "I also hope to get Arab speakers to tell their own story themselves and not have it be told by non-Arab teachers with their own axes to grind."

"Good luck to you! We have been trying to do that for years. I know you will have a very difficult time. If you do it right, they might even have to throw you out of the Army. You have to be careful." Hassan said. "Your President thinks we are all devils and that we are looking to turn all of you into creatures from hell."

"Well aren't you?" Joseph said laughing. ''I don't think he thinks that and even if he does, the man is an idiot anyway." Joseph said. "And he will be out of office soon."

"You have no fear saying something like that?"

"Hell no, we are still a representative republic here and the people control the government not the other way around." Joseph said. "Even as a soldier I retain the rights of citizenship. In non-combat conditions I retain the right to criticize and complain. That's one of the reasons we serve our country, to defend the constitution, not the man in power. I'm sorry if I sound so so ...so.. I can't recall the word in Arabic but in English it is jingoistic. However, that is what I am."

"You are very eloquent, and your Arabic is excellent. If you were in Syria you most likely would have been put in jail by now. Perhaps Fazzi will tell you about some of our jails. We have ways of teaching our guests the error of their ways." Hassan smiled.

"I have heard of them and my advice is to change your system. You can only maintain so many jails before you become the jailed. Anyway I think it's better to educate people than torture them. Is not the example of the life of Mohammed enough to hold up as a guide? Did he not say that to convince people is much better than forcing them? I do not know the exact quote, but his whole life was based on this."

"Mohammed also spread the word by the sword."

"Perhaps you are right---Fazzi is teaching me the way of submission to Allah's will. It just seams a waist of time, money and peoples lives to continue the way of the Sword."

"Force is the only way! You must submit."

"Then perhaps our President is right. But I must warn you Americans will never submit -- we fought too long for the rights we hold so dear. While we are not a democracy yet, we will get there someday. That is the promise that our constitution holds out to us. If I am going to have to replace that promise with something else-it had better be something worthy of it. And gentlemen that is what you will have to sell by words and actions-not by force."

"Very well spoken and that is what we are here to learn and perhaps we can teach each other. Fazzi was right, you Yussef will help us to understand and we can and will work together." Then turning to Fazzi he said, "May Allah continue his blessings on you and your household. Yussef if there is anything we can do to help you, the consulate is at your disposal. It was nice getting to know you and please keep us informed on your activities. We shall be happy to do what we can. It is getting late and we have to be leaving now."

"It was nice meeting you gentlemen and I'm sure Fazzi will keep you informed of our activities. Be careful on the way back to the city as the traffic is fender to fender."

After Fazzi saw them out He returned to Joseph in the library.

"I hope I did not cause you any trouble with my big mouth."

"No as a matter of fact I was telling them the same thing when you came in. You only told them better! I think they took it better coming from you." Fazzi said as he gathered Joseph in his arms and the two of them again kissed passionately. "It is so good to have you here and anytime you are going to come you are welcome to just as you Americans say, 'Pop right in'. This is your home now and you have the key to our home and my heart---so use it. Now tell me, what was the real reason you came tonight?"

"Well I was excited to tell you about Richard's ideas on the party as well as some of his stock recommendations and there was a connection that I made last night that might be of use to us in the future. I thought you would like to hear about these things right away." Joseph said with a questioning look in his eyes. "Why, do you think there might be another reason?"

"Yes, I thought that you might have missed me and that you just could not stay away from me! I was hoping you would say that your body wanted to make love to me. But that was too much to hope for." Fazzi said as he tried to disengage himself from Joseph's encircling arms."

The soldier's fingers slipped down to the Arabs ass and pulled the Arab firmly into his groin so that he could feel his growing hardness and whispered into his ear, "Damn it, you caught me in my first lie. When I parked my car and saw a strange car outside I knew that I could not just run in here and rape you. I had to think quickly and come up with a cover story. The best cover story is always based on some truth and even though everything I told your friends tonight is the truth-Habibi the real truth is that I wanted and needed you." He said kissing him passionately and then grabbing his hand and pulling him along up the stairs to their bedroom, he continued, "and to prove it I'm going to fuck the shit out of you all night long........."

To be continued...