are alone. I cannot believe that the women are taking all this so well. Mary is especially pleased with the financial arrangements. Kassie is still not happy to be leaving you, but she will adapt to it. She is used to me deciding what is best for her and she will obey.”

Following the ceremonies there was a luncheon for the graduates and their guests. Joseph introduced the family to his friends and Corporal Williams joined them at lunch. Kassie told him that she would try to see about finding him a nice woman, but that all of the Arab girls she knew were raised in traditional homes and were already spoken for by the time they were 12.

Meanwhile, Fazzi and the Commanding Officer got into a heated debate about the Arab contribution to the first Gulf War. They argued about the effectiveness of the Arab troops, but came to no concussions.

“We disagree, but you do make some interesting points, Mr. Muhammad, and I would love to hear more of your views.” The Captain said. “Perhaps Sgt. Benson will ask you to lecture as part of the additional program he told me he was going to institute at our school. I do hope you can find the time. We Americans tend to become set in our thinking and need to be shaken up now and then. It does us good to hear what the other side has to say and how it feels.”

“Need I remind you that in that war, we were on the same side? Joseph has already talked to me about this and I have told him that as long as there are no loaded weapons in the room–I would be glad to expound on the “Arab View” of things.” Fazzi said with a twinkle in his eye. “Perhaps I could even give the lecture in Arabic… and in the process also show that there is another purer form of the language than the one taught here? You might have noticed that Yussef is now speaking with a middle-eastern accent as opposed to an African accent he learned here. While the words are mostly the same it is, at least to our section of the world, purer and more understandable. Sort of like Cockney and Oxford English, but not quite that bad.”

“Yes I can see where we do have a lot to learn and we would be very happy to hear your views.” The Officer said. “I will encourage Benson to include several speakers from the Arab community of Paterson to come and lecture. It is such a shame that we have wasted such a well of information just sitting on our doorstep. Perhaps, Yussef as you call him, could also get your daughter to give a lecture on some of the finer points of Arab culture. You know from a woman’s point of view.”

“We usually do not permit our women to talk in public, but since she will be leaving my house soon, you will have to take that up with her future husband, Yussef. He has spoiled and Americanized her to the point where she has her own ideas as to how to run her life. Yussef has even encouraged her to take up driving. Such has been his influence on our family. We have not only taught him, but he has educated us.”

“Well, to judge by you and your family, I would say that Joseph is a good teacher and we look forward to his