Yo

I am a former member of the Egyptian Mafia. You didn't know there was an Egyptian Mafia, did you? That's how badass it is- you don't even know it's there.

A few years ago, I was dating a belly dancer whom I thought was my soulmate, but turned out to be a back stabbing manic depressive with  a schizoid embolism. (Not that there is anything wrong with mental illness in and of itself, but that there are certain combinations of mental illnesses that make for personalities that may be... challenging). So, SIN (yes, those are her initials) introduced me to the Godfather. They were in the smoke and mirrors business, and I was made a partner.

There was a front, a restaurant, that funded The Family. The real business was Art. We were a family of dancers, painters, musicians, storytellers, and, most especially, practitioners in the Art of Living Without Compromise. 

Pops had all that and a Phd. He'd done art shows in galleries all over the world. He saw combat in the Egyptian Special Forces. His mentor was Anwar Sadat. Published novelist? Check. Black belt? Three. Linguist? Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew, English, French, Greek and Italian. Oh, the Phd? That was in psychology, which he taught for two years at UC Berkeley. He was also a bit of a song and dance man... in a peculiar Egyptian way.

Pops taught me a lot about myself, and how to live the life less ordinary. He taught me the importance of living like a train, and to make sure you are not a passenger on your train. He taught me how to work a room, the Art of the Wink, and how to talk myself out of anything. There are things he has taught me that are so ingrained into my psyche, I can no longer remember not knowing them.

Dr Hatem El-Sayed died today.