Positivity after A series of Unfortunate Events

In November of 2010, I was subjected to a series of unfortunate events enough to inspire a new novel by Daniel Handler, or a thriller by Steven King.

Let us start, at the beginning.

Eid Al-Adha break was slowly dawning upon us, the much anticipated public holiday for all working class folk, as it is almost a 4-day break, add a weekend to that, and a week off of work, and you have a free-long-holiday.

I was travelling back to Egypt for some much needed R&R and family time, little did I realise what awaited me.

It was at the airport, and the subsequent plane ride back home, that things started to take a tumble downhill at break-neck pace.

First off, I was blonde at the time, granted, it was self-inflicted and by my own (for pictures of that social experiment, click here), but to the unbeknownst stranger, it had to be a freak accident of chlorific proportions.

As is my habit, I had taken the window seat on the plane. Upon descent, I was awed by the amazing scenery below and quickly pulled out my camera to snap a few choice pictures. As the lens was pushing out, it hit the window of the plane, albeit lightly, however, the camera refused to open after that, giving me an error message.

Misfortune number 1.


I was upset at this, the camera was still new! However, I swallowed that lump of discontent and thought positively, I was sure I would be able to find someone to fix it.

Upon landing, I quickly slipped my local SIM card into my phone, the number I had had since I started university in 2002, 8 years ago, all my friends knew me by that number. It did not register, a trip to Vodafone later that evening confirmed my uneasy suspicion, something had gone horribly wrong, and my number was recycled.

Misfortune number 2.


When the Vodafone employee requested to see some form of ID, be it a Civil ID or a driver's license, I was shocked to discover that I had forgotten both my Civil ID and Driver's License in Kuwait!

Misfortune number 3.


I had my brother help me out with his ID, and I acquired a new line. Upon getting home and firing it up in my phone, the fourth shock of the evening took place. My phone was not working.

Misfortune number 4.


Fortunately, that was rectified quickly via my cousin, who was quick to take my phone to a pro who reset it, with little loss of data, albeit a few new contacts.

The next day I set about getting my camera fixed with another cousin of mine. Note that I was wearing the same jeans from my flight, my favorite pair.

Finding the licensed maintenance shop was an adventure in itself, after visiting 3 different locations, the last one gave us an inconspicuous sliver of paper with a number, call the number and we got an address. The initial estimate for repair was quarter of the cost, I reluctantly agreed. After waiting there for half an hour, I was informed that the lens needed replacing, and the cost would be almost half of the original price. I adamantly refused and asked him to put it back together and give it to me. I was delayed a further half hour, and was utterly surprised when  the technician started using my camera infront of me. Apparently, it was a mere problem of dust in the mechanism, and it would cost me the inspection fees only, a very minimal amount.

I did discover at the shop that my favorite pair of jeans were torn in a very "sensitive" place, whilst sitting across from a lady no less! So I had to throw them away.

Misfortune number 5.


However, all these trials and tribulations were a prelude to a Magical, Serendipitous event that took place on the 25th of November, for on that auspicious day, Destiny decided to compensate me in full for the previous calamities.

It involved me, and a beautiful woman, and it made all those misfortunes worthwhile. For in essence, those misfortunes had faciliated our meeting so-to-speak. And thus began a story that will continue for the rest of our lives.

Suffice to say, all the above misfortunes, sans the torn jeans, were rectified; my new number was much cooler than my old one, I had a friend in Kuwait DHL my ID and license to me (discovering that there was a DHL outlet right behind my house because the delivery man came when I was out), my phone and camera were fixed.

So with all those misfortunes, something beautiful came out of it in the end.

God bless.