A day in heaven

Julie came back! Only for a day, but it was just her and me (her parents were visiting relatives in town) and it was fan-tas-tic. We had a seriously boss time: we did some shopping in the sales, and a walk in the park, and lots of just sitting and talking. She reckons Coventry’s okay but she'd rather be back here, and y’know I want that too.

So I totally told her all about my parents' plan to send me to Bangladesh - we'd already chatted about it on Messenger but a serious heart-to-heart when you're one on one is so much better - and then there’s the whole Tareq thing - Julie reckons the whole Bangladesh thing is all about my parents reacting to the Tareq/girlfriend thing, because my parents probably think that Tareq's parents have like totally lost control of him, and they reckon that they can stop me going the same way if I'm under my relatives thumbs half-way around the world.

Oh yeah - Tareq, I've not heard from him recently, and he's not answering his phone. Hope he's okay.

Grand opening

Tareq's uncle opened his new shop on Manor Street yesterday, and you could totally say it went with a bang. So like Tareq's uncle, right - he's so not the sort of guy you'd reckon for a retail tycoon or something, he’s more kind of a moocher you’d expect to be hanging round in his folks' place playing World of Warcraft 24/7, but, get this - this is his third shop and the biggest yet.

So I go along with my folks, and Tareq's whole family are there munching their way through masses of those new Pringles (verdict: prefer Kettle chips) and being all like happy holidays and ‘eid mubarek’ and stuff. Then Tareq rocks up. With his girl, the one his parents told him never to see again. They stand outside the shop - so like everyone can see them through the big glass windows and there’s this major scene and everyone’s looking cos they’re snogging for what feels like three and a half days, and then she goes off and he comes in.

You could have cut the silence with a knife. A blunt one.

And Tareq is all like, "What?"

Well, there was major strife if you know what I mean - seriously aggro. His parents really had a go at him, and he was giving it back to them as good as he got, and the relatives were taking sides and it would have been funny if T wasn't my best mate and I wasn’t watching him totally wipe out the whole goodwill-to-all-men vibe with his whole family and everything every time he opened his mouth.

So his parents finally drag him out of the shop and back home, where the row went on. I think they're doing a ceasefire right now – there’s like regrouping and new tactics or something. But I think Tareq's totally nuked his relationship with his parents. You just know he's not going to be finding a Wii under the Christmas trii this year.

This has totally turned into 'What's Going On With Tareq?'-blog, hasn't it? More about me and my own depressing life next week, I promise.

Tareq. Again.

Ok so latest word on Tareq is: still behaving like a freak. He's been totally avoiding me for the last few days like I was a dead fish or something - yeah, like old dead fish - but I finally trapped him yesterday cos I had to give him the lowdown on the whole Bangladesh thing (and chat about the cricket) and we went over to Cafe Marco for a school's-out-for-Christmas latte.

He wasn’t really giving up any info on his movements, but his hands were all scraped and scabby - he said he'd been in a fight. Well, yeah, he so had - on the Eastburgh Estate last weekend. He was all about how as soon as things kicked off up there he was right there and seriously got into it with some of the crew from the estate. He legged it as soon as the police showed up. If you know Tareq, that's so not like him. He's a big guy but he doesn't get into fights.

He said he's still seeing AGENT X too. That was a shocker. They're both totally pretending to their parents that they've broken up, but the relationship is still full-on. Anyway, he seems more zen now - totally got his fu back and stuff, but that thing about the Estate frightens me. Still, I've got my own problems to worry about.

And Tareq's uncle's new shop is opening on Saturday. They've had a few delays but there'll be a big party. So if you're in the area - it's "Food Etc." on Manor Street, mention my name and you'll get all the exotic fruit juice you can drink and 2 for 1 on boxes of chocolates. See you there!

I see a long journey ahead

So I've found out why my parents cancelled the relative-visiting trip to Bangladesh. Well, so it’s not about cancelling it actually, it’s just all changed. We had a big sit-down-and-talk, all four of us, and guess what? They seriously think I should go to Bangladesh to 'finish my education'. And like soon - February or March.

This means: living with relatives in Sylhet, sent to a Muslim school, working for one of the family businesses in my spare time, and totally set up as a possible husband. My parents may have had the guts to get themselves to England, but they're pretty traditional and totally proud of their heritage - and the relatives back 'home' (yeah, but not my home) are like SERIOUSLY religious and will totally not get where I'm coming from. I bet they put mum and dad up to this. Plus Sylhet... well, it's not exactly Leicester Square on a Saturday night, you know what I mean?

So I’m like kicking up big time, all about why they came to the UK in the first place if all they want to do is send their kids back, but they’ve totally decided. And I'm gutted - serious. I'm English! Yeah, I want to travel and see the world, for sure, but this is just so weird. It sucks.

Merry freakin Christmas, Ahmed.

Still, if they do pack me off, at least I won't have to keep supporting England in the cricket.
WHAT HAPPENED to Freddie Flintoff's captaincy?

Update on Tareq

I'm seriously worried about Tareq. He's totally not in a happy place right now. And he'd kill me if he knew I was blogging him up like this but I know he’s not into the whole blog thing - so he won't have seen this but this is where he’s at.

So he’s ditched school the last two days and there’s no texts so I’m thinking he was like ill or something. So wrong. And then I got a call from his girl Agent X asking if I knew where he was, so he wasn't with her. So she and me hooked up at Cafe Marco (lattes gooood) and she gives me the lowdown on how bummed Tariq is cos of this whole ultimatum from his parents about not seeing her - they had to split and everything. And he was totally torn up about it.

Tareq likes to play all gangsta but down inside he's solid. You can totally depend on him. And he seriously loves his family and isn’t gonna hurt them, so if they’re saying he has to drop Agent X or they'll disown him, he'll do it - but like it’ll totally do his head in how people he loves can be so seriously insensitive to his needs. I reckon, anyway.

So last night I finally call Tareq’s house. His mum answered and I’m all like ‘is he ill?’ and she’s all surprised and is like ‘no, hadn't I seen him in school?’ So I’m pedalling and going ‘yeah, of course, but he'd been feeling flu-ey.’ And then finally I’m checking in with my boy but he’s like really off with me. Didn't want to talk. Didn't need help. Told me to mind my own business. And then - this is weird - he asks me if I think he’s "a good Muslim". Which, you know, as it happens, since you ask, I think I am, but if you knew Tareq... that's a totally weird question for him to ask.

And I still don't know why he's been ditching school the last two days, or where he's been. I’m worried people.

Uh oh

Just when you think everything's going well...

Tareq came over earlier and he’s, like, freaking out. One of his mother's friends saw him snogging Agent X at the weekend, and reported it, and his folks have gone totally ballistic. And Agent X, who they really liked when they met her at the big conflab when she was just a "friend", is so out of the flavour of the month club it’s not funny.

So he’s been like banned from seeing her again. And this wasn't a regular parent-son talking-to, it was very serious and heavy. And like I said, he's totally freaking.

I always thought Tareq's parents were like open and friendly, but it just shows how wrong you can be about people. They're happy to do business and socialise with anyone, but when it comes to their son going out with an English girl - a girl they've already met and said they really like! - then he gets like the whole heavy hand and the big bans and the threats.

Seriously. And you can imagine how he’s taking it – not well. Very not well.

It totally does my head in this stuff and I don’t know what else to say.

Once upon a time this was meant to be a blog about technology and gadgets and cool stuff and it's ended up being mostly me talking about my life, ...

but in a brave try to get things back on track I can report the following:

There is still no sign of my iPod.

So I was thinking that someone had nicked it so that they could sell it back to me cos that’s what they do but there’s been nothing in a major way – no one’s saying anything – not to my face anyway but I totally got the feeling that there was dissing in my direction today. More than usual anyway.

I've not told my parents yet.

I'm totally low but Tareq’s in a major spiral - seriously. And like, yeah, he used to use it all the time and stuff but that’s not it. He’s carrying this major chip on his shoulder, and he's going on like how he’s 'refusing to be a victim' and 'time to make a stand' and stuff. Militant. It's not like him, it’s totally off, and it’s got me buzzing in my head.

Strange things

Yeah I know – I’ve been totally slack again with my postings – sorry fans. My mind is totally mashed at the mo – too much going on in my head even though there’s not a lot to say really…OK, well, I’m here so I’ll try – this is what it is…

1. Some total reject stole my iPod. And like it’s not about 'I lost my iPod', ‘cos I totally know where I left it, and I’m not going 'I got mugged for my iPod' - which is a bonus I guess - but it's seriously just gone. Took it to school, put it in my bag, and then it’s gone after school and I’m bugging cos I don’t know where it went. OK, so it’s a bit duff - 1st-generation Mini (gold), only 4gb, but I totally suffered to get it. So it's old and it's seriously poor - I like the gold though cos I think it’s classy but that’s just me and I’m no 50 Cent so like I could be wrong - and this is what I’m saying - I'm seriously thinking someone took it to mess with me. Wouldn't be the first time, but my eye was on my bag nearly all day, if you get me, so it must be some wack-job in my class who nicked it. I dunno, it could be like the same old ‘take stuff from Ahmed - he's different - or is it racked up? - is there someone out there who seriously has a problem with me?

2. My parents are being totally weird. There were all these big plans to go over to Bangladesh for Christmas to see the family, the whole family get-together - you know what I mean with the aunties and everything, but suddenly everyone's like ‘we're not going to Bangladesh this year Ahmed’ and they’re on a total downer with all these weird looks and stuff. It’s all wrong and I am worried.

3. And then there’s just this whole weird vibe I’m getting all over - serious - it’s freaking me a bit - got prickles on the back of my neck but it’s not like specific if you get me. And Tareq’s totally gone right now - he’s really getting to me with his whole loved-up thing with Agent X. He’s all about the love now - he’s the man and reckons I’m jealous cos I haven’t got a woman but like - JULIE - right? But then Tareq’s all like, "Dude she’s on Messenger" and "You’re probably giving the love to her Mum or something." Tareq’s my best mate right but sometimes he’s just so wrong.

So that's where I am right now: feeling freaky and wrong and I know I’ll like shake it off but right now I’m bummed.