Power Microcosm

Chapter 38

  Waking up, I take a moment to stretch before getting off my bed and looking around. Some sunlight comes in through the large glass windows and doors to my left, and the curtains let in a bright amount.

  Getting off my bed, I walk over to the windows, and open the door. Putting on my shoes, I walk out onto the veranda, and see a beautiful view. The ocean that Azrael indicated yesterday night is present, and it sparkles in a soft green hue and a garden sits between the beach and hotel building, the trees rustling in the morning breeze.

  I hear a door open, and I see Azrael come out onto the veranda from his room. He rubs his eyes with the back of a hand, and the action from me is cute enough that I want to give him a hug. He stops rubbing his eyes and notices me, and smiles.

  "Good morning, Hogarth. Did you sleep well?" he asks politely.

  "I did," I say with a nod as he walks over closer to me.

   The veranda or ours are connected, but a fence-like thing separates us, but not really. He's in a simple T-shirt and shorts, and in the mildly cool weather that the morning has, he seems comfortable as he looks around, squinting his eyes a little in the bright sun.

  "How about you? How was your sleep?" I ask him.

  "Oh, wonderful," answers Azrael as he looks down at the garden, and at the sea, "it's been some time since I came here last, but it's still beautiful, I see."

  "What's on the agenda today?" I ask, though I should know since I'm his secretary.

  "We'll have today to rest, and tomorrow we'll meet up with a few people who are related to agriculture here in Bahrain. Then the last day here will be left to going around Manama to sight-see, and perhaps lounge on the beach again," says Azrael.

  "Out of all of this trip," I start, "which place are you the most excited for?"

  "Actually," says Azrael as he laughs and leans on the railing of the veranda and looking at me, "I don't know. All of it really, but I guess that's not really an answer."

  "I'm waiting," I say playfully as I also lean on the railing of my veranda.

  "I'd say that I'm excited for something from each part of the trip," answers Azrael, "for London, I was excited for seeing something new, which London was to me. Also meeting a friend there. Here in Manama, I suppose I'm here for business, and I always like working. And in Japan, specifically Tokyo and Hakone, I think I'll be there for relaxing and food."

  "Aren't we to relax here too?" I ask.

  "Yes," laughs Azrael with a nod, "but, Japan has hot springs. I don't like the heat, but those have their own pleasurable experience ready."

  "Also sushi, I suppose," I say with a laugh.

  "That too," says Azrael with a smile.

  "What good is there here in Manama?" I ask curiously.

  "Oh, well, Manama actually has a lot of diversity when it comes to food," says Azrael, "because more than half the population is not actually Bahraini, there are other cultures here too. Many of the foreigners here are from India and Pakistan."

  "So I'm guessing there's a lot of Indian and Pakistani cuisine here as well," I say.

  "Correct," says Azrael, "I like to call Bahrain, 'Little India' because there's so much of that presence. Little Pakistan also too sometimes."

  "You might actually see that kind of cuisine served in the restaurant here at the hotel, if we go there later," says Azrael with a smile.

  "Do you plan on going out today beyond the hotel?" I ask.