To Mr. Wonderful Himself: El Zeek

Today marks the birthday of a person dear to my heart.

I don't see him enough, which is very wrong of me but due to our horrible work schedules, it makes sense and so both of us can be excused for our bad behavior.

A pizza-lover like me.
An obsessive soccer addict, unlike me.
I'm going to learn to play.
I will.
Just you watch!

I love the randomness of our conversations. I love how we always try to justify our reasons for things. I love your logic. I love my logic when it comes to your logic. I love how you always give me your honest opinion no matter what and how you make fun of me. And how I make fun of you.

I love how you keep up with my different screen names and call me that accordingly, whether on MSN, SMS, or phone. I love how you listen to people talk for ages and disregard that they don't listen to you. I love how you always manage to draw me in so that I actually listen, really listen, to you.

I like watching you take bites of other people's pizza. And how you genuinely enjoy it. I like how you look for something properly before saying you lost it. I love your taste in music. I would listen to you sing all day if it made you happy. I like how you don't get disgusted when I drink straight out of your water bottle and how you don't tell me to "drink from far away" because in reality, I can't do that and end up pouring water all over myself. I don't like looking like I just walked out of a wet t-shirt contest.

I appreciate that you actually took time to get to know the real me and not the me that most people see. Wow! That rhymes! I'm too cool. I also love how you always get really surprised when I use an Arabic word that you haven't heard me use before. I love that you're taking the time to read this now.

I remember your Zero t-shirt and how I really really wanted to have one of those. I think that's a t-shirt that I would definitely get made but instead of it being plain and simple, it would say, "Dedicated to Sherif Zaki." on the back.

You are, in every aspect of the word, a man. No, let me rephrase that. You are, in every aspect of the term, a good man. I don't remember who it was or when but I remember several people asking me if I was your sister. I think it was because of the similarity in strange eye color. I can now honestly say yes if I'm ever asked that question again.

I love how you always try to beat me at using that funny smiley we both love on MSN. I always put a sound to that face but I never told you what it was. It goes something along the lines of "3an 3an 3an 3an 3an" when his teeth go up and down. I get happy when you beat me to it though because you like it so much and I usually use it before you.

I think one of my favorite things about you is your strong memory. You seem to have an uncanny ability to recall sights and scents like no one I've ever encountered. I love how I always know songs that you think no one knows or has. And I love how you give me songs that remind me of my childhood and of years that were both good and bad. I love how you never leave anything out. And how detailed you are. Oh and I love the shirt you were wearing yesterday. It's so cool. Remind me to borrow it, girlfriiiiiiiend!

What I'm trying to say is that I'm really comfortable around you, which is something that isn't easy for me to be with a lot of other people. Oh and before I forget, I will never ever forget what you did for me on my 21st birthday. No one cared to really make the effort to see me that day other than you. No one other than family. And that in itself makes you family. You're truly what I call a time-exploding bomb. Someone so phenomenal that there can't be a duplicate of you anywhere else in the world. So here's to you, Sherz.

Happy birthday.