She was confused. He stared hard at her after asking her what did her mother do for a living. Even though it was clearly stated in her passport. A housewife. How did an electrical engineer end up with a "housewife" on her passport is quite another story. They weren't even at the Iraqi borders. Her mother was there to submit her son's university application. Baffled, the little girl scaredly said, "I don't know". Thankful that this man didn't think much of her answer, afterall she was only a 10 year old girl, she let out a sigh of relief. However, it was so traumatising to this young girl to be attacked in such a crude manner that she, a now 20 year old girl, was dwelling upon this incident for days. How was it related anyhow what her mother worked as? But no, you mustn't question anything they ask, it all serves a great purpose that you can't grasp with that limited mind of yours. Were they suspicious of her mother's changing her occupation in the passport? I don't know why but until this day, she thought it highly unlikely.
Now back to the little girl standing in line with her mother. She was feeling the urgent need to go to the bathroom. Where could she go? Now that the whole building who was filled with officials had a stinky bathroom; as stinky as the regime was. Such uncivilized men, she thought. Instead they were directed to go to a house nearby. A rather fancy one. The girl couldn't help but to assume the house's owner being a high-ranked officer. Although she only got to see his wife, she was intimitated by her. Supporting her argument, who had such a fancy house during his regime? When most were living under poor conditions except those whom he took under his wings.
Those men practised what little power they held on people beneath them. Maybe it was to let out the rage they held against those who were superior over them and who also might be venting on them as a way of getting back at those in power above them and so on... Corruption is everywhere and that's no excuse for it.
