We Lost Another Friend. In Memory of Hussain.

Hussain
July 5, 1972 - August 4, 2025 

A few days after our arrival in Cairo this year, I was walking down our street to visit one of our local convenience stores.  As I passed by the Golden Eagle Perfume Palace, I scanned the benches outside the store for one of our favorite friends, Hussain.  

Hussain is easy to find in a crowd, his large size and even larger personality stood out in any group.  But, he wasn't there in front of the shop - nor the previous day.  On the way back, another of the perfume salesman came out and approached me.

"You are a friend of Hussain?"

"Yes, yes!  Is he working today?" I replied.

"No, he died a few months ago"

I was devastated.  We had brought a gift from home for him and were looking forward presenting it to him and to renewing our frequent conversations.

Hussain had befriended us in 2013 noting our frequent passage past the perfume palace with bags of groceries.  He always had a smile and friendly greeting for us.  After learning that we live nearby, he invited us to dinner with his family.  

Hussain was always interested in our activities and when he learned that we were helping out a needy family nearby, he pitched, in finding craftsmen or arranging transportation for bulky items that we might be bringing to our project.

Linda, as neighborhood "cookie lady," often baked  batches of chocolate chip cookies for Hussain, who shared them with his fellow perfume salesmen (and made sure to save some to take home to his family).

It was Hussain who introduced us to our now favorite Syrian restaurant and who found specialty grocery products for us when they were difficult to get.  When we were trying to find a cruise on Lake Nasser, Hussain took us to a travel agency and set us up with the perfect tour.

Hussain leaves behind a wife and five wonderful children who miss him terribly.  We were blessed to have known him during his too short a time in this world.