Salma adds herself beside Baba with a big smile on Beside Mama Salma draws her uncle Khalou her face Dawood Salma can you go downstairs and help your baba Mama says from the kitchen Salma leaves the coloring pencils scattered around her takes a final look at her work and rushes out of her room I am really excited for my khalou’s visit she says as she pulls on her rain boots Me too Mama holds Salma’s jacket open so Salma can get her arms into the sleeves I haven’t seen my brother in so long elevator Salma slips into the hallway and runs to the Salma has heard about her uncle Khalou Dawood 3
for as long as she can remember He left Syria and came to Canada years before she was born He studied at a university in a faraway city called Toronto then found a job and stayed But Khalou Dawood moved to Vancouver recently and now he’s finally visiting them in their new home The elevator opens on the garage level Salma spots Baba pulling the last bag out of the trunk of their car He hands it to Salma and she is surprised it’s not full of groceries like all the others The cloth bag has Salma’s favorite bookstore logo on it Wow Salma says Did you buy me new coloring books No Salma these books are for your mother and me Salma sneaks a look at the titles She can read them but isn’t sure what they mean 4
Have you ever met my khalou Baba Salma asks as they ride the elevator back to their floor I did once a long time ago way before you were born Baba says Salma has never had an uncle before At least not nearby Her friends tell her of the adventures their favorite uncles take them on like a day trip to the amusement park or a night drive to a kids theater show and the many candies and toys they offer Riya’s uncle even lets her play her favorite songs loud in his car when he drives them somewhere Now Salma will get to do all of this too And it will be even more fun because Khalou Dawood will be the best khalou in the whole wide world Why hasn’t he visited us before Salma asks Toronto might be far but it’s not as far as Syria 5
