Mecca vaccine

The word Mecca from the title could be replaced by any of the following: Hollywood, Holy-Land etc. since they represent the same essence but with a different form. Perhaps Dream vaccine would have been more appropriate or encompassing. Now, since I explained it, I think that I should be able to move on or, I might even change the title by the time I finish writing this post.

The other day I was in the park watching my kid playing his first baseball game. Nothing interesting enough to determine me to write about. Then, the ending of the game arrived as expected. We cheered for the victory and listened to the coach's announcement: “This Saturday, we'll play in Hollywood at…”

His sentence was abruptly interrupted by dozen of exited cheers. At first, I thought that the kids are regurgitating their recent win. Their faces were enveloped in mirage like Santa had bestowed on them. The joy of playing didn't represent anything for them anymore. All that mattered was that they will be in Hollywood by the end of the week. They were repeating manically to one another: Hollywood, Hollywood… sharing hi-5's and jumping up for joy like volcano's lava. I smiled benignly at their enthusiasm. I truly wanted to share their joyousness but I couldn't help not noticing what their taught emotion represented. What I thought that would be just a mundane game in the park turned out to resemble a Sunday morning in the church where everyone was calling out for Jesus to save them. Hollywood, Hollywood came through the broken fence as a Zion echoed Allāhu Akbar.

This time, not fear or demagogic promises turned the children into believers. Reality did. Hollywood is six blocks away or ten minutes in walking distance. For them will represent a lifetime journey. The glamorous haven they desire to reach. The fast moving sugar cube that keeps the unaware flock chasing it endlessly.

… end, the winner is?…