El mofaja-a

The surprise

Rafa-at Daisy el hatif wa hawalet el ittissal bi zabooniha marraten okhra.

Daisy picked up the telephone and tried to get through to her client again.

Wa kan zaboonoha,wa yod-a Frank Baccini wa hwa sahibo  mostawda-in lissila-i el kahraba-iya lem yadfa laha ojrata ma qamet bihi min amalin limoddati  yawmayn.

Her client, a certain Frank Baccini, who had a warehouse of electrical goods, had not paid for her two days' work.

Laqad najahet Daisy fi iktishafi el makan el-lathi kan ya-isho fihi esh-shariko el mohtal lissayyed Baccini wa kanet bintidhari esh-sheek bi qaleq.

Daisy had managed to discover where Mr. Baccini's dishonest partner was now living and was anxiously expecting her cheque.

Wa bada-at Daisy tashokko bi anna zaboonaha kana mohtalen aydhen.

Daisy was beginning to think that her client was dishonest too.

Wa ja-a raddon motathaqil min el jihati el okhra:” allo,hel astati el mossa-ada?”

A very bored "Hello, can I help you?" was the reply at the other end.

Laqed kan sawta fatatin,katibato es-sayyed Frank Baccini.

It was a young woman's voice, Frank Baccini's secretary.

“orido et-kallom ma-a es-sayyed Baccini ,min fadhlik.”

"I'd like to speak to Mr. Baccini, please."

“assifa,es-sayyed Baccini kharij el madina.”

"Sorry, Mr. Baccini is out of town."

“fa alahhet Daisy qa-ilah:”wa lakin mata ya-ood?”

"But when is he coming back?" insisted Daisy.

“ma-a el assaf la arif.”

"I'm afraid I don't know."

“halla akhbartihi bi anna Daisy Himilton ittassalet bihi wa annaha torido et-takalloma ma-aho li-amrin ajil.”

"Will you tell him Daisy Hamilton telephoned and would like to talk to him urgently."

Wa  kan er-raddo bi dooni iktirath:”hassanen-na-am,wa hwa kathalik.”

"Well - yes, I suppose so," was the completely unconcerned reply.

Kanet hathihi el mokalama hiya el mokalama el ashira,el-lati ajratha Daisy fi dharfi osboo-ayn ma-a hathihi el fatat,wa lakin Frank Baccini lem yattessil biha.

This was the tenth telephone conversation Daisy had had in two weeks with this young woman, but Frank Baccini hadn't got in touch with her yet.

kanet Daisy ghadhibah, fa qarraret eth-thahaba ila mostawda-i es-sayyed Baccini litara in kan honak.

 Daisy was furious and decided to go to Mr. Baccini's warehouse to see if he was there.                 

Wa indama wassalet daqqet ala bab el makteb.

When she arrived, she knocked on the office door.

Fa qalet katibato es-sayyed Bacini bi sawtiha er- ratib:”odkhol.”

Mr. Baccini's secretary said in her monotonous voice: "Come in."

“laqad ittassalto iddata marratin-ismi Daisy Hamilton.”

"I've telephoned many times - my name is Daisy Hamilton."

“haqqen? Ma-a men konti toreedeen et-takallom?”sa-alat el fatato thalika dona an tandhora ila Daisy.

"Really? Who did you want to speak to?" asked the young woman without even glancing at Daisy.

Fa raddet Daisy:”orido et-takalloma ma-a es-sayyed Baccini.”

"I want to speak to Mr. Baccini," replied Daisy.

Wa saret tazdado odwanyyeten akther.

She was becoming even more aggressive.

Fa qalet el katibato bi tariqatiha er-rateeba el mo-tada:”ana assifa,innaho ghayr mawjood hona.”wa wassalet qira-ata majallatiha.

"I'm afraid he's not here," said the secretary in her usual monotonous way and went on reading her magazine.

Wa sarakhet Daisy:”kifayah,kifayah.” Wa aghlaqet el bab bi onfin.

Daisy shouted "Enough is enough!" and banged the door closed.

Ahasset Daisy bilinqibadh.

Daisy felt rather depressed.

Wa  khataret bi baliha fikrah:”ana arifo matha sa asna-o sa  atawqqafo bi mahel luigi liqtina-i boodhat el mawzi el-lathitha.”

"I know what I'll do," she thought, "I'll stop off at Luigi's for a nice banana split."

Kanet Daisy tohibbo el joloos bi rodhati mahel luigi lilboodha wa et-tahadothi qalilen ma-a sahibihi wa hwa itali thi tafkirin ijabi.

Daisy liked sitting in Luigi's ice-cream parlour and having a little chat with the owner, a positive-thinking Italian.

Wa fi athna-i tarikiha ila  maktabiha wa hiya  tass-odo ed-dorooj ahasset bi alamin aqal tojah el bashar.

As Daisy walked up the stairs to her office she felt a little less sore about human beings.

Wa fi el waqti lathi kanet fihi Daisy toghayyiro hitha-aha bi hitha-in akthara rahatin,tarak shskhson el bab wa dakhal.

Just as Daisy was changing her shoes to a more comfortable pair, someone knocked on the door and walked in.

kan amilen fi zay el amal.

It was a workman in overalls.

“el mathira anisssa-hel anti el anissa Daisy Hamilton? Ayna nadha-o hathih?”qala rajolo wa hwa yoshiro ila es-sandookayni el kabirayni el-lathayni tamma inzalohoma.

"Excuse me miss - are you Miss Daisy Hamilton? Where shall we put these?" pointing to two large boxes on the landing.

“na-am, ana Daisy Hamilton,wa lakin matha yoojado fi thaynika es-sandookayni?”

"Yes, I am Daisy Hamilton but what have you got there - what's in those boxes?"

“es-sandook el kabir thallajah walasghar alaton li-asri el kahwa.laqad ahsanti el ikhtiyar,fa hathihi afdgalo sina-a fi hathihi en-nawahi.

"The big one is a fridge and the smaller one is a cappuccino-making machine. You've chosen well, you know, these are the best makes around."

Fa sahet Daisy:”lem atlob ayyin min hathih.”

"I haven't ordered either of these," exclaimed Daisy.

Wa qal el amilo mo-akkiden:”wa lakin ismoki ala wasli et-teslim!”

"But it's your name on the delivery note!" insisted the workman.

Laqad soddida eth-thamano kolliyen-faqat qooli li ayna adha-ohoma.”

"It's all paid for - just tell me where to put them."

Kanet Daisy ala washaki rafdhi es-sil-a  indama absaret  Frank Baccini  wa hwa yadkholo kathalik.

Daisy was just about to refuse the goods when she saw Frank Baccini coming in the door, too.

“Anissa Hamilton.ana assif jidden li-adem tamakkoniki mina el ittissal bi.

"Miss Hamilton. I'm very sorry I haven't been in touch.

Amol alla to-aridhi wa lakinnani lahadhto adama wojoodi thallajah fi maktabik wa…alato el kahwa hathih mina en-naw-i el khass

I do hope you don't mind but I had noticed you didn't have a fridge in your office and... this cappuccino-making machine is a little speciality.

Wa   bi el monassaba ha howa esh-shik mokabila el amal ellathi qomti bihi,ma-a badhi ez-ziyadah li nafaqatik.”

Oh, by the way here is your cheque for the excellent work you did, with a little extra for your expenses."

Wa ra-a Frank Baccini anna Daisy qad indahashet wa adhaf:

Frank Baccini saw Daisy was astonished and added:

amolo an takona katibati qad itassalet biki? Laqad taghayyabto limoddati osbooayni li qadha-i shahri el assal.”

"My secretary did phone you, I hope? I've been away for a couple of weeks on honeymoon."

Fa qalet Daisy bada an adet li nafssiha:”hassanen,la, lem taf-al,lakin la bass sayed Baccini!”

Daisy recovered herself, "Well, no, she didn't - but that's quite all right Mr. Baccini!"