Sometimes you have the most unusual days, and then by the end, you think WOW.  My life really is a drama show. God has the most interesting characters and events for us to meet.

One day towards the end of the fall semester, I had one of the most captivating conversations in my life–with an ex-Jail-convict.  He was really nice and friendly.  He kept going on and on, and I kept nodding and nodding; adding my input here and there.  But I was so intrigued by his charisma and what he said; all the while we were in the 8th floor of the hospital waiting for his wife to finish receiving her epidural so that we could witness her c-section!

Lol, let me explain.  I took a class called Maternal and Fetal Medicine.  Part of the requirement was that we had to observe a live birth and a live c-section.  I had already observed a live birth, so that particular day I woke up extra early to get in time to the Hospital to see if I could catch a c-section.  I arrived just in time.  One was about to happen in about 15-30 minutes.  I changed into a doctor’s scrubs, which we were required to wear.  Before I could enter the surgery room, I had to put on a cap and face mask.  I felt SO COOL.  I felt that I looked like a real surgeon.

Before I entered the room however, I had to get permission from the patient.  She nodded her head in approval.  I left the room to get something and when I came back her husband asked me what my ethnicity was.  I told him that I was born in America, but that my parents were born in Guyana and that we are originally (few generations back) from India.  ”Aha!” said the wife.  It was obvious that they were trying to guess at what my ethnicity was when I left the room.  I laughed.  The father started to chat away.  He talked about his background (he is multi-racial).  They were so excited to have another baby that they were taking pictures.  They even took a picture of me, lol.

The interesting part happened when his wife left the room.  It was just me and the dad.  I felt a bit uncomfortable, but he was overjoyed to have someone to speak with.  He started by saying how good it is that I have the chance to go to medical school (he thought I was going) while others do not.  He told me about his lifestyle as he grew up in the “ghettos” of New York City.  He said that he got involved with the wrong crowd, invested some time into drugs, and ended up serving time in jail.  Due to his felony he is not allowed to enter law school or get a good career.  Every time he tries to apply for a job, his felony will always come up, even though he has changed his life around and has a wife (and now three kids!).  He was lamenting…and what felt like he was confiding in me.  He talked on and on, I was totally intrigued throughout.  He told me how jail changed his life…how the people he met there were some of the most brilliant and intelligent men he ever knew.  He said they never got the chance to prove their worth and intelligence, only due to poverty and probably a few misguided choices.  Then he started to tell me about some of the theories his old jailmates discussed as to why America is in a recession.  He discussed immigration, taking advantage of undeveloped nations, using money we don’t have to ransack resources we don’t desperately need.  I was kinda shocked that men in jail would even care to discuss stuff like this.  Then he talked about the career thing, how people in other countries who have felonies come to America with a clean slate..and how it’s not fair that he is an American who has to deal with this felony-scar for the rest of his life.

He started to confide in me as to how minorities make it big and take advantage of American money, and use it to take back home–possibly another reason of the recession.  He told me how certain Hispanic communities will support their own people, and how they will live with as many as 12 people in one house to save money and conserve resources.

He told me about some theories that the men in jail had for making money.  One is the Hispanic community theory.  He told me other stories as well, including examples of certain people who came from countries in Africa and South America.  I was impressed.

Point of this story:  Don’t underestimate the intelligence and vigor of people in the lower class, people in poverty, and people with histories of felonies.  We can learn from anyone, and take advice from anyone.  We should never think that we are superior to anyone and refuse his/her advice.

This reminds me of a story of a learned scholar who was bombarded by a few robbers one day.  They were about to walk away with his books filled with sacred knowledge.  He told them that they could take anything but his books. One of the robbers said to him, “What use is knowledge hoarded in books if it is not held within the mind?”  The scholar was amazed and thanked Allah for the realization that you can learn from anyone.

The same man whose wife was having a C-section kept smiling at me during the actual surgery and comforted his wife throughout.  When his baby was born he spoke to me second after his wife.  I gave him a thumb’s up and he commented on how his newborn son is going to go to a great school and have a great upbringing.  I smiled.  He ignored the nurses and doctors and told me that, a mere student.  Even the resident student gave me a confused look: “Why is he so friendly with you?”  It was amusing, and I felt special.

I later told him, “It was great meeting you.”  He wished me good luck with the future.

I remember walking out of the hospital that day in a bewildered state that I had just bonded with an ex-jail convict.  He was a great person, mashAllah.