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Joseph Henry Abela, Qassis

Kliem li jinstemgħu sikwit hu ‘Għandi x’nagħmel. Ma nafx kif se nlaħħaq’. Malajr tħoss li żejjed, fin-nofs, xkiel u jogħla lqugħ bejn persuna u oħra.

Meta jinqala’ funeral, il-ħsieb imur u ta’ ħasra kif ma tajtx daqqa t’għajn, kif ma’ żortx u fik ikun hemm dik l-għafsa ta’ qalb li tlift ġrajja ta’ ħajja. Meta se nitgħallmu nqassmu u nfasslu u nlaħħqu man-nies, ħbieb, qraba?

Jekk fil-ħajja nistrieħu fuq ix-xogħol b’mod li jsir fruntiera bejnietna u bejn ħaddieħor inkunu sirna magna u nitilfu jekk mhux aħjar tlifna li nduqu, li nsoffu, li nġarrbu l-ġmiel, is-sabiħ, il-ħelu, dak li jgħaxxaq.

Meta taqtagħha li tintelaq, kemm kemm tieħu r-ruħ int u ta’ madwarek u x-xogħol isir b’iżjed ħeġġa u suċċess.

Charles B. Spiteri

Pete Nelson hu perit b’ambizzjonijiet mhux tas-soltu. Għal dawn l-aħħar 15-il sena wettaq b’mod reali l-ħolm tat-tfulija tiegħu – li jibni djar uniċi fis-siġar. Pete ta’ 50 sena minn Seattle, bħalissa qed jippreżenta l-wirja televiżiva tiegħu stess bl-isem ta’ ‘Treehouse Masters’ fuq Animal Planet. 

Hu jsostni li d-djar tas-siġar huma direttament marbutin man-natura u għalhekk aħna ninsabu fi ħdan dawn l-istess siġar. Mindu beda n-negozju tiegħu fl-istat ta’ Washington, id-disinjatur Nelson Treehouse, bena mijiet ta’ djar moħbija f’26 stat f’disa’ pajjiżi.

F’Waco, Texas bena waħda minn dawn id-djar ta’ 800 pied kwadru kompluta b’kamra tal-banju u televiżjoni flatscreen enormi, waqt li f’Rhinebeck, New York bena Dar tal-Ispirti, bi gwida minn shaman. F’kelma waħda, Nelson hu l-bniedem li mill-ħolm jgħaddi għall-fatti.

Pete Nelson jistqarr li d-djar fis-siġar mhux biss jiġbru lill-familji flimkien, iżda anki lil ħbiebhom u lil komunitajiet sħaħ. Dan hu l-każ tal-familja ta’ Pete innifisha. Il-fantasija tiegħu għad-djar fis-siġar nibtitlu meta kellu ħames snin u missieru għenu jibni waħda. Issa, li hu missier hu stess, Pete qed isib l-għajnuna għan-negozju tiegħu f’ibnu Charlie, li għandu 21 sena u hu mastrudaxxa u bintu Emily ta’ 23 sena. 

Għalkemm id-djar fis-siġar jitqiesu bħala logħob għat-tfal, Pete jassigura li ħafna mill-klijenti tiegħu huma nies adulti li qed ifittxu li jinqatgħu mill-għagħa tad-dinja. Hu jgħid ukoll li jkollu telefonati minn individwi li jqabbduh jibnilhom dar fis-siġar għal uliedhom, iżda jħoss li d-djar ikunu se jsiru għalihom infushom. Għax waqt li l-ewwel dar li bena ma’ missieru kienet waħda sempliċi, id-disinji tiegħu llum huma spettakulari.

Il-ħidma tiegħu tinkludi djar lussużi fil-friegħi, fosthom birrerija, u dar tonda magħmula mis-sufra, b’fuklar fin-nofs. L-aktar dar tas-siġar mibnija minn Pete u li swiet l-ogħla ammont ta’ flus, saret f’ Yelm, Washington, għall-prezz ta’ €275,000.

ĦAKKIEKA   Oġġett li wieħed jista’ juża biex iħakkek bih, eż. 1. ĦAKKIEKA TAL-ĠOBON (ngħidulha ‘mħakka’) – strument normalment tal-metall b’ħafna toqob ippuntati ’l barra, li wieħed juża biex fuqhom iħokk il-ġobon jew ikel ieħor, biex dan jitfarrak jew jitqaxxar fi frak żgħir ħafna.  

ĦAKKIEKA TAL-ĦASIL   Oġġett li jintuża biex wieħed ikun jista’ jogħrok dawk il-partijiet tal-ġisem li huma diffiċli biex jintlaħqu. Din it-tip ta’ ħakkieka tkun magħmula mill-għadam ta’ xi annimal maħdum apposta, jew materjal ieħor. Normalment ikollha manku twil biex wieħed ikun jista’ jżommha. Ara ĦAFFIEFA. Ħakkieka oħra hi dik taċ-ċarruta, li tintuża biex tnaddaf il-ħġieġ jew l-għamara.

2. Figurattiv appellattiv li jintuża għal xi mara li tagħmilha mal-irġiel biex takkwista dak li trid mingħandhom. 3. U ma rridx ninsa nsemmi l-aktar ħakkieka importanti: il-ħakkieka tal-krikk! Il-krikk huwa l-brejk tal-karettun li jkollu ħadida sura ta’ ċoff vertikali li jross maċ-ċirku tar-rota biex irażżanha. Il-krikk jintuża l-aktar fit-toroq li jagħtu għan-niżla. Meta xi ħadd ngħidulu “ħakkieka tal-krikk” ikun ifisser li għandu lsienu ħażin u li jobrox, għax ikun iħobb jibbottja u jinsulenta lin-nies bil-botti.

BELLIEGĦA   Fil-folkor din kienet speċi ta’ mostru li jgħix u jgħasses fil-bir; imma tista’ tkun ukoll dik il-qawwa tal-baħar li titla’ l-art qisha tsunami, biex tibla’ n-nies. Skont il-leġġenda, jew aħjar l-istorja folkloristika, il-belliegħa belgħet is-seba’ tfajliet sbieħ ta’ Selika. Din hi storja li kienet irrakkuntata fl-antik u miġbura minn Patri Manwel Magri. Il-Belliegħa hi wkoll l-isem ta’ post li jinsab fil-limiti tar-Rabat, Għawdex. Sors: Anton F. Attard.

Peter Davies hated Johnny Hopkins bitterly. For one thing, he envied Johnny’s steady relationship with the beautiful Marcia. He had tried several times to entice her from Johnny’s grasp. But she had eyes only for Johnny.

Secondly, he envied Johnny’s small, but successful taxi business. It was only one car, however his services were in great demand, as he was a warm-hearted and genial person. Peter had earlier tried at a similar business, but failed. Who wanted a morose and quarrelsome person as his taxi driver? He was always thinking of ways to hurt Johnny, to convert his envy and hatred into action, which would bring Johnny down to earth – something which would not be traced back to him. He felt that while life was unfair to him, it was generous with Johnny. 

He had gone through, in his mind, plans to eliminate Johnny. For one reason or other, they were all cast aside. He finally decided on a plan which would utilize his knowledge of car mechanics. So one cold, rainy January night, after Johnny had closed his garage, Peter managed to prize open the door lock, entered the garage and looked around. How he envied this set-up! He saw the black shining car which Johnny used as a taxi. He got under it and started filing off the front wheel shaft, not cutting it off altogether, however leaving it thinly and dangerously on hold. His job done, he went back to his apartment to sleep.

The following morning, before Johnny entered his garage, Peter positioned himself behind the sharp corner from the garage, hiding himself behind the red letter box. This was the only way Johnny would take to go with his taxi to go pick up clients. When Johnny received a call to pick up a passenger from the train station, he got inside the car, started the engine and brought the car outside the garage. He stopped, went out of the car, closed the garage door, re-entered the car and drove off to pick up his client whistling a happy tune. 

Thinking of his beloved Marcia, he decided that tonight he would ask her to marry him and start a life together. He knew that they were made for each other. They agreed on almost everything! He was looking forward to the end of the day.  

Meanwhile, Peter waited anxiously behind the letter box just after the turning. If things worked out according to his plan, Johnny would be eliminated and he would try his luck again with Marcia. He might even start operating a taxi service himself. As the adrenalin pumped though his veins, he was filled with excitement. His throat was dry, his eyes burned and his heart pounded.

Johnny turned the steering wheel to the left, turning the corner, and as usual, keeping up the speed of the car. It was at this moment, when the front wheels made pressure whilst sharply turning, that the shaft broke.  Johnny saw people before him who, on seeing the car heading towards them, started running in all directions. The car, now beyond control, kept careering at full speed. There was a load crunch of metal – a moment’s silence – screams! People around the incident heard the load impact and came to help. They found two men with injuries – one slightly, whilst the other with very serious head wounds.  An ambulance was immediately called to the scene of the accident. 

The ambulance arrived on site after a few minutes. Medics rushed out of the ambulance and assessed the situation. Lying beside the smashed car, they found a man very badly injured. He was in critical condition. Another man, with some bruises was in shock. Both were immediately put on stretchers by the medics and rushed to hospital. 

The man suffering from shock and bruises – Johnny Perkins – was given the necessary treatment, rested awhile and then discharged falling into the waiting arms of Marcia. The man found in a critical condition – Peter Davies – died a few hours later from multiple internal injuries. 

Joseph Henry Abela, Qassis

Il-Ħolqien ifittex bla heda l-imkien li jġibu f’sikktu u aktarx jieqaf meta jsibu.

Il-ġrajja donnha turi li l-mara: it-tarbija, it-tfajla, iż-żagħżugħa, ix-xiħa, l-armla tqieset żejda jew għodda wkoll bla leħen u bla ruħ.

Maż-żmien l-għarfien tal-mara beda ħiereġ u jingħaraf u bit-tbatija għallinqas fil-liġi. Il-LIĠI tajba u tgħin imma s-sħiħ jinsab fil-qalb.

Int, bħala mara kif tħossok? Int li tista’ ġġib ruħek u b’li tagħmel u tgħid u tiskot, twassal il-ħsieb tiegħek u tressaq il-bidla qrib il-likk.

Kemm nisa kitbu u ssemmew; kemm nisa ħarġu għall-politika u rnexxew u oħrajn fil-ħajja tas-saħħa. Nista’ insemmi l-ismijiet imma ma rridx, għax int li qed taqra, daqshom u iżjed; aqra, tħallat, isma’, qabbel u ssogra meta tħares lura tara li ftaħt triq ġdida għal ta’ warajk. Ibda.

Insellem il-Mara matul iż-żminijiet!

GĦAŻŻIELA   Apparti ż-żewġ spjegazzjonijiet li din il-kelma ngħatat f’żewġ volumi differenti, hemm tifsira oħra. L-għażżiela hi wkoll bħal qagħqa magħmula minn għaġina ċatta u ddisinjata b’disinn attraenti u pjuttost elaborat. Tixbah xi ftit fid-disinn l-ostja l-kbira li s-saċerdot jikkonsagra waqt il-quddies, biss fiha forma u disinn, qisha maħduma bl-arkett. L-għaġina kienet tkun imħallta b’diversi ħwawar. Fis-seklu sbatax l-għażżiela kienet tissajjar biex tingħata lill-foqra. Kien hemm legati li kienu jinkludu ikliet magħmula mill-għażżiela, li kienu jitqassmu fil-festi. L-għażżiela kienu jdendluha fid-dar biex tipproteġi lilha u lil min jgħix fiha kontra s-sajjetti.

Charles B. Spiteri

Snin ilu, ħafna mill-irħula Maltin kienu jiftaħru bil-ħuġġieġa ta’ San Ġwann – drawwa li qed tnin bil-mod il-mod. Iżda mhux hekk f’Belfast. Bejn nhar il-Ħamis u l-Ġimgħa 12 ta’ Lulju f’nofsillejl, sar in-nar annwali mil-lealisti Protestanti. Dawn jagħmlu ‘torri’ ta’ tyres tal-karozzi, li jkun ogħla minn 100 pied, biex ifakkru l-Battalja tal-Boyne, u jaħarquhom.

Din il-ġrajja li ssir kull sena tara total ta’ 550 parata fl-Irlanda ta’ Fuq, fejn ikun hemm mijiet ta’ pulizija extra għassa ma’ kull triq. Fis-snin mgħoddija l-uffiċjali tal-pulizija kienu jkunu ssuttati u mweġġgħa bil-bricks, fliexken u bombi tal-petrol. Is-sena l-oħra kienu sparati wkoll xi tiri u ntefgħet bomba lejhom f’Ardoyne. Iċ-ċelebrazzjoni tfakkar it-telfa tar-Re Kattoliku James, mill-Protestant William of Orange, fl-1690, li kienet waħda mit-tidwiriet ewlenin fl-istorja Irlandiża.

Kultant, it-tyres li jingħataw in-nar, jammontaw għal eluf, li jarmu ilsna tan-nar ħoxnin, b’duħħan velenuż mil-lastiku jaqbad. Hu magħruf li l-ħruq tat-tyres hu illegali, u ħaddiema tal-kumitat mhux darba u tnejn neħħewhom minn fuq xulxin. Minħabba f’hekk, f’dawn l-aħħar snin kien qed ikun hemm irvellijiet fit-12 ta’ Lulju.

Din is-sena wkoll, turrun tyres li kienu jlaħħqu l-40 pied, waqa’ fuq bini, għaxar mili ’l barra mill-belt. Hu magħruf ukoll li n-numru ta’ inċidenti kawżati minn din il-ġrajja, qiegħed kulma jmur jonqos. Fl-2011, kien hemm 49 sejħa bejn is-6 p.m. tal-11 ta’ Lulju u t-8 a.m. tat-12 ta’ Lulju. Is-sena li għaddiet, is-sejħiet niżlu għal 29.

Inħobb nitkellem magħkom u jista’ jkun ngħid, “Min jaf x’jogħġobhom? Min jaf x’idejjaqhom?”

Il-MEWT taħsad lil kulħadd, min kmieni, min wara żmien, min f’daqqa, min bil-mod. Il-bniedem jifraħ bil-ħajja, u dan sewwa u ta’ min ifaħħru. Ġieli jgħaddilhom minn moħħhom, “Min hu l-awtur?”

Il-kittieb, qassis, se jsemmi lil sħabu:

JOSEPH HENRY ABELA minn Bormla

PAUL BUTTIGIEG mill-Marsa

RENÈ CAMILLERI minn Ħal Luqa

SAVIOUR CHIRCOP minn Ħaż-Żebbuġ

GEORGE DALLI minn Ħal Qormi

PAUL GALEA minn Raħal Ġdid

ANTHONY MERCIECA mill-Birgu

PAUL MERCIECA minn Ħal Qormi

MARIO SAMMUT minn Ħaż-Żebbuġ

DENIS SCHEMBRI minn San Ġwann

LAWRENCE ZAMMIT minn Ħal Qormi

Dawn saru qassisin fil-21 ta’ April 1979. Għalqu 37 sena qassisin. Hemm minnhom il-Gwatemala, il-Brażil u Kuba u l-oħrajn Malta.

Bdew flimkien u għadhom flimkien fis-saċerdozju. Kelma ta’ ħajr tmur għal ARTHUR VELLA S.J. li ħa interess u ħa ħsiebhom.

Insomma ħaqqhom talba; għal min jemmen.

Grazzi Mulej ta’ dawn ir-rigali!

ĊMAJRA   Riħ li wieħed jieħu meta dak li jkun joqgħod imperreċ, jiġifieri mhux liebes sew, b’mod li jżomm ruħu sħun, jew meta jintasab bejn żewġt irjieħ. Riħ fl-għadam, bħal rewmatiżmu eċċ. Mikiel Anton Vassalli fid-dizzjunarju tiegħu (Lexicon, li kien ippubblika fl-1796), jgħid li ‘ċmajra’ tfisser marda li taħkem lill-bhejjem meta dawn tiksħilhom rashom. Mit-Taljan cimurro – Malti: il-likwidu li jqattar mill-imnieħer meta wieħed ikollu l-flissjoni. Qawl: Tagħti l-pesta u tieħu ċmajra. Dan il-qawl jingħad meta xi ħadd ikun għamel xi ħaġa ħażina u dan imbagħad jirċievi lura azzjoni ħażina oħra bħala tpattija.  

2. TIFEL ĊMAJRA – Tifel imqareb ħafna.