Jerusalem. Looking for a place to eat my shawarma, I climbed smooth stone steps to a cafe overlooking Herod's Gate. The Arab owner, Ahmad, struck up a conversation with the standard, "where are you from?" Then, "Are you married?" When I told him I wasn't he quickly suggested I get on the ball and began to give me the advice that led to his blissful union of 25 years...
"Girl who go for drink.. go here, go there, where is party. This girl is rubbish. You have to go find.. maybe America more difficult. You must go find good girl from place and take from good place," he says pursing his fingers as if taking a delicate cholocate from a box.
First point: Don't marry a party girl.
"She have good family. Mother, Father good. She nice."
Second point: Solid family background.
"She don't here is money, there is money I go. She make money. She don't 'Oh you have money I go there, he has money I go there.'"
Third point: Marry a girl who has her own cash or who comes from money so she's not bedazzled and easily persuaded by whoever has it.
"I will heed you advice," I said as I reached for my wallet, "How much do I owe you?"
"You owe me nothing," he replied with a small wave of his hand.
A free tea and nuggets of marital advice from Ahmad of Jerusalem which I pass on to you, for what it's worth.
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