Rifai and I, Part II

Another day, another meeting with former Jordanian Prime Minister Zaid al-Rifai.

Like last time, we met to discuss planning for the Harvard Glee Club's tour to the Middle East in 2011-2012. Much was the same - I met the same driver, rode in the same swanky car to his home, where we sat on the same beautiful patio and drank the same tea. But I noticed a few changes - the exterior furniture had been newly upgraded, for example. I also noticed he was reading a copy of Robert Lacey's book on Saudi Arabia, Inside the Kingdom, so I got to sound smart for a few brief minutes while we chatted about that.

The content of the meeting was not particularly unusual. We spoke about possible venues for the Glee Club concerts, and he volunteered to put me in touch with people at said venues to arrange to see them myself in person. I'll be making those trips in the next few weeks, I assume.

Towards the end of the meeting, I followed Mr. al-Rifai into an interior room for a few minutes while he looked for a book. The room was filled with amazing mementos. On the wall and the shelves, he had pictures and souvenirs from visits with foreign dignitaries from across the world. I saw signed photos from Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush, an engraved clock from Richard Nixon, and photos with Sultan Qaboos of Oman and Hafez al-Asad of Syria. Across the room, I saw a five-shelf case filled with medals and other honors from two separate terms as Prime Minister. I was only in the room for thirty seconds, but was amazed with what I saw. I would have loved the time to examine everything more fully. This guy has been a central figure in the history of the Middle East for decades, and so heaven only knows what kinds of other mementos are lining his walls.

Al-Rifai's grandson will be a freshman at Harvard this fall, and so Mr. al-Rifai mentioned that he would be in Cambridge in late August to see him off. We promised to try to get together then if our schedules meet up. I would invite him over to show him my extensive collection of medals and presidential memorabilia, but I'm afraid it will all be packed for my impending move on September 1st.