Blue-Haired Muslim

Chapter 20: Bros

(A few months later)

     "Dad, did you take your medicine?" Sam asked over the phone. 

     "You got it, bro. You know I'd never play around with my medicines, especially since I got to stick around and see you get married," Max joked from the other end of the line.

     "Do you want me to pick you up for Jummah prayer? I'm about  to head out in a little bit," Sam explained while packing up his books into his backpack. 

     "I can drive, Sam. My heart attack was months ago. I'm fine now," Max reassured his son. 

     "Yeah, I know. I just- I worry, Dad," Sam admitted. He looked at the worn keys in his hands and bit his bottom lip. After the heart attack scare Sam had learned a very intimate details about his own life, that he truly believed in the message of Islam. It took Max two weeks to get well enough to be discharged and the first thing Sam did was convert to Islam. Rana's words that his prayers were very important to his father in front of God, really touched him. 

     "Yeah, but bro, everything is always going to happen how it's destine to happen. You can't change that. So thank God that you now have a car and independence and go on your way. I'll meet you at the mosque. Cool? I'm hanging up," Max smirked and hung up the phone.

     Sam smiled and shook his head. His father had taken his momentary sickness in stride. Max had also taken his son's conversion to Islam in stride. With so many new changes in their lives, Max decided to break the bank and bought Sam a used car for travel. Now with his driver's license in his pocket and the keys to his new car in the ignition, Sam roared his small sedan to life. 

     He quickly parked his car on the mosque's lot and headed inside. He could hear Imam Nedim over the loudspeaker and winced. If the sermon had started, that meant that people were already sitting down. He knew that everyone was welcome in the mosque, but he had noticed that there were some people that gave him funny looks because of his hair, especially since Nancy's new dye job had caused his tips to be extra blue. It reminded him of church and reminded him that judgmental people were everywhere, regardless of religion. I'll stand outside and listen to the sermon until Dad comes. That way the kids and adults don't get a chance to talk about me. I haven't seen Sven or Daehan either and I'm not that familiar with anyone else. 

     He stood outside the hall and listened to the sermon as best as he could without attracting attention. He quickly removed his shoes and placed them on the shoe rack before leaning back against the wall. A few men walked past him and into the hall after taking their shoes off and placing them on the rack. He continued to lean against the door and listened to Imam Nedim's sermon, ignoring those around him. 

     "Yo bro," a deep baritone called out from behind Sam. Sam turned towards the man and looked at him. He was tall and slightly muscular, which was apparent by the way he stood. His hair was short, his looks Caucasian, and his eyes a deep blue. The man had a twin look of surprise on his face. "Dude! Nice hair!"

     "You like it?" Sam asked in surprise. He wasn't expecting that.

     "Yeah, man. How'd you do that?" The man asked while unconsciously touching the spiked blue tips of Sam's hair. "Sorry for touching your hair, but man! How'd you get them to stand up like that?"

     "My tips?" Sam asked and smiled. It took him two hours in the morning to figure out the right consistency of gel and hair wax to keep his hair spiked all day. "Took me two hours."