Funny story (or at least I think it is). The guy I was traveling with yesterday was supposed to be picked up by his brother at Jinnah Terminal. As we made our way out of the Arrivals terminal towards the McDonalds in front, he gets an SMS telling him that his brother...

... is standing right in front of McDonald's and is waiting for him. He looks around and couldn't see him. It's odd because both claim to be at the same spot yet neither could see the other. I jokingly ask "you do remember what your brother looks like, right?"...

... he says "haha yes of course. I haven't been home in two years but I know what he looks like. We're brothers." I say "... okay". So he calls him and says "haan I'm in front of McDonald's, where are you?"...

... the guy on his left says on his phone "I'm right here, where are you?". I think wow what a lovely coincidence. Colleague says "where? I can't see you". Guy to his left says "I'm right... abey yeh raha main" and taps my colleague on his shoulder.

I am stunned. Two brothers. Standing side by side and yet didn't recognize each other. wow.

the colleague in question is actually a pretty funny fellow. while waiting at our boarding gate at Islamabad airport, he asks me "Haider, how many people do you think can speak Arabic in Pakistan?" I say "I don't think there are many. Why?" ...

He points at trash cans that have messages written in English, Urdu, and Arabic to tell people to throw trash in them. Not a regional language but Arabic. I say "at least now we'll be able to spot trash cans whenever we're in the Middle East".

I have a feeling this thread would have been funnier in Urdu.