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amjeed kabil
October 2009 
Tornado Ali
Posted on Mar 28th, 2007
by 
Dolf
Dolf
Here's an article about a guy from Birmingham who got lifted and moved 12 meters by a tornado two years ago and was since then dubbed "Tornado Ali": http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005350148,00.html . A friend from Birmingham who I was visiting last weekend mentioned him to me and I just got fascinated, so wanted to ahre this with you all.
That same friend wrote a novel, by the way, called "Straightening Ali" (see: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Straightening-Ali-Amjeed-Kabil/dp/1934187038/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/202-0509471-7451000?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175110963&sr=8-1 ). It's non-autobiographical, he says, but it deals with his personal history for 90% anyhow. The story is about a guy living in the UK, with a Pakistani background, who is gay and is married off to a woman nevertheless. Or, to quote the book description:
"For Ali Mirza, a young British born Pakistani man, life takes a sudden dramatic turn when his family arranges for him to get married even though he has told them he is gay. How will he survive his wedding night when he's not even turned on by his new bride, whom he has only met once and for five minutes? Sajda, his wife, claims she is in love with him, but she does not even know him. For Ali, this is the tip of the iceberg as his boyfriend has moved to France and is hesitant to support Ali. What is Ali to do? Should he run away to join the love of his life, or should he stay and live the life that has been arranged for him by his family? If he does run, will they find him and force him to be straight? Will he ever reunite with his lover? Ali must decide what is best for him and does in a matter of days in STRAIGHTENING ALI. STRAIGHTENING ALI is a riveting story (set in Birmingham and Leicester), about family ties, conflicting cultures and the basic dynamics of human relationships set , STRAIGHTENING ALI opens one's eyes to a world we know little about."
So what would happen if Tornado Ali meets Straightening Ali? You'd probably get someone like my friend, the author of the book. Having him around you is like living in a constant whirlwind - the guy is just so full of energy that it drags you along with him. Only once this weekend I noticed he stopped talking and came to rest, which was when he had fallen asleep in the car. He's a greatly funny guy and however sad the plot, so is his book. I recommend you read it and watch the movie when it's out.
(This one's for you, Am - in great appreciation of who you are and what you do).
That same friend wrote a novel, by the way, called "Straightening Ali" (see: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Straightening-Ali-Amjeed-Kabil/dp/1934187038/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/202-0509471-7451000?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175110963&sr=8-1 ). It's non-autobiographical, he says, but it deals with his personal history for 90% anyhow. The story is about a guy living in the UK, with a Pakistani background, who is gay and is married off to a woman nevertheless. Or, to quote the book description:
"For Ali Mirza, a young British born Pakistani man, life takes a sudden dramatic turn when his family arranges for him to get married even though he has told them he is gay. How will he survive his wedding night when he's not even turned on by his new bride, whom he has only met once and for five minutes? Sajda, his wife, claims she is in love with him, but she does not even know him. For Ali, this is the tip of the iceberg as his boyfriend has moved to France and is hesitant to support Ali. What is Ali to do? Should he run away to join the love of his life, or should he stay and live the life that has been arranged for him by his family? If he does run, will they find him and force him to be straight? Will he ever reunite with his lover? Ali must decide what is best for him and does in a matter of days in STRAIGHTENING ALI. STRAIGHTENING ALI is a riveting story (set in Birmingham and Leicester), about family ties, conflicting cultures and the basic dynamics of human relationships set , STRAIGHTENING ALI opens one's eyes to a world we know little about."
So what would happen if Tornado Ali meets Straightening Ali? You'd probably get someone like my friend, the author of the book. Having him around you is like living in a constant whirlwind - the guy is just so full of energy that it drags you along with him. Only once this weekend I noticed he stopped talking and came to rest, which was when he had fallen asleep in the car. He's a greatly funny guy and however sad the plot, so is his book. I recommend you read it and watch the movie when it's out.
(This one's for you, Am - in great appreciation of who you are and what you do).
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