Sins I've Committed... part 3

I was telling my friend Neriman about the time I had Elif over for tea, explaining how embarrassed I was when Elif jumped to the floor to pick up Elise's bread crumbs.  I expected Neriman to try to make me feel better, or to tell me that bread crumbs on the floor are not that big of a deal.  I wanted her to be on my side and say that Elif was just being wierd.   But I got a completely different response...

Neriman: Yeah, stepping on bread crumbs is very serious Jamie.

Me: Right, but sometimes we just can't help but spill some on the floor, ya know?

Neriman: Well, you just need to be more careful.  Allah gave us bread so we could live. When we step on it or throw it on the floor its really really bad.

I felt pretty stupid by this point...  

Neriman: You know another thing you do that's bad?

Me: What? (Why don't you just kick me while I'm down...)

Neriman: When your trash gets full you put the bags in the Turkish toilet.

Me: I don't understand.

Neriman: Your trash has pieces of food in it.  You shouldn't ever put any food, especially bread  in a bathroom.  Even if it's trash, it's disrespectful to Allah to put it in the bathroom.

Me:  Oh, I didn't know that. (And I'm regretting ever bringing this bread crumb topic up with you.)

Neriman: Every time I come over here I pray (holding hands up in the air and raising her face heavenward)  "Allah, please forgive Jamie.  Don't hold this against her."  

Me: Oh.  (and I'm ready to end this conversation now.)

We live in a 12 story building, with 36 separate flats in it.  One man, Cuma Bey (translated means Mr. Friday) comes around every night and gathers the trash that everyone puts outside their door.  It's shameful to put it out too early because you would stink up the hallway.  When our trash can fills up, I throw the full bags into the corner of the bathroom as it's right by the front door.  At the end of the day before we go to bed James puts it into the hallway.  I guess I'll have to come up with a different place to store my stinky trash bags until evening...

You know, this whole "food in a bathroom is sin" thing makes me think about how horrified all my friends and neighbors would be if they knew to what extent I've sinned in this area.  I'm pretty sure that if food in a trash bag being near a toilet is bad then actually eating food in a bathroom is even worse.  Don't tell anybody, but sometimes I eat ice cream while I take a bath!  And even worse than that, while I was attempting to potty train Elise, I stayed all day in the bathroom with her and we both ate all our meals in there... I repeat... don't tell, I need to maintain a little dignity around here.