The Garden
We were sitting in the interior living room, watching television. I was so much tied up - thoughts and sight - to one of the programs. My wife sighed in a very loud voice, as if she was searching for something to ease down her pains. She was directing her face to the northern side of the house, looking toward that area or piece of land. And after she made me lose my concentration looking to her, she has opened a subject that has occupied great part of her mind. Even though, it might not attract my attention, due to the differences in our interests and hobbies.

Despite being a female, she possesses a hobby of a special kind, rarely handled by the women in our locality. She is so much interested in agriculture; in a way dramatically attracts the attention. Contrary to our family males, who ride the sea fathers after grandfathers! That makes you think of the matter as a genetic jump, and wonder what a woman like her would look for in this strange hobby!? She went on exploiting, arranging and taking care, of that piece of land and has converted it into a small garden. She has bought some plants of different kinds, planted, watered and took good caring of them. Until that small garden came into existence; and produced some vegetable like tomatoes; and different kinds of roses like basils.

After a period of time I heard her complaining, of production shortage and nearness to vanish. So, she asked to call a skilled farmer to examine the soil, and try to restore it. After examination and observation, he has decided that the upper part of the soil is weak, needs turning up side down and fertilization. So, he was assigned to do what was necessary, bought new plants, planted them, and watered the land quite enough. The farmer has left us, after completing his job. And my wife continued working with the help of one of our sons, who loves hard work. They went on tightening their determination and raising their perseverance, till signs of goodness started to appear on the service. The land has turned green, and the fruits took their way to growth.

Instead of joy and happiness to appear on her, she came disturbed and complaining. Complaining of an intruder stealing her efforts and hard work, without any participation in all what she has done. Has eaten the harvest, before appearing from below the surface, and continued killing those could penetrate and stayed alive on her back. That creature was not one of the human beings, to try to negotiate and discuss with him. But one of the creatures widespread on simple face of earth, created by Allah, and the present humans with the technology be given, can not manage to communicate and contact with. Came complaining about the ants, and their destructive work, that have destroyed her garden. It is very confusing, if we find it difficult to communicate with some of those who have brains and understanding, from the human beings! How about us and we are facing, who is forced by the instinct to do what is being done?!

Once I went, with no intention to do anything in connection, just passing by the location, to do something else that has no relationship with the ants. We can't say that was an exploration or a discovery tour, nor to find out and understand the real problem. I could not believe what my eyes have seen! By the time my feet stepped on that far part of the yard, far a way from our small farm, there the ants attacked me! They have tried to climb all over my body! I was lucky to escape with my skin, before they could finish their assignment! As if the ants have occupied all that empty area of land, or we who have entered into their property without permission?!

Indeed what has occurred; needed a close examination and scrutiny, and the matter to be taken seriously. So, we had no choice but to seek professional help, and those who have the knowledge in agricultural matters. We kept analyzing the attack done by the ants; it’s a job of one defending his property and his land borders! Did they possessed the land before us, even though we have paid for it and received the deed?! Were the ants aware of this law, and the necessity to observe and apply it?! It was disclosed that our land, yet the complete residential neighborhood, was under seawater before reclamation and distribution as single lands. How did they raced us to live there and owned it?!

In spite of the assurance that the ants have commitment their un forgiven crime, with un revocable evidence. It was clear after word, and by coincidence, who committed the crime of destroying our output were the birds. The ants were cleared from the robbery, but the crime of invasion and seizing the property of others still attached to them.
Written by: Hussein Noah Mashamea - Qateef - Saudi Arabia