When in 2004 my daughter, in search

of family background, asked, “Which

language did your dad speak best?” I

swiftly responded, “Silence.” The answer

seemed flippant, and we both laughed. But

in truth, in spite of the number of languages

he could speak, my father, Jamil, spoke

little. Oh, there were the philosophical

answers to my inane questions as to which

one of us six offspring he loved best or

when his birthday was.