"Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves" starring Kevin Costner. It was probably one of the best movies made in the 1990's. The classic story of Robin Hood is known to everyone. But Costners version was a bit modified. The whole story was about Robin of Locksley. A survivor of the crusades who managed to escape from captivity in Jerusalem. In the story background there was an Arabian knight called "Azeem", which means "great one" in Arabic.
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| Morgan Freeman as "Azeem" |
Starring the one and only Morgan Freeman, Azeem was a highly educated man. He reflected the mentality of the Islamic civilization at its intellectual peak back then. During that time Europe was still struggling in its dark ages. Considering the circumstances of the time, Azeem addressed Robin as "Christian". While the Englsih peasants addressed Azeem as "the barbarian".
Azeem was portrayed as genius. He built a telescope with his bare hands. He taught the villagers how to make weapons and how to spar. He helped them build a water-retrieval system from their wells. He helped one of the women in labor delivering her baby. At the end of the movie he prepared explosives from his "black powder recipe" to help Robin conquer the fort of the Sherif of Nottingham. Point is. Robin Hood was the center of the story. He however would never have succeeded on his own without the help of his "painted" friend.
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| Robin Hood amazed at Azeems' telescope |
During my training in the Cath Lab at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, I met a senior nurse in the name of Steeve Gaudreault. He has been a cath lab nurse since 2001. Steeve likes his job. He is very good at it and it shows in his passionate-yet-professional attitude. He taught me many trade secrets that I would not find in standard textbooks.
Even though I did my internal medicine training in Kuwait and my cardiology fellowship in Saudi Arabia. I have never encountered people more welcoming and hospitable than my Canadian colleagues. Doctors, technologists, and nurses alike. But particularly Steeve. Every time I asked him a technical question, he would give me a satisfying answer, followed by his notorious quote "Hey, I am just a nurse!".
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| Steeve Gaudrault, RN. "Just a nurse". |
I appreciated Steeves' crude honesty with me. When he said something, he meant it. Period. No compliments. No sucking up. And no ass kissing. Such a commodity a few people possess nowadays.
Steeve and I might never work together again once I go back home. But I will never forget him. Every time I look at my left shoulder in the mirror I will always remember him. And although the identities have switched. Since I am the "Painted Muslim" and he is the "White Christian". But he will always be my Azeem!
