[Ṣāliḥ:] Nakumbuka nikimwona baba yangu akichukua vipande vikavu vya mkate, akivipigapiga kuondoa vumbi, akiviweka kwenye sahani, kisha kumimina maji juu yake ili vilainike. Kisha angevila pamoja na chumvi.

[Ṣāliḥ:] I remember seeing my father take dry crusts of bread, dust them off, put them in a dish, and pour some water over them to soften them. Then he’d eat them with salt.

Sikuwahi kumwona akinunua komamanga, mabirinzi, wala tunda lingine lolote isipokuwa tikiti maji, ambalo alikuwa akila pamoja na mkate, na zabibu au tende, lakini hiyo ndiyo yote. Wakati mwingine watu walikuwa wakimwandalia vyakula vilivyopikwa kwenye tanuri. Alikuwa akiweka dengu, mafuta ya kondoo (shahamu), na tende za Shihrīz kwenye chungu cha udongo, kisha akitenga sahani kwa ajili ya watoto. Alikuwa akiwaita na kuiweka sahani mbele yao, lakini wao walikuwa wakicheka na kukataa kula chochote kati yake. Mara nyingi alikuwa akichovya mkate wake kwenye siki. Wangeweza kumnunulia shahamu ya dirham moja, nayo ingemtosha kwa mwezi mzima.

I never saw him buy pomegranates, quinces, or any other fruit except for melons, which he’d eat with bread, and grapes or dates, but that’s all. Sometimes people would prepare dishes for him in the oven. He’d put lentils, suet, and Shihrīz dates into a clay pot, and set aside a dish for the children. He would call them and put the dish in front of them, but they would laugh and refuse to eat any of it. He’d often dip his bread in vinegar. They could buy him a dirham’s worth of suet and it would last him a month.