My Bactrian camel, Clara, and I had a busy day planned. Mama and Papa were letting me go visit my cousin, Saheed, for a few days. His village was about seven miles East of my home. There was no way to let him know that I would be coming to see him, so it was to be a great surprise.

Mama helped me pack gifts for Saheed and his family. (I was taking some of the fine dates I picked last week from the oasis when Clara and I were in a camel race. We won the prize which was a new camel carpet. It looked quite magnificent on Clara's back, and fit perfectly between her two humps. In fact, we both looked splendid, or so my Mama said.) There was also camel and goat cheese, two bags of yogurt and some special cakes that Mama had made. My cousin Saheed and my other relatives were sure to be pleased with this offering of love. And, as Mama had told me, "Abbeed, with your appetite, you will eat them out of tent and home, I probably should send more."

"Hut, hut, Clara," I commanded ,in my finest tone of voice. Clara obediently got down on her front knees, then slowly settled her back legs down as well. That made her just the right height for me to load the items into a basket which was attached behind Clara's number two hump. It held all my belongings, including my sleeping mat and cover, with ease. I placed the lid on the basket and secured it carefully. Everything was finally in place on Clara's back and we were ready to go.

Before I mounted Clara, Mama insisted on giving me a hug. My younger brothers, Uman and Aasim, wanted to go too. They looked a bit jealous. I patted each of them on the back and said, "Since I am the eldest son, and will be on a journey, you must take care of Mama while I am gone. It is time for you to learn how to do the chores that I do. Mama said she will teach you to milk the camels, if you show responsibility."

Papa smiled and said, "Abbeed, this is for you, I have had it since I was a boy your age, my Papa gave it to me, and now it will be yours." He placed a small case in my hand. I felt great excitement and pride as I opened the gift. It was a shiny compass. The directions of North, South, East and West were brightly marked. The needle on the compass jiggled, as I turned it until it rested, pointing toward the East, the direction of my cousin's village.

I climbed up on Clara and had a very grown up feeling as I turned her toward the open desert and the adventure lying ahead of us.

As I rode along, I saw the sky darkening ahead of me. It looked so strange. It was kind of like the desert rising to meet the sky and became all the same color. Clara made a strange snorting noise and stopped in her tracks. I then realized we were looking into the face of a monstrous sand storm.

'Hut hut," I shouted. Clara obediently knelt on her front knees. I quickly slid off and pulled the new camel carpet over my head and body as I crouched close beside Clara. Her shaggy hair partially covered me and provided extra shelter. I didn't worry about Clara, as I knew her nostrils could close in a special way to keep the sand out. Her long eyelashes were made to protect her eyes against the ferocious sand. She also had an extra eyelid that could wipe the sand should any get into her eye.

The wind was loud and fierce. Sand blew and blew. At times I thought I would surely fly up into the desert sky.

After awhile the roaring of the sand storm ended, as quickly as it had begun. I felt the heavy sand that covered Clara's hair, and the carpet over me. I tried to wiggle free but could barely move. "Hut hut, hut hut, Clara, you must get up, hut hut Clara," I said as loudly as I could. Then I felt Clara rising gently , she first got onto her front knees. The weight of the sand was almost unbearable. Then she shook herself and stood up quickly. All at once I was free. Her hair had caught the carpet and pulled it away perfectly. I shook myself, just like Clara did, to get the sand off me. "Good girl, Clara. Thank you for sheltering me in the storm."

Clara was probably weary from getting up and down so much, but she didn't complain as she knelt for me to mount her back once again. I looked around. The wind-swept desert was smooth and new, lying in the hot dry sun. It was difficult to know which way to go. But not to worry, I pulled out my compass that Papa had given me earlier that day. What a great feeling as I saw the needle point me to the East.

As Clara trotted away toward my cousin's home, I pretended to be the leader of a long camel caravan. What a glorious day this had turned out to be.