Red Backed Spiders for Iftar

Around the end of the normal time for iftar, about an hour after sunset, I got a call from Farook.

‘What that animal in Dubai before a few months, if it catch you, you dead?’

I knew the answer, the Australian red-backed spider, which is said to be common in the Emaar developments, and which has been seen elsewhere in Dubai.

‘It’s the red-backed spider,’ I answered.

‘What?’

‘Alhambra spider.’ I knew the Alhambra is the famous Red Palace of Andalusia. I heard someone in the background say something al hambra, but I missed the Arabic for spider.

‘Thank you,’ and Farook rang off.

How red-backed spiders had gotten into his iftar dinner conversation, I will probably never know.