Bob Faris: Never met a stranger

Meet Bob Faris, owner of Bob’s Groceries and B&B Liquor at 598 21st St. in downtown Galveston, now celebrating 24years of operation. With his quiet, laid-back demeanor, Bob has never met a stranger and he listens more than he talks. He took the time to chat with Humans of Galveston.

Humans of Galveston: Tell us a little about yourself, Bob.

Bob: My name is Bob Faris. I came from Jordan 39 years ago in 1982. I finished my college degree in Jordan. I came to Chicago, stayed there one year and came to Houston in 1983. I moved to La Marque in 1984 and then to Galveston in ’95.

Humans of Galveston: What brought you here?

Bob: A chance to start up a business. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I worked in the grocery business for 14 years. I was a meat cutter at Sesco Market in La Marque.

Humans of Galveston: Where were you born and raised?

Bob: I was born on July 15, 1957 in Jerusalem.

Humans of Galveston: Tell us about your parents.

Bob: My dad, Yusef, was a cab driver. My mom was a housewife and also from Jordan. She passed away at the age of 42. I have one brother and two sisters. My youngest brother, Nasser, passed away, and my two sisters are still living in Jordan.

Humans of Galveston: When you were growing up in Jordan and were hearing about the United States, what did you think it would be like? When you got here, was it what you had imagined?

Bob: I never had any intention to come to the United States. I was extremely popular in Jordan. I was heavy into sports was respectable everywhere in the country. I was very close with the Crown Prince Hassan and the Royal Family in Jordan. He (Hassan) used to work out with us at the youth center in Jordan. Compared to Jordan, there’s no real family in the United States. There’s need in the United States. I need your money, I need your fame, I need your protection, I need your influence. I need whatever you have, then I’ll be your family and your friend. Otherwise, get the hell of my face. The difference between the United States and the old country is the oldest one in the family is the most respected person in the family. And nobody dares to say something bad about that older person. It’s like “The Godfather.” It’s all about respect.

Humans of Galveston: What sports did you play?

Bob: The very first games I played was handball and boxing, then throwing disks, then weightlifting and body building.

Humans of Galveston: Who was your biggest role model and why.

Bob: The most I learned from was from my bodybuilding coach in Jordan, Mohamad Jarshera, who was of Russian descent. I won the award for bodybuilding. I worked out with him for almost 15 years. In the United States my biggest influence, my ultimate hero, the one I praise more than even Jesus Christ, is Sen. John McCain. Man, if I ever win the lottery, I will have a huge statue to this man in every big city in the country. He’s the greatest man who ever lived. The best thing I like about John McCain is that he fought for the communists in Vietnam. But more than fighting the communists he was a man of principles. He don’t kiss nobody’s ass no matter how much the price. He had huge integrity. He would not sell out to nobody. And the thing I admire the most about John McCain is he looked at everybody as a person, as a human being. The most awesome thing he did was during his hometown speech when he was running against Barack Obama. When a lady asked him if Senator Obama was Arab, he said, ‘No, ma’am. He is a good family man. He’s an American, just like you and me.’ After Senator Obama won the presidency I went and congratulated him. One of the people in the audience was booing and McCain said, ‘Stop it. He is president of the United States. He won fair and square, and he is my president.’ That was the greatest thing that John McCain did, and I will never forget it.

Humans of Galveston: What about your coach influenced you and had an impact on your life? And how old were you at that time?

Bob: I was 14 years old in Jordan. What makes him my biggest role model in the whole world is that he drank, he never smoked and he never accepted charity from anybody, period. If he doesn’t have it, he’ll do without it.

Humans of Galveston: What is left on your bucket list? What’s one thing you haven’t done yet?

Bob: I did almost everything on my bucket list. I have one thing I need to do before I crash and die, which is to make my three children unconditionally love each other, understand each other and help each other and stand by each other, and face the whole word with each other. And never fight, never disagree, and respect each other. They are not on my bucket list but I hope they can achieve that.

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Published by Bobby Stanton