noon
`` You will excuse me ? I have business in the city . But tonight at seven I will come to your hotel and we will phone our friend in New York . It will then be noon in New York , and we will find him reading the Koran at home . This is his custom . Until then , _ Assalamo alaikum _ , which is to say , ` Good day to you . ' '' As the boys walked to where Hassan waited , Scotty grinned at Rick . ''