Children of Gebelaawi (45 page)

parents and veneration for them, bu t they disagreed about

everything else.

Kareem, Hussein and Zaki maintained that Rifaa's mission

had been si mply to heal the sick and to despise power and

glory. They and their followers conti nued his ways. Some of

them went to extremes and shun ned marriage out of a desire

to imitate him and follow his way of life. Ali on the other hand

took all that was due to him from the Trust and married. He

called for the renovation of Rifaa's sector and said that Rifaa

had not despised the Trust for itself, but in order to show that

real happiness could be gained wi thout it, and to condemn the

evils aroused by greed; if the revenues were fairly shared out

and used for bui lding and good works, then they were nothing

but good.

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In any case people enjoyed a good life and joy was in their

faces. They said with faith and conviction that today was better

than yesterday, and tomorrow would be better than today.

Why is our Alley plagued with forgetfulness?

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Hardly anything changed. Bare feet still left their prints i n

the dust, and flies went o n flitting between heaps of garbage

and human eyes. Faces were still haggard and drawn, clothes

still tattered. Insults were routinely exchanged like greetings,

and hypocrisy was rife. The Great House remained closed up

behind its walls, immersed i n silence and memories. To the

right stood Trustee's House and to the left Strongman's

House. Next to them was Gebel's sector and adjoining i t lay

Rifaa's. As for the rest of the Alley, the part that ran down to

Gemalia, it was the home of a mass of ill-bred people, the

'Desert Rats' as they were called, who were the poorest and

most wretched of all.

At this time the Trustee was Rifaat, who was just like his

predecessors. The Strongman was 'Guzzler' , a short, slim man

whose appearance did not betray his strength, but who was

transformed i n battle into an enemy as swift, as sharp and as

deadly as flame. He had become Strongman of the Alley after

a series of battles that had made the blood flow in every sector.

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The strongman of Gebel's sector was called 'Bruiser' . His

people were still pleased with themselves, boasting that they

were the most closely related to Gebelaawi, that theirs was the

best sector, and that their man Gebel had been the first and last

to whom Gebelaawi had spoken and given his favor. For this

they were little loved.

'Pilgrim Grim' was the strongman ofRifaa's people. He did

not follow Ali 's example in his conduct of affairs, but behaved

like Dungbeetle and Bruiser and other usurpers. He took the

Trust income for his own use and beat up anyone who comp lained, urging his people to follow Rifaa's example and despise glory and wealth.

Even the Desert Rats had their strongman, known as 'Omn ibus' , but he of course was not trustee of part of the Trust.

Things went on like this, and those who held the cudgels

maintained, as did the bards with their rebecs, that it was a just

system in accordance with the Founder's Ten Clauses, and that

the Trustee and strongmen watched over its efficient operation.

Among the Desert Rats a sweet-potato vendor called Zakaria

was known for his goodness. He was disti nguished by a distant

con nection with Omnibus, strongman of the sector. He used

to push his barrow up and down the Alley, crying his wares. In

the middle of the barrow stood a stove from which wafted

aromatic smoke that attracted urchins in the Alley just as it did

in Gemalia, Otouf, Derrasa, Kafr ei-Zaghari and Beit ei-Qadi.

Zakaria had been married a long time without having any

children, but his li ttle nephew, Qaasim, had come to live with

them when his parents died. Zakaria did not find the child a

burden, for human life, especially in that part of the Alley, cost

little more than that of the dogs and cats and flies, which found

their food amidst the garbage. Zakaria loved him as he had

loved the boy's father. When his wife became pregnant after

the little boy had joined the family, he regarded him as a good

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omen and grew still more fond of him. His love did not lessen

when he was blessed with a son, Hassan.

Qaasim grew up almost alone, for his uncle passed the day

away from home and his aunt was busy with her house and her

baby. Then, as he grew up, his world expanded and he took to

playing in the courtyard and the Alley, and made friends with

boys his own age from Rifaa's sector and Gebel's, as well as

from his own. He went out to Hind's Rock and p layed around

it, became familiar with the desert from east to west, and

climbed jebel Muqattam. He used to gaze up with the other

little boys at the Great House and feel proud of his great

Ancestor. But he did not know what to say when some spoke of

Gebel and others of Rifaa, nor did he know what to do when

words became insults and quarrels and battles. Often he

looked at Trustee's House i n wonder and admiration, and

gazed with longing at the fruit on the trees.

One time he saw the gatekeeper dozing and slipped quietly

into the garden without seeing anyone or being seen. Full of

joy, he walked along the paths and picked up guavas off the

grass and ate them with delight, t..i ll he found himself in front

of the fountai n. He marvelled at the column ofwater risi ng out

of the basin and, throwi ng off his jellaba, he jumped in and

waded about, splashing his hands in the water and pouring it

over his body, completely forgetti ng where he was. In no time

a harsh voice shouted, 'Uthmaan, you son of a bitch, come

here you blind idiot! ' He turned to see where the voice came

from, and there on the veranda was a man wearing a red robe,

pointi ng at him with a trembli ng finger, his face burning with

rage. Qaasi m rushed to the side of the basin and swung hi mself

out, pivoting on his elbows. Then he saw the gatekeeper

hurrying up and sped towards the jasmine trellis against the

wall, forgetting his jellaba where he had shed it. He raced to

the gate, shot out into the Alley and ran off at top speed.

Cheering urchins and barking dogs chased afler him. Uthmaan

the gatekeeper rushed after him into the Alley and overtook

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him i n the middle of his sector. He grabbed him by the arm

and stood there panti ng. Qaasim screamed so loud that the

whole sector heard.

In a moment his aunt arrived, carrying her baby, and

Omnibus came out from the cafe. His aunt was amazed at his

appearance and took his hand, saying to the gatekeeper:

- For Heaven's sake, U thmaan, you've frightened the boy.

What's he done? Where's his jellaba?

The gatekeeper spoke haughtily:

- His Honor the Trustee saw him bathing in his fountain.

The little devil needs a beating. The damned brat got in while

I was asleep. Why don' t you keep your devils away from us?

- Forgive him, Uthmaan; he's an orphan. You 're quite

right, of course.

She rescued the boy from his hands.

- I ' ll beat him for you, but please give back his one and only

jellaba.

The gatekeeper waved his hand angrily, turned his back and

went off, saying:

- Because of this i nsect I've been cursed and insulted.

Devils! Alley of dogs!

The aunt went back home, carryi ng Hassan on her hip and

dragging along Qaasim, who was in floods of tears.

6 5 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Looking at Qaasim with admiration, Zakaria told him:

- You 're no longer a child, Qaasi m; you're almost ten. It's

time you had a job.

Qaasi m's eyes lit up with pleasure.

- I always hoped you 'd take me with you, Uncle.

Zakaria laughed.

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Qaasim

- You wanted to come for play, not for work. But now

you 're a sensible boy and you can help me.

The boy rushed over to the barrow and tried to push it, but

Zakaria stopped him. His aunt said:

- Mind the potatoes don 'troll away, orwe'll starve to death.

Zakaria took hold of the shafts of the barrow, saying:

- Walk in front and shout: ' Best sweet potatoes ! Roast sweet

potatoes ! ' . Watch everything I say or do. You can carry the

potatoes upstairs to people. And keep your eyes open all the

time!

Qaasim looked sadly at the barrow.

- But I'm strong enough to push it.

Zakaria set off pushing the barrow.

- Do as I tell you and don 't be stubborn; your father was

such a helpfu l man.

The barrow rumbled off towards Gemalia with Qaasim

shouting in his squeakyvoice: 'Best sweet potatoes! Roast sweet

potatoes ! ' . Nothi ng could match his joy as he went off to

strange parts and worked like a grown-up. When the barrow

got to Watawi t Alley, Qaasim looked rou nd and said to his

uncle:

- This is where ldrees got in Adham's way.

Zakaria nodded absen tly, and the boy went on, laughing:

- Adam was pushing his barrow just like you, Uncle.

The barrow followed its daily route, from El-Hussein to Beit

el-Qadi and from there to Derrasa. Qaasim gazed in wonder at

the passers-by and at the shops and mosques, till they came to

a little square which Zakaria said was Muqattam Bazaar. The

boy looked at it in wonder:

- Is this really Muqattam Bazaar - which Gebel ran away

to, and where Rifaa was born?

Zakaria answered without enthusiasm:

- Yes ! But those two have nothi ng to do with us.

- But we're all children of Gebelaawi : why shouldn't we be

like them?

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Zakaria laughed and said sarcastically:

- At any rate we're all equally poor.

He pushed his barrow towards a shack built of old cans, on

the edge of the market place next to the desert; it was a tin

shack that served as a stall selling prayer-beads, i ncense and

charms. In front, on a skin, sat an old man with a white beard.

Zakaria parked the barrow in front of the hut and shook the

old man warmly by the hand. The man said:

- I have enough sweet potatoes today.

Zakaria sat down beside him.

- Sitting with you is better than looking for profit.

The old man examined the boy with interest. Zakaria called

to him:

- Come here, Qaasi m, and kiss Mr Yahiaa's hand.

He went up to the old man, took his wrinkled hand and

kissed it respectfully. Yahiaa stroked the boy's hair and studied

his attractive face. He asked:

- Who is he, Zakaria?

Zakaria stretched his legs out in the sun.

- My late brother's son.

The old man sat him down beside him on the skin.

- Do you remember your father, my boy?

- No, sir !

- Your father was a friend of mine. He was a good man.

Qaasim stared up at the different kinds of goods for sale.

Yahiaa stretched out h is hand, took a amulet from a nearby

shelf and hung it round the boy's neck.

- Keep this, and it will keep you from all evil.

Zakaria told Qaasim:

- Yahiaa is from our Alley - from Rifaa's sector.

Qaasim looked at Yahiaa.

- Why did you leave, sir?

Zakaria answered:

- The strongman of Rifaa's sector took a dislike to him a

long ti me ago, and he preferred exile.

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Qaasim

Qaasim exclaimed:

-Just like Shaafiy, Rifaa's father!

Yahiaa gave a long laugh, revealing toothless gums.

- So you know about that, my boy! How well the people of

our Alley know the old stories; what's wrong with them, that

they don 't learn their lesson?!

A boy brought a pot of tea from a cafe and put it down in

front ofYahiaa, then scurried back. Yahiaa brought out a small

package from the breast of his jellaba and began opening it,

saying gleefully:

- I 've got something precious and very powerful; the effect

is guaranteed to last ti ll tomorrow.

Zakaria said eagerly:

- Let's try it!

Yahiaa chuckled.

- I never heard you say no.

- How cou ld I say no to pleasure, Yahiaa?

The two men shared the lump and began chewing i t.

Qaasim watched them so eagerly that he made his uncle laugh.

The old man sipped his tea and asked Qaasim:

- Do you dream of being a strongman like the other people

in our Alley?

Qaasim smi led.

- Yes!

Zakaria laughed and said apologetically:

- Forgive him, Yahiaa! As you know, in our Alley either

you're a strongman or you must be ready for their blows.

Yahiaa sighed.

- God rest your soul, Rifaa; how did you come out of our

hellish Alley?

- That's why he met his end, as you know.