Good Bye

The sister of my grandmother is very ill and I think she is dying…she died 10 years ago…but she is living physically till now…she is not in a coma or paralyzed…she is waiting for death…it is a horrible feeling…not having anyone in your life…living alone without anyone helping you…or even asking if you need help…or if you are sad or happy…or what you have done today…or yesterday…or the day before yesterday…when we opened the door of her apartment in Shobra where she is living…it was like hell…the smell was like the smell of a dead body left for more than 1 month…garbage was everywhere…in the kitchen…in the living room…under the bed...in the bathroom…I think this was a territory for all bacteria civilizations…where is the food…where is the water…cockroaches were everywhere…her clothes were rotten…I do not believe that this lady has half a million pounds…or maybe more…or maybe less…but she does not need money…she needs love and care…she needs a human being like her…her husband died 20 or 25 years ago…and left her a treasure…in her early days she had many friends…and was having good time sitting with them in the Gezira club…I remember when she used to bring gifts for all my family…she did not know how to spend her money…but she knows that she is happy when she sees a smile in someone’s eyes…she used to buy me balloons and toys when I was a kid…she does not have sons or daughters…but she had our family…she traveled all over the world when she was fit and healthy…and all the children in our family loved her very much…because she spent all time playing with us…kissing us…telling us stories…she had many sisters and brothers…some are dead…some still living…but here is the point…all of them have their lives…and their children…and their grandchildren…they have no time to call her…or help her in anything…and the children she was playing with are grownups now...and some have children...this is mean…this is really mean…I tried to tell the members of my family about that…many many times…but no one wants to do something…no one wants to waste his time with a poor old lady that will die soon…they thought she will die maybe in 1998 or 2000…but we are now in 2007…and she is still living…and breathing…and feeling…telling my mother about that was always a big mistake…where is the bond of the Egyptian families…this is the result of the deteriorating Egyptian society…this is the end of the speeding rhythm of life…this is the awful truth of us…and of me in particular...because I have done nothing...but why wondering about that…if the same is happening with me now…and I am young…am I …wallad…wallad shab

مأساه الشهيد 25

والقت بنفسها تنتحر من اجلى
لم اكن اعلم انى رخيص الثمن
وجدتها بجوارى فى ابهى صوره
سألتها عن الحزن الذى ثقبها
نظرت إلى البلاسترعلى جرحى
ضحكت و قالت : انهم يفضلونك عنى
لم تعلم انه اصبح من حكاوى الماضى
عندما كان الفقير يقبلنى
تتمنى ان يلقى بها فى الماء
و تكون امنيه تعكس اشعه الشمس
كما سمعت من اولاد الفرنجه
اتمنى ان اراكى مره اخرى
نشهد معا على عشق البنات
و لفظت انفاسى الاخيره
بين يدى الطفل البرىء
الذى لم يقدر زمنى

Oscar Predictions 2007

Ok..........here we go…hey, but first the big surprises :

The movie "Dreamgirls" is not nominated for best picture (remember Chicago)
The battle between Clint Eastwood and Martin Scorsese continues
Jack Nicholson is not nominated for best supporting actor in "The Departed"
Almodover's "Volver" is not in the category for best foreign film
Alfonso Cuaron’s "Children of Men" found a place in the Oscar race
The Fountain is not in the best score category
Iraq plays a major role in the nominated documentary films
An Arabic film ( from Algeria) is playing in the Oscar

Here are my predictions:

Best Actor

Forest Whitaker , The Last King of Scotland*****

Leonardo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond
Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Peter O'Toole, Venus
Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness

Best Supporting Actor

Eddie Murphy , Dreamgirls*****

Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children
Djimon Hounsou, Blood Diamond
Mark Wahlberg, The Departed

Best Actress

Helen Mirren , The Queen*****

Penelope Cruz, Volver
Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal
Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet, Little Children

Best Supporting Actress

Jennifer Hudson , Dreamgirls*****

Adriana Barazza, Babel
Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal
Abigal Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine
Rinko Kikuchi, Babel

Best Picture

Babel*****

The Departed
Letters From Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

Best Director

Martin Scorsese, The Departed*****

Clint Eastwood, Letters From Iwo Jima
Stephen Frears, The Queen
Paul Greengrass, United 93
Alejando Inaritu , Babel


Best Foreign Film

Pan's Labyrinth , Mexico*****

After the Wedding, Denmark
Days of Glory, Algeria
The Lives of Others, Germany
Water, Canada

Best Animated Film of the Year

Cars*****

Happy Feet
Monster House

Best Documentary

An Inconvenient Truth*****

Iraq in Fragments
My Country, My Country
Jesus Camp
Deliver Us from Evil

Best Original Score

Babel**
Pan's Labyrinth***

The Good German
Notes On A Scandal
The Queen

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Departed*****

Borat
Children of Men
Little Children
Notes on a Scandal

Best Original Screenplay

The Queen*****

Letters From Iwo Jima
Babel
Little Miss Sunshine
Pan's Labyrinth

I just came from the Opera House after the disappointment of the day:
The film “Babel “ was supposed to be shown in a special screening in the Cinema Club presented by Rafeek Al Saban at 8 pm…that was written in Al Ahram newspaper…the movie-the date-the time and the place…so we all came and sat in the theatre waiting for the film to start....then the film started…but another film…not the film “ Babel “… so all people came out... extremely extremely angry…the funny thing is we all asked before entering the theatre if it is the film “Babel” or not…and they all said yes…aha…really…ok…people in this country who do not understand…I have an exam tomorrow…and I have wasted my money and my time in this bu*****t city…and I am furious…extremely furious...and I do not want to say bad words now...so f**k you very much

فعلا ملسى

يسفن مايا يسلم عجرت يز نامز يد تناك مايا هليمج
فراع نا بعص يللا دح ينمهفى يز ام شدحم مهف يللا لبق هدك و يللا ياج
يبراى ينع فعاف وفعلا بحت ميرك وفع كنا دوجولا يف ءيش لك و يسفن نم يلا بحا كبح يلاحب ام ملعت تنا ينحلصا كدبع ينا كيلا لسوتا ءوسلاب هراما يسفن ناشلع يسفن رش ينق و يبلق يقن و اهلك رومالا يلرسى و ديعس و يتايح نع يضار ينلعجا و ينمركا و ينيوق و يندعاس و حيحصلا قيرطلا يلع ينتبث و لهتلمع يللا هشحولا تاجاحلا لك يل رفغا بنذم ينا تبوت و مدنلا دشا نامدن ادج فياخ يوا فياخ شمحرتب ام سانلا هد بعصلا نمزلا يف ربصا رداق شم يسفن نم يوا نلاعز هاااى اهيب سساح شتنك ام يناهيدم يوا هريتك معن هيلوح نا فراع هدك يقبا زواع تنك ام يرمع دجب هراسخ يوا ريتك تاجاح يف يسفن تملظ ينا فراع يتايح يف هتلمع يللا لك يلع ينحماس هد بكوكلا يلع دح يا ال و هجاح يا شينمهى ام
هدرهنلا نم

انا هسل طيعب نم هوج

1428

صاحبنا طلع مش جاى

الجو بقى صقعه جدا ، فى من البشر كتير نفسهم إن التلج يجى مصر ، و فى من البشر كتير فاكرين إن الجو لازم يحصله حاجه علشان يبقى تلج ، و كل شويه نبص فى السما ونقول يا ترى هوه حيجى و لا مش جاى ، الجو عمره ما يكون نفسه يبقى تلج من نفسه ، علشان عارف إن معظم البشر ما بتتقبلوش ، بس لما الجو بيعرف خلاص انه حيكون تلج ما بيقدرش يمنع نفسه انه ينزل تلج ، بيحاول ينزل تلج خفيف علشان لما ينزل على البشر ما يتجرحوش ، بس فى اوقات بينزل التلج زى الحجر ، فبيكسر حاجات كتير ، الجو عارف انه مش حرام يكون تلج ، المهم انه يعرف الحدود فين و يحافظ على نفسه ابيض ، لانه لو لمس الطينه حيتوسخ ، ما بيهمهوش البشر يحترموه ، المهم انه يحترم نفسه و يقدرها ، و يعرف انه زى ما بينزل فى حتت كتيره فى العالم ممكن برضه ينزل فى مصر ، الجو نفسه يعرف ليه البشر بيخافوا من التلج ، مع انه فى معظم الاحيان مسالم ، مش لازم لما يكون فى تلج تكون فى معاه عاصفه ، البشر اللى فاكرين انهم عمرهم ما شافوا تلج فى حياتهم غير فى التلفزيون مش عارفين انهم عايشين مع التلج طول حياتهم ، بس محبوس فى الفريزر، لو التلج عاوز البشر تبلعه ممكن ببساطه ينسى نفسه فيسيح و يبقى ميه ، بس حيبقى خسر هويته ، علشان كده كتير من التلج بيتعرف بسهوله على التلج اللى زيه و يحب يلزق فيه فبيشعر بالراحه و الاطمئنان انه مش حيدوب بسرعه و يبقى حاجه مش عاوز يكونها ، الجو بيطلب من البشر انهم يسيبوا التلج ينزل فى سلام و يفهموا إنهم مش حيعرفوا يفهموا إن التلج دفيان، غير التلج نفسه، دالتلج زى المطر ، و الميه اصلهم

Final Day Exam

27/6/2013
University of Universe
Faculty of Justice

Name___President of the United States of the World______

Answer all questions
10 marks each
Time: 23 hours

1. Why do you have to sleep in Iraq after you have finished your digging for weapons of mass destruction?
2. Why do you have to talk while you are eating?
3. What is the part you like most in the movie blockbuster “Hanging Saddam “
4. Why do you want all the year’s seasons to be summer?
5. Do you have nightmares of Chinese chopsticks eating you?
6. Have you done an IQ test before?
7. What will you do when your daughters fight in Iraq this year?
8. Why is your iPod full with only Dixie chicks’ songs?
9. Why do you think it is your business to stop Iraqi people killing each other everyday?
10. Have you seen yourself on TV?
11. Why are you sad when one day goes by with a death toll less than 103 Iraqis?
12. Give an explanation of your quote: "I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe — I believe what I believe is right."
13. Why don’t you like the others to have the same bomb you have?
14. Why do you like the chimpanzee more than your black dog?
15. What do you feel when you see the smile of Ahmadinejad?
16. Why do you think that God speaks through you and without that you could not do your job?
17. When was the first time you knew you are a die hard “Star Wars” fan?
18. What is the thing you still don’t know about democracy?
19. Why do you celebrate with Israel the valentine’s day?
20. Have you seen “Black Hawk Down” before going to Somalia again and why?
21. Why are you jealous when you know you still have 2 years to make more people hate you than they hate Hitler?
22. Why do you prefer drinking oil than water?
23. Why aren’t you proud that Hezbollah and Hamas dedicate all their work only for you?
24. Why is your DVD collection full of South Park series?
25. Why do you like to pronounce the word Syria at leas 245 times a day?
26. Why are you trying desperately to win the Nobel price or at least to see your name listed in a history book under the category of greatest achievements?
27. Why are you happy when you remember the 9/11 attacks?
28. Why don’t you like to catch Bin Laden each time you find your mouse?
29. Name me one person (not including yourself) that believed in this sentence you said:” I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about peace.”
30. Why are you so eager to make many sequels of Fahrenheit 9/11?
31. Why do you want to show everyone that you are the best friend of Putin?
32. Why do you want to live in your farm and not in your house?
33. Why do you want to adopt 6 girls from Darfur?
34. Why don’t you like to get all your troops out of Iraq in 1 week and stop the deaths of your soldiers?
35. What is your advice for Egypt?
36. What is the thing that I can do for you to retire?
37. What is the color of my boxers?

نظرية عمك محمد

الدنيا بقت زحمه جدا فى الفتره الاخيرة بطريقه تخنق...بقالها شهر أو شهرين بالحال ده... حتقول علشان الوقتى فى امتحانات نص السنه... لا يا حبيبى... من قبل الامتحانات و احنا على الحال ده ...الواحد علشان يضرب مشوار النهارده لازم ينزل قبليها من امبارح بالليل...بقيت مش عاوز اروح الكليه و لا اشوف اللى فيها...من الغولب اللى باشوفه فى المواصلات...ده انا باحس انى بانزل علشان اقضى اليوم كله فى المواصلات... انا نص حياتى باعيشها اولردى فى الشارع ... و الامتحان كان حايفوتنى بسبب المنيل على عينه المواصلات... قال الراجل بتاع التاكسى مركبنى و بعدين مركب واحده رايحه مكان تانى اساسا...و بعدين قولت للسواق انه مش حينفع يقوللى ما تيجى تسوق مكانى احسن ...و بعدين الست تقول له خش من الشارع ده ...يقوللها لا يا مدام ...انا ماشى طوالى ....حضرتك تنزلى و تتمشيها ...تقول له فى مخها يا سافل يا حقير و تديله جنيه مع بصه وحشه ... و انا طبعا مخى المفروض فى الامتحان اللى انا رايحه ... و بعدين الراجل قاللى بعد نص المشوار انه لازم يمون ... و نقف ورا طابور عربيات... كنت عاوز اش**له بس قولت بلاش ... و الامتحان حيبتدى خلاص...اتعلمت طبعا انى لازم انزل قبل ميعادى بيوم ...طب انا طالب فاشل رايح الكليه علشان ينام فى المحاضرات...امال الموظف و اللا العامل اللى رايح شغله ده...حينام برضه؟ و الله الناس فى مصر دول صعبانين عليه... ده انا بيجيلى شلل لما اشوف وقفه المواصلات و نفسى بتتسد انى اركب مواصله منهم...باروح اشترى حاجه اكلها و اقف اتفرج على الشارع الواقف...منظره جميل مش كده...الناس محشوره جوه علب و نفس كل واحد فيهم ان عربيته تطير... على فكره انا اكتشفت ان كل مصروفى بيضيع فى المواصلات... طب الدنيا طول عمرها زحمه...بس الوقتى بالذات بقت زحمه اوى...زحمه بزياده...اوفر ...زحمه اوس حداشر...زحمه موووت... ليه...قوللى ليه...اقوللك ليه...اصل الشوارع قلت...كشت يعنى...و العربيات خلفت عربيات صوغنتاتين...و بعدين الناس بتموت... بس العربيات بتعيش... تلاقى العربيه البيتلز الخنفسه ماشيه مطلعه لسانها للعربيه البى ام دبليو...كل سنه انواع جديده بتنضم لقافله العربيات المكسحه... و بعدين كل الناس بتنزل فى نفس الوقت...مش عارف ليه يا اخى...الناس هايجه و عاوزه تنزل الشارع...ما تسيبها يا اخى تنزل تنفس عن اللى جواهاانا بجد خايف على كوبرى اكتوبر ده لحسن يقع و يبقى كوبرى 67...و لغايه دالوقتى عمالين يمطوا فيه...لما بابا يبقى عنده عربيه و ماما كمان تبقى عندها عربيه و اخويه برضه عنده عربيه و اختى برضه عندها عربيه انا مايبقاش عندى عربيه ليه...قوللى ليه...اقوللك ليه...اصل يا بنى لو ركبت عربيه مش حاطلع منها... يا حخلف جواها... يا حيجيلى عقم... يا حدخل النار بعد ما شتمت كل رايح و كل جاى ماشى قدامى...اللى بقه حايكسر عليا و اللى يولع الفلاش فى عينى و اللى بيزمرلى ... انا اعصابى بتتعب بسرعه جدا و بتنرفز من اى حاجه حتا الدبانه اللى بتقف على قفايا...تخيل بقه واحد ينرفزنى فى المواصلات...حتتشتم حتتشتم...لا مفر يا بنى... و ايه مش شتايم يا وحش و يا كوخه و انتى انسانه مووش محترمه و كده ... لا...لا لا لا ... نو نو نو... الشتايم اللى بتطلع منى زى ضرب الاقلام.. بتلسع... و لازم يبقى قبليها يابن ال أو يابت ال...و شتايمى طوييييله خالص... طب اعمل ايه... خاللينى اخلل فى التو- كوس-آه والتوبس-آت و الميكروبعبصات اللى بركبه ده...كفايه بقه هزار و خللينا فى الموضوع...لازم نلاقى حل سريع مريع فى الزحمه دى...يعنى ممكن مثلا مثلا اننا نخللى يوم للارقام الزوجيه و يوم للارقام الفرديه بالنسبه لعربيات الملاكى... و طبعا احنا مصريين... و كل حاجه و ليها حل... يبقى الحل انى اشترى عربيه بارقام زوجيه و عربيه بارقام فرديه... او اجيب لوحه وشها يبقى بارقام فرديه و الوش التانى بارقام زوجيه...و لما الراجل يمسكنى بالارقام الفرديه فى يوم الارقام الزوجيه و يقول لى حات الرخصه... حاقول له طب ما تاخد عشره جنيه احسن...يقول و ماله...و ممكن مثلا مثلا نقسم الطرق قسمين...قسم للعربيات تتحشر فيه... و قسم للعجل... اللى عاوز يركب بسكلته يركب...و لما الناس المحشوره فى قسم العربيات تشوف الناس بتجرى فى قسم العجلات حتتغاظ...ماتتغاظ... و بعدها يحولوا من نظام الكار لنظام البيتيسيكلوم... بس فى مشكله واحده...اولا الستات حيسوقوا بسكلته ازاى...بالنسبه للستات المحجبات حيكون الامر شديد الصعوبه فمن احسنلها تقعد فى البيت او تتحشر فى قسم العربيات...اما الستات اللى مش محجبات فلازم ينسوا خالص موضوع الجيب و الفستان... و يركزوا شويه فى موضوع البنطالونات...طب لو بنت حلوه و سايقه العجله...طبعا حايجى الولد و يروح ضاربها كتف من بتوعه تقع من العجله فيعمل نفسه جينتل و يشيلها من على الارض...سيبك خالص من موضوع الستات دول...خاللينا فى الرجاله...طب الراجل حايسوق العجله ازاى لما لازم يشيل معاه الشنطه و الادوات و اكياس مليانه بمستلزمات البيت و الحاجات اللى فى بطنه كمان...اكيد اكيد حايقع...بصراحه المشروع ده فاشل...خش عاللى بعده...المجلس الاعلى لحقوق المواصلات حيقرر ان ممنوع اى عيله تكون عندها اكتر من عربيه واحده فقط...حل جميل...بس لما الراجل يتجوز اتنين...حايبقى عنده عيلتين...و علشان كده طبعا عربيتين...و لما يبقى عنده ولدين...و اللتنين متجوزين...حيبقوا عندهم برضه عيلتين...و كل واحد عربيه...حل موش بطال...انا جاتلى فكره تحفه...حل بثيت بثيت جدا...نغلى سعر البنزين...نخللى اللتر بخمسه جنيه...و كده نقطع العرق و نسيح دمه...اصل المشاكل فى مصر ما تتحلش غير بقرار عنيف و حازم... برضه مش عاجبكم الحل ده...طب خد ده بقه...حنقضى على آفه التاكسى و الميكروباص و الاتوبيسات العامه و نشيلهم من الخريطه خالص...و المواطن اللى عاوز يروح حته يروحها بعربيته... و لو معهوش يخللى صاحبه يوصلله...و لو معندهوش صاحب يروحها بالمترو...و لو ماينفعش... يروحها مشى...و لو مش قادر يمشى يخليه فى البيت احسن...هوه ده النظام و اللى مش عاجبه مش حاقول له يدور على اعلى جمل و اللا حصان واللا بهيمه يركبه...لا...لا لا لا ...نو نو نو...حاقول له اتلهى... فكت...كفايه بقه تريأه و خللينا فى صلب الموضوع...الحل هوه اللامركزيه...يا عم غور فى ستين داهيه...الحل هوه انه مافيش حل...قوللى ليه...اقوللك ليه...أو احسن اقوللك نظريه عمك محمد و خلاص...عمك محمد سواق تاكسى...من كتر ما بركب تكاسى تكسيات تكوسه فى اليوم بقابل ساعات نفس التاكسى كذا مره...ومنهم تاكسى عمك محمد و خلاص...لما ركبت معاه المره السادسه سألته عن رأيه فى سبب الزحمه الرهيبه اليومين دول قال لى إن فى مؤامره كبرى...أو بمعنى آخر خطه جهنميه...الزحمه دى مقصوده منهم...سألته من مين...قال لى منهم و خلاص... قولتله ماشى كمل...همه عاوزين الدنيا تبقى زحمه كده عالطول...و الشوارع تبقى مقفله باحكام...ليه...قوللى ليه...اقوللك ليه...علشان يا سيدى الناس تنهار فى الزحمه...و هيه رايحه الشغل...و هيه راجعه مالمشوار...عاوزين الناس تبقى منهكه عالاخر... و تقعد تتخانك عالاجره زى ما حاعمل معاك لما اوصلك...اصل المشوار اللى بخمسه جنيه فى الزحمه بيبقى عشره جنيه... و الميكروباص من رمسيس بدل ما كان بجنيه بقى بجنيه و عشره قرش...هوه العشره قرش دول حيعملوا حاجه الايام السوده دى...يا سلام لما الناس مايبقاش فيهم نفس يتنفسوا...عاوزين يتشغلوا بالمواصلات و يطلعوا طاقاتهم المكبوته و اللى لسه حاتتكبت فى الزحمه... ما يفكروش فى اى حاجه خالص غير فى قرف الزحمه...زى ما هوه ماكتوب فى قائمه عبده قلقاس لازم يتم...اوكاى...انت اسمك ايه بقه...اسمى عمك محمد و خلاص...ماشى يا عمك محمد و خلاص...اهو و خلاص اللى فى الاخر دى هيه اللى مواديانه فى داهيه...انا قررت خلاص...و ده قرارى الاخير خلاص...انى اسود الدنيا فى عيشيتكم اكتر... اخليها ضلمه مش كحلى... و ازود الطينه بله...ما هيه خربانه خربانه...و بإجماع الآراء... قررت بعد تفكير عميق... و مصالحه مع النفس...انهم يجيبولى عربيه

and so

…and in cyberspace, reading all your fascinating blogs, all your thoughts and dreams, all your ideas and memoirs, I have the feeling that I know all of you, from a long time ago, and I am not sure if it is real or not, I had the impression that the beautiful life I was searching for does exist, but inside everyone’s computer, we do share our stories together, we found a common ground for living, we all know what is wrong and what is right, but we do not live it , we do not live our real life, is it the power of a savage society, when I read the mails I receive from all of you, I feel relieved , because you see that there is still hope ,and that there are a lot of good people out there, but where are they in real life, in mails I discovered that there are people that understand what I feel , although they haven’t seen me in their lives, and maybe live thousand miles away , but they are me , they know what is inside me more than my family members do , they are the ideal community if brought together, so why don’t you show yourself to the public , why do we keep it inside ourselves , I traveled to many countries and I have never seen a community like us , we are perfect in listing the faults and disadvantages in our lives, a top-notch criticizer , in every aspect, all the day we talk about the little tiny problems we have , and we know the solutions , but we do not take a single step in solving our problems, or in changing our behavior , is this the sarcastic irony of this era ,so many wonderful people blogging in Egypt and suggesting extraordinary ideas to improve the nowadays condition , yet you don’t see them in your daily life , even if you make a gathering of all bloggers and enlightened people in this country , no one could show it the way he or she does in his or her blog, it is so easy to write I hate my boss but it is so difficult to say it face to face , why can’t we live the life we want in the real life, why are we stuck in this dream world and don’t realize our ambitious goals and hopes, are we afraid of each other, to show what is inside ourselves, not knowing if it is going to be accepted and respected from the other members of the society , is it laziness to be friendly to your fellow citizen and to believe that you have to be the start of this improvement, can we really do what we want to do or are we led by something we don’t know, do we need a short break of life to understand the reality of life , you know sometimes I wish I could start my life again , to write my story in a book of white empty pages , but I know I am living this life , in this century , in this land , with these people , and these circumstances , and nothing can bring me out of it but death, so…

الاستعباط الجماعى

صحيت النهارده الصبح و حلقت دقنى و استحميت و كويت هدومى و فطرت و نزلت وركبت السى تى اى و روحت الكليه و ملاقيتش حد ، فين الناس ، فين الطلبه ، فين الاساتذه ، فين الموظفين ، مافيش انس ، روحت علشان اشرب كابوتشينو لقيت الكافيتريا قفله ، ليه ، هوه النهارده فى ايه ، روحت وسط البلد علشان اشترى سماعات واكمان لقيت المحلات قفله ، هوه فى ايه يا جماعه النهارده ، هوه النهارده اجازه و انا ماعرفش ، لما ركبت التاكسى سألت السواق ، هوه النهارده فى ايه ، قاللى كل سنه و انت طيب ، النهارده خامس يوم العيد ، بجد ، ماكنتش اعرف ، طب ليه ماحدش قاللى ، طب بكره فى اجازه برضه ، آه ، اده ، ده رسمى ، يعنى كان عندى الجمعه الواقفه اجازه ، و السبت كان اول يوم العيد اجازه ، و الاحد و الاثنين و الثلاثاء اللى همه تانى و تالت و رابع يوم العيد اجازه ، الاربعاء المفروض فى شغل بقه ، انا عمرى ما سمعت عن خامس يوم العيد ، السواق قاللى : و لسه ما سمعتش عن سادس يوم العيد ، قولت له : اده ، هوه بقه فى سادس كمان ، آه ، يا سلام ، ما شاء الله ، لما رجعت البيت و قعدت مع نفسى افكر ، و امخمخ ، اكتشفت ان الناس ضحكت عليه ، خانتنى خيانه مش مشروعه ، ادتنى زمبه كبيره يعنى ، بقه كل الناس ، كل كل الناس اللى فى مصر ، كلهم كده قرروا مع بعض ، مع بعضهم فى الخباثه ، و من غير ما يقولولى ، انهم يخدوا من الجمعه اللى فاتت ايام العيد الاربعه و يزودوا عليهم اتنين من عندهم اللى همه الاربعاء و الخميس و معاهم بالمره الجمعه و السبت الجايين و الاحد عيد المسيحيين كمان اجازه ، لا ، ازاى ، ليه ، هيه الدنيا سبهلله ، هوه مافيش كبير فى البلد و لا ايه ، لا ، و من غير ما يقوللولى كمان ، لا ، كده من نفسهم ، طب كنتم تقولولى ، يا غدارين ، كلمت خالتى و سألتها عن اللى حصل ده ، قالتلى انها ما رحتش الشغل النهارده ، نعم يا خالتو ، انتى كمان يا خالتو ، مش مصدق يا خالتو ، صدمتينى صدمه العمر يا خالتو ، بقه انتى مع الشله فى السر ، و خبيتى عليه ، قالتلى ان دى حاجه بالعقل تتفهم ، ما حدش قال للتانى انه حايخدهم اجازه ، همه المصريين بيفكروا بالطريقه دى ، ده قرار جماعى نابع من القلب ، كان لازم تفهم ده من نفسك ، امال انا ايه ، انا مش مصرى و انا ماعرفش؟اوك ، ماشى ، ادى دقنى اهى حلقتها زى ما حلقتولى، ويلكام لظاهره الاستعباط الجماعى

A New Year's Eve in Cairo

It is 9:18 pm now and I do not know where to go…I want to celebrate the new year’s eve and I do not find a single person to go with me out…to do something…anything…where are the people…I do not know…is it just me or what…girls are sending me messages greeting me for Eid and new year …huh…and one of them sent me a message saying at the end…mabteb3tleesh missed leh…ok…I really don’t understand how Egyptian girls think…

Kingkong is with her best friends in Sharm for a house/trance party…she is a partyolic girl…I wished she was here to go out with her & Co…
I called Kiko but he had to study for exams after the Eid…and Miko is traveling with his family…and another one is studying now…and another one telling me that it is very cold outside and he feels the comfort in his house…in his bed…
what should I do now…I can not just stay at home and watch TV while eating popcorn…this could not be the day of my life…the day where I pass from a year to another…A.Y told me he will wait for his father to return home to tell him that he is going out…in other words to wait for his approval…then he will call me…mmm…I could not believe that…so I decided to go out and let’s see what will happen…
I told the taxi driver that I want to go to the Ahly club…we were on 6th October bridge when he ordered me to go out because he saw hundreds of cars waiting in lines…no time for arguing…I walked down the bridge to find a human explosion…thousands of people waiting in front of the Opera House to go to Mohamed Mounier’s concert…killing each other to buy a ticket from a small window…and policemen trying desperately to bring order to the place…someone told me he will not enter the concert because he wanted to see the fireworks…are they going to show us fireworks…great…but hey…couldn’t you see it from the concert…many teenagers got ticket from people who are already inside…a friend of them bought the ticket…35 pounds…then collected tickets from people inside and gave them to someone waiting outside through the fence…and this one give them to his friends to enter again with the same tickets…well…it is a good idea…why to buy a ticket when I can get it for free…this is not stealing…this is an Egyptian fahlawa…
I walked the Kasr El Nile bridge to see how the ordinary people enjoy this event by just sitting in front of the nile… I went then to Semiramis InterContinental Hotel to see if there is a party inside or something…it was 11:35 pm and A.Y did not call…in the elevator I was standing with people from the Egyptian high society…people I only see in television and magazines…and the glamour was shining form the party hall…and the music was excellent…when A.Y called it was 11:58pm…he told me he is waiting in front of Semiramis…the elevator did not want to come so I decided to take the emergency stairway…
Hey hey hey…stop here…what…I do not believe that…this was the last thing I could ever imagine…to spend the change from 2006 to 2007 in an empty room with no people and no voice or music...dim light and creepy atmosphere…what for an isolation…what for a loneliness…I had to take a picture of the place where I was when the clock showed 12:00…akhhhh…grrrr…bad bad bad…very bad…I will never forget this…this is a bad start…don’t be pessimistic guy…2007 is going to be a happy year…for you and for all of us…this is a good sign but you don’t understand it…
I went with A.Y to the Four Seasons Hotel…boring boring boring…a man was playing classical music and people were just eating…blah…he went to the bathroom…A.Y…don’t tell me you want to check your looks…not again…you are fine…you have to be more confident…I had a nice chat with the bathroom man…he told me he works in this bathroom for more than 8 hours a day…it was his dream to work in this hotel.…good for him…because I don’t mind to live in this bathroom….it is so elegant and beautiful…wow… A friend of A.Y called him to tell that there is a good party in a villa near Mansouria and another one in club35…should we go to Bliss…or Sangria… we decided not to go…it was late habibi…and very very very expensive…we went to the 27th floor to watch the fireworks….but there were no fireworks…mmm…what a city…hey…I want to live in a hotel…isn’t it nice to live in a hotel…to have this beautiful view of Cairo…
We went to Hard Rock Café…and guess…the ticket costs 350 pounds…no way…we just stood outside with the ordinary Egyptian youth watching sexy girls going in and out…
Then we sat in Grand Hayat hotel…we found out that everyone in Cairo was having the same problem…where to go in new year’s eve…nothing to do in this vivid city…we do not have money to go to expensive discos…people were just walking in the hotel’s lobby…and I had the feeling that everyone wanted to shout out loud: what a boring night…what a boring city…
I told A.Y : let’s go to Cairo Jazz Club…we went there...we could hear the good trance and house beats…we wanted to go in because the D.J was fabulous…the guard didn’t let us go in…he told us that this was a private party…ok man…thank you very much…good night…and good luck…

Finally we decided to go to my home…we ordered Pizza Hut which had no taste at all…although I told A.Y that it was great…because he was the one who ordered it…we ate pizza and ice cream and watched a DVD movie…American Beauty…and then his parents called him…so he had to go home…

He stood in front of my doorstep and said:brrr…it is soooo brrr cold outside…Happy new year…I hope you had a good time today

...we heard the fireworks boom…and I gave him a big smiley face