The younger man started to answer him. “It’s close to here… it’s. .”
“Maqhool Street, I know where that is. Right by Sandy’s Bar,” says Abu Saïd.
“Sandy’s?”
“Yeah, Sandy’s. . You know, where Warda works. Or have you forgotten Warda?”
“Anybody ever threaten you, Grandpa?”
“No. Never!”
“Well, then that means is that you’re against us. You’re fifth columnists, agents!”
Then Abu Saïd gets up, goes towards the younger man and slaps him right across the face. “And you?” The young man is shaking from head to foot. “I’m guessing you’re the spy, the one who writes the reports.”
“No no, mister. I swear, it’s nothing to do with me.”
“What about the machine gun then?”
“I didn’t even know we had one.”
“I know your sort. You’ve been sniping at us with that machine gun, haven’t you?”
“Me? No Sir. I swear. And anyway it’s not good for sniping.”
“How do you know?. . It seems you know something about guns after all. .”
“Please, don’t get me wrong! It’s just that, well, I mean, everyone knows that kind of thing! All you have to do is read the papers!”
“The nerve of him!” al-Kurdi says. “You’ve got a nerve!”
Abu Saïd lights a cigarette and clears his throat one more time.
“I know your sort! You’re all the same. Anyhow, the court has ruled. . Oh, no no, before that. . In the name of the revolution, in the name of the people, and after examining the incontrovertible evidence at our disposal, the court has ruled that the two gentlemen. . er… er. . your name?”
“Munzer, Munzer Nahhas.”
“Munzer Nahhas and his son. . er. . your name, boy. .!”
“Jean. Jean Nahhas.”
“. . that the aforementioned gentlemen, Munzer Nahhas and his son, Jean Nahhas, have been found guilty of acting as agents on behalf of imperialism, Zionism, and the Isolationist Forces. Having heard the suspects’ defense and reviewed the documentary evidence presented by the freedom fighter Sami al-Kurdi, the people’s court, sitting at Mr. Nadeem Najjar’s arcade on Independence Avenue, has handed down the following sentence: summary execution by firearms, with immediate effect.”
There was complete silence. “Applause, where’s the applause?” thundered Abu Saïd.
So I started clapping, and then they all joined in. I’ve never been to a public execution, this was my chance! And it was going to be two-for-the-price-of one, like seeing two movies at one show! My, what a fine performance Abu Saïd and those boys put on!
Then, Abu Saïd takes the two men and locks them into the bathroom. And al-Kurdi asks him, isn’t it a bit risky to kill them in cold blood, just like that.
“Well, how else would you have us do it?” Abu Saïd replied. “It’s a death sentence, isn’t it?”
“I tell you, Abu Saïd, it scares me.”
“Bah! You’re just a chicken. And a thief to boot! You’re the one who took all the jewelry from their house. You couldn’t care less about the revolution!”
Sami al-Kurdi said nothing. Abu Saïd glanced over to the boys.
“Well,” he said, “who’s going to carry out the sentence?” No one stirred. “Alright then, I’ll do it, but I need an assistant,” and as he scans their faces, every one of the boys averts his eyes, dropping them to the ground.
“Not a man among you, eh?” Abu Saïd had hardly finished saying, when we heard all this commotion outside. The boys reached for their guns and Abu Saïd peered out to see what was happening, when a tall young man strode into the arcade and placed his hand over the machine gun lying on the table.
“Where are they?” he asks Abu Saïd.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Listen here, Abu Saïd. This isn’t on. Our orders are clear: no abductions or kidnappings! We want them released. Now!”
“No, no, you’ve got it all wrong. You’re mistaken. This isn’t an abduction or a kidnapping. We are responsible people. They are agents, and by capturing them we are discharging our responsibilities to the revolution.”
“What responsibilities, what bullshit! Don’t give me that crap! I want them, Abu Saïd, and I want them now!”
“But. . brother, you don’t understand. We’re the ones in charge around here, and we know what’s best. And anyhow, what do you mean ‘no abductions’? If you can do it, so can we!”
“Abu Saïd, you’d better stop your little game. This place is surrounded, and it’ll be my pleasure to start the bonfire!”
So Abu Saïd gets up cursing and goes to the bathroom to fetch the two men. Then, as the tall young man picks up the machine gun from the table, Sami al-Kurdi steps forward.
“Sorry, brother, but that’s ours. It’s war booty.”
The tall young man pays no attention to him. He takes the machine gun and walks out of the arcade with the two captives. He leads the old man by the arm, with the son following behind, both of them still blindfolded.
“Get in the car, Sir.”
“They’re going to kill us!” the young man cries, falling to his knees.
“Come on, get in, Sir.”
“It is the will of God,” the old man says, his voice breaking. Still on his knees, the son is pleading, I beg you, spare us!
“Don’t worry, you’re going to be alright,” the tall young man says, helping the son to his feet as the father gets in the car. “We’re releasing you.”
“They’re bluffing, Father. They’re going to kill us and throw us in the sea.”
“Almighty God, spare me this ignominious end,” the old man exclaims. “May the Lord protect you and reward your mercy!”
Then, the engine started and the vehicle disappeared.
Inside the arcade, everyone was fuming.
“What business is it of theirs?”
“They said they weren’t going to kill them, but I bet they will!”
We all thought they would. Sami al-Kurdi chuckled.
“Some chief you are, Abu Saïd!” he said. “In fact you’re nothing of the sort, you’re just fooling around! You didn’t even try standing up to them. They did as they pleased. Where’s all that muscle and might of yours, huh?”
“Shut up, you dog!”
“Me? A dog!. . No Sir! More like you’re the dog. . and the son of one too… and a coward, to boot!”
Abu Saïd drew his gun and fired, hitting Sami al-Kurdi in the belly. “Come on, Chief, can’t you take a joke!” he cried, falling to the ground. “See what you’ve done?. . Stop shooting, will you, you’re killing me!”
And the boys picked him up and took him to the hospital.
Abu Saïd stayed in the arcade with me. He sat there, drinking, smoking, and cursing. He was furious. And me, I thought he was right. Yeah, what was it to do with them? Why was it off limits only for him? Because his boys loot? Who doesn’t? No, it’s just because he’s the neighborhood boss and he’s a local. They’re just thugs! But now he’s done for, and so are we. . I think the business is going to go down the drain. . all because of this shitty war. . if it weren’t for this damned war, we wouldn’t be where we are. . I won’t be able to carry on the same as before, I can’t anymore…
Nadeem rambled on like that, and I think I fell asleep while he was still talking. Anyway, there was nothing I could do — he was my husband after all. It was best to keep quiet and put up with him. And that’s exactly what I did, until Ahmad died.
Oh, how could he, how could such a fine young man like Ahmad go and die, just like that! Why did he have to join up? The war has nothing to do with us but we’re the ones who die! I told him, I told him he would die! At night, I would dream that he was dead. And he died! And then Nadeem expects me not to cry over my own brother. . He’s my brother, how could I not cry! How could he shout in front of all those people like that, how dare he!