Front Page
Politics
Economy
International
Sports
Society
Culture
Videos
Newspapers
Ahram Online
Al-Ahram Weekly
Albawaba
Almasry Alyoum
Amwal Al Ghad
Arab News Agency
Bikya Masr
Daily News Egypt
FilGoal
The Egyptian Gazette
Youm7
Subject
Author
Region
f
t
مصرس
Kibing Group plans $685m solar glass plant in Egypt's Sokhna – SCZONE chair
EGX ends week in green on Wednesday, July 23
Remittances from Egyptians abroad surge 70% YoY in July–May: CBE
Sudan's ambassador to Egypt holds reconstruction talks on with Arab League
Egypt's current account gap narrows, but overall BoP records deficit
Egypt hosts international neurosurgery conference to drive medical innovation
World Bank proposes Egypt join new global health initiative
Egypt, India discuss expanding industrial, investment partnerships
Egypt's EDA discusses Johnson & Johnson's plans to expand investment in local pharmaceutical sector
I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi
Egypt welcomes 25-nation statement urging end to Gaza war
Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards
Famine kills more Gaza children as Israel tightens siege amid global outrage
Kuwait's Crown Prince, Egyptian minister discuss strengthening cooperation
Egyptian Drug Authority discusses plans for joint pharmaceutical plant in Zambia
Egypt's FM seeks deeper economic, security ties on five-nation West Africa tour
Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry
Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation
Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group
Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system
Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health
Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push
Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts
Egypt, Uruguay eager to expand trade across key sectors
Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal
Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan
Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims
Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara
Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity
Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool
Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote
On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt
Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary
Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data
Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value
A minute of silence for Egyptian sports
Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban
It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game
Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights
Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines
Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19
Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers
Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled
We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga
Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June
Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds
Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go
Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform
Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.
OK
Fan fury
Fayza Hassan
Published in
Al-Ahram Weekly
on 07 - 06 - 2001
By Fayza Hassan
Back from
Paris
, my daughter was lyrical about life in the city of light. She had walked for hours -- really walked, without twisting her ankle or falling into a hole -- all over the city. People were not particularly welcoming, she conceded, but the surrounding order and harmony largely made up for their rudeness. "Would you like to live in
Paris
?" I finally asked. She wasn't really sure, but merely existing in
Cairo
was particularly taxing, she said. She cited pollution, the traffic, the impossibility of finding a parking space, the crazy ways of drivers on the road, the general apathy, etc... Of course, she knew she was lucky to be living in her own country amidst loving members of her family, but she just wished things were not always so difficult. I stressed the positive points, but did not discount the possibility of her moving to
Paris
one day. Who could tell what fate had in store?
"Don't forget that Egyptians are amiable, and generally nicer than people are elsewhere; they are usually helpful and rarely aggressive. We should count our blessings, really," I told her.
That evening, driving home from Zamalek, I was counting them still. I had spent the evening watching television with my mother, and she had commented bitterly on the increase of violence everywhere. As I reflected on our conversation, trying to see the present global turmoil through the eyes of someone who had lived through two world wars and therefore shouldn't be too surprised at the chaos wrought on the world by the superpowers, I steered the car around the corner of the Ahli Club and came to a dead halt, faced with a long queue of stationary cars and a great deal of noise.
Crowds of young boys, maybe a hundred, were blocking the street. Some were dancing, others clapping, many roaring vigourous slogans. There were shouts, followed by frantic applause. Many youngsters perched on the wall of the club opposite the Opera House exit were dropping onto the footpath intermittently. The line of cars was creeping along and all I could do was follow. Strangely, the procession was not accompanied by the usual honking of horns. Only the voices of the boys broke the silence. There could not have been a serious accident, I reflected, as I moved forward at a snail's pace. It looked too much like a celebration, but what were they celebrating, and why were the cars stopped up front?
It had been a particularly hot day and the car's air conditioning was not doing a good job. I had finally rolled my window down, hoping against hope for a cool breeze. By the time I was close enough to realise what the crowd was up to, it was too late to attempt closing it. A group of boys had spotted me and decided I would be a perfect subject for their prank. Some climbed on the hood of the car and jumped up and down, while others began to hit me on the head and shoulders. "Don't be afraid to hit her, she is a grandmother," shouted someone; "she can't hit back." He was quite right. I had quickly decided that the best course of action was to do nothing. I did not want to excite them more by addressing them directly. I knew that no help was forthcoming from my fellow motorists, who were either as surprised as I was, or simply terrorised by the unusual violence.
Fortunately I was tightly strapped in; the seat belt restricted my movements and I could not see myself fumbling with the mechanism fast enough to free myself and slap one of my aggressors in the face. This would have no doubt unleashed their fury and instead of the ineffective, albeit humiliating blows that they managed through the open window, who knows how much more unpleasantly this encounter would have ended?
Finally the cars began to move and the boys dropped off one by one, at first running to catch up with their disappearing prey and then abandoning the race as they spied other unsuspecting motorists coming round the bend.
How could this happen, I wondered, as I finally reached the Corniche heading for Maadi, what did it mean? What had been the point of the performance? My bag had been left untouched on the back seat, my mobile phone was still on the dashboard and no one had attempted to snatch my watch or bracelets. Beside, no one had been seriously hurt: it was not real violence; nothing like the scenes I had watched on television that evening. It was more like aping violence, only half-heartedly getting into the act.
The following day, as I recounted the incident, I was surprised to find out that everyone I spoke to was aware of this kind of behaviour. "There was a football game away and Ahli won, that's all," said a colleague. "The fans were celebrating at home." Were we following the example of European football hooliganism, and would it become dangerous to be out after a game? "Well, you will be relatively safe as long as you keep that red car, and the Ahli keeps up its winning streak," joked someone. Perhaps
Paris
is not such a bad idea after all, I thought to myself. But the French keep going on strike, and they don't like foreigners. I tried to think of life on a deserted island, if any were left. I would certainly die of boredom. A better idea, I finally decided, would be to get a more powerful AC for the car.
Recommend this page
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved
Send a letter to the Editor
Clic
here
to read the story from its source.
Related stories
Gulperie Efflatoun Abdalla: Till death do us part and beyond
Many ways to say I do
A good steak
Obituary: Fayza Hassan, 1938-2009: Life interrupted
To die in style
Report inappropriate advertisement