Welcome home ?

Cairo airport. I’m waiting for K. my friend and driver to come pick me up. There are people everywhere, a policeman is shouting at a man trying to casually drive his car into the gate just to get closer to the airport exit.

An airport employee is pushing a cart loaded with about 10 bags all precariously stacked. He isn’t looking in front of him, he is looking to the side, towards a wall, and is smoking a cigarette, looking absolutely zen. He is followed by a rabble of children, some of which are trying to climb the bags he is pushing. He crashes right into me, dropping my bags and nearly breaking my duty free alcohol bottles. I tell him to watch out, to look in where he is going. In all serenity, he turns his attention to me with surprise and says in a singsong voice:

« Calm down madame, rest madame رييحى يا مدام اهدى كدة ارتاحى»

« What do you mean rest ? »

« I mean rest or you will get hurt, your things will break, you will drop your bags رييحى لحسن تكسري حجتك او توقعى الشنطة»

He seemed oblivious to the fact that my bags had already been knocked over by him.

« My things will break because you are driving a cart into them and not looking in front of you! »

«Oh! Maybe you have a point. Mashy, Salam»