Egyptian Blues

EGYPTIAN BLUES
(Genesis 12: 10-20)
 
As the aircraft taxied on the runway, he 
pulled his wife close. “Hey, babe. I just 
thought of something…”
The wife turned and looked at him. 
“What, darling?”
“I heard the President of this country 
is a chronic womanizer. He chases any 
woman he sees. I am worried if he 
sees you, he would want to have you…”
 
His wife laughed! “Seriously? 
At my age? Come on, Sweetheart! 
When did you start becoming insecure? 
Come off it!”
The husband went on, “Well, the news 
I heard would worry any husband. 
I just want you to be careful…”
“Careful? How? I don’t get you.”
“I understand the President has 
spies who go about the city, looking 
for beautiful women to recommend 
to him. 
You know you are a very beautiful woman…”
“I am also 65 years old, remember? 
There are enough young ladies in 
this country- I honestly don’t expect 
any randy President to see me as a 
prospective Side Chick!”
 
What she said made sense: the average 
randy man wouldn’t chase a 65 year old 
woman. 
But he still wasn’t comfortable with the idea.
If only there was no famine in their 
country, they wouldn’t have immigrated 
to Egypt.
 
But here they were…
 
They checked into their hotel that 
evening and rested. 
The wife wanted them to go out to 
explore the new environment: “let’s go 
sight-seeing”, she suggested. 
“I’m tired, Darling. We are going to be 
here for a while, we can always do 
that some other time”, the husband 
responded.
Actually, he wanted to find out all 
he could about the President- he 
didn’t want any surprises! 
He went online, reading all the blogs 
and news on the President, especially 
about his womanizing escapades. 
He was surprised there was so much 
information! 
This guy had no scruples doing what 
he does- he wasn’t even discreet 
about it!
 
Next morning, they decided to go to the 
restaurant for breakfast. 
The husband asked his wife to wear a veil. 
“Please, darling. 
Just do it!” She obliged him.
They went to the restaurant in the 
basement for breakfast. 
She had to take off the veil to eat. 
Then it happened: someone brought 
out his phone and took a picture of her! 
Another guy did same! And another…
The husband was agitated! 
“Hey! Why are you taking her picture? 
This is illegal!”
The photographer laughed!
 “She’s a beautiful woman, sir- and 
she’s in a public place. I haven’t 
broken any laws- this is EGYPT, bro!”
It dawned on him the laws of his country 
does not extend here. 
In his country, you don’t take people’s 
pictures without their consent. 
In Egypt, the laws are different…
 
Later that night, they sat on the balcony 
of the hotel enjoying the fresh air. 
Suddenly, 3 vehicles drove in at 
frightening speed and 8 men came 
out of 2 of them. 
The third seemed to carry a very 
important person. 
The men entered the hotel. 
A few minutes later, there was a knock 
on their door! 
The man and his wife looked at each 
other: they had a sense of foreboding. 
They opened the door and there were 
the men that just entered the hotel! 
One who seemed to be the spokesman
 said, “Good evening, sir. Are you 
two married?”
The couple looked at each other.
“Erm… No- she’s my sister”, the man replied.
“Good! The President sent us. 
He asked us to bring her to the Presidential 
Palace immediately!”
 
He watched as these men carried his 
wife away to meet another man: the 
man with a bad reputation with women!
What he feared just happened to him!
He had no idea what to do.
He couldn’t sleep, he couldn’t eat.
He tried calling his wife, her phone 
was switched off. 
It had been off since she was taken 
away. 
It was torture, imagining what was 
going on with his wife and the President...
 
He managed to fall asleep around 4am. 
But he was jolted awake by a loud knock 
on his door by 8am!
 What is wrong with this country, he 
wondered. 
Everyday with its own trouble! 
He opened the door to see the same 
men that carried his wife away about 
12 hours earlier. 
They have come to take him to the 
Palace also, they told him. 
He went with them, wondering what 
would happen to him.
 
As he was ushered into the President’s 
presence. He noticed he was quiet and 
somehow scared! “Good morning, 
your Excellency…” The President looked up: 
“Why didn’t you tell me she is your wife? 
Why are you so wicked?”
The husband was shocked.
He didn’t know what to say. 
“I was s-s-scared your Excellency, he 
stammered. “I didn’t know what you 
would do to me if you know she’s my 
wife.”
The President looked at him.
 Somehow, the man felt he had an 
encounter that rattled him. “Please take 
your wife and go! Just go, please! 
I don’t want any trouble…!”
 
His wife was brought in a few minutes 
later.
“There she is. 
Please be informed nothing happened 
between us. 
Her presence in my Palace for the past 
few hours has brought untold hardship 
on me, my family and my administration. 
I don’t know who you are, but you are 
apparently not an ordinary man. 
Please take your wife and leave: the 
hours she’s spent in my Palace are 
the worst I’ve ever lived! 
Go your way and leave my country, 
please!”
And they were both escorted out of 
the Presidential Palace back to their 
hotel. They packed their stuff, checked 
out and headed to the airport in the 
Presidential Motorcade.
 
A few minutes later, they were airborne, 
heading back to their country…
 
Haruna Daniels