Heartreminder

Like many a morning I walked through 26 July-street which is perhaps the most important road in Cairo. Always occupied with traffic as it connects east with west and north with south. ‘A fairly peculiar place, never really day nor night’, I fancied. The sky is covered with viaducts, leaving hardly any space for the sun to pierce through. On any particular day, perhaps with the exception of a Friday one will find the air filled with flamboyant voices of frustrated but happy drivers needing to stop every second or so; you’ll see shop owners welcoming in pedestrians who on their turn try to avoid them. And still this place is also the soul of the youth who come together at Culture Wheel, a place full of artistic pleasures. Out of mere thankfulness I had decided to give away some charity. I had barely thought it when I saw a lady sitting on the pavement, dressed with the most beautiful smile. Her eyes though surrounded with wrinkles were absolutely captivating. It seemed she knew me. I felt drawn to her as if she had waited for me. With a small hand gesture she told me to sit down, as if welcoming me into her home. In front of her lap was what must be the smallest shop, all laid out on a piece of cloth not larger than a normal size of drawing paper. Her daughter, who was at first playing about, came running back to her mother out of curiosity. I wanted to ask all the obvious questions, but they remained on my tongue. Instead I asked her something silly: ‘What are you selling?’ ‘Well little things’, she said. ‘Like gum, musk, praying cards and other things.’ I continued with a pointless remark when I finally asked: ‘Never mind me asking Madame, but where are you from?’ She understood my real question and said: ‘I travelled three hours to come and sell these things. You see, I’m a widow and my daughter is hospitalized, but I’m not able at all to pay the bill.’ I silently took it in. She was despaired, but her character did not allow her to beg for money. So she travelled this distance to a well-known wealthy street in the hope one might have mercy on her. An old widowed woman with a disability will never find a job in Egypt, I thought. What must become of all these women and children with no way out? I felt God send me to her for a reason. She was not only the cause of my charity just now, but also a feeling she ignited in me, a dream I hope to fulfil for these women. To her I say, you have given me more than I gave you. For that I’m eternal grateful.