Valérie Azoulai

Manhattan, Sunday, March 1rst, 1998; 21 East 66th St. going to 300 West 12th St.

Please...Mr. Cab Driver!

He: Where are you from?

Me: I live in Switzerland.

He: No...I mean where are you from?

Me: You mean my parents originally?

He: Yes!

Me: My father comes from Egypt and my mother is German.

He: (through the mirror) YOU KNOW I come from Egypt too.

Me: That's the reason why you asked me? Did YOU KNOW?

He: Yes.

Me:Where are you from in Egypt?

He: A small village near Cairo.

Me: Really? My father is actually BORN Cairo.

He: (with a strong accent) Do you speak arabic?

Me: NO...

He: Have you been there?

Me: NO...

He: You know YOU HAVE TO GO. You will NEVER FORGET it... I feel home there. I will go back. Your father MUST GO BACK vera often?

Me: NO.

He: Where did your friend go?

Me: You mean the guy with me on the street?

He: Yes, your boyfriend!

Me: I don't know. He is just a friend!

He: Then where is your boyfriend?

Me: I DON'T HAVE ANY.

He: This is not possible. You must have one in your country...

Me: NO.

He: WHY?

Me: I DON'T KNOW...may be I did not find the right one?

He: I DON'T UNDERSTAND why your father doesn't go back to Egypt? He must miss home?

Me: That's a very interesting question... I don't understand eiter. He never talks about it...as he never spoke Arabic with us.

He: HE MUST BE A STRANGE MAN vera strange. When you are from Egypt you can never forget it. PROMISE ME you will go there. PLEASE DO. What do you do in Switzerland?

Me: I guess you can say I'm an artist!

He: How do you say that in German?

Me: Künstlerin...ich bin eine Künstlerin.

He: I will teach you how to say it in Arabic: ana bent. Repeat after me: ana bent.

Me: ANA BENT.

He: You know HERE cab drivers they DON'T SPEAK. In Egypt people are so nice. And my English is too bad...but I enjoy life. I try to talk with people. Not like people here!

Me: You think people are NOT HAPPY HERE? I like it though.

He: NO! They don't talk; they don't have time...they are just here for the money. That's it!

Me: i am not...and I talk to you! I think we are getting close to my place...don't forget to turn right at the light PLEASE...