White Masks (2010)
White Masks
“The sea, the mingled smells of saltwater and fish . . . Sky, gray clouds, waves ... Engine clacking, wheels pitching the ruts, the truck rumbles along. Zayn ’Alloul is sitting next to the driver up front. Mohammad al-Kharoobi and Saleh Ahmad are crouched on two small fenders at the back-end of the vehicle. The aroma of Virginia blend suffuses the front cabin: the driver, known as Nabeel al-Hallaq - Nabeel-the-barber, is smoking. Finding this unpleasant, Zayn fans his face with his hand to try a...nd disperse the smoke, but it still penetrates his nostrils. When he coughs and opens his window, the chill air is like a slap on the face. Rolling the window shut, he turns to the driver: “Now, really, tell me, is this normal - to be smoking at four in the morning?”
The driver looks at him unperturbed, inhales deeply, and carries on driving. Zayn ’Alloul opens the window once more and breathes in the sea air while the vehicle rumbles on its way.
Thank goodness, things are back to normal: a big city like Beirut with no garbage collection and rats practically eating people alive doesn’t bear thinking about!MoreLess
The driver looks at him unperturbed, inhales deeply, and carries on driving. Zayn ’Alloul opens the window once more and breathes in the sea air while the vehicle rumbles on its way.
Thank goodness, things are back to normal: a big city like Beirut with no garbage collection and rats practically eating people alive doesn’t bear thinking about!MoreLess
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