Cairo! Joys and Teras - Novel Chapter (1)

(1)

Nashaat Refaat Abu Al-Hassan parked his car near Foad 1st University in Giza. In 1949, few students had cars. This day he wanted to reach the university late. He did not want to be present when they declare the result of the final exam. He was in the final year in the Faculty of commerce. He wanted to be at the university when his colleagues knew the result of the exam. He was the son of Refaat Pasha Abu Al-Hassan, the renowned politician of the Liberal Constitutional Party.

In the university yard, students were two groups, the first abandoned Fez. The second group wore it. Nevertheless, all students were fully dressed; suits and ties.

Congratulations,´ a student shouted. He waved a hand to Nashaat.

He knew that he finally obtained his bachelor degree in accounting. His friends gathered around him and they decided to go to Gizira Club where they usually spent times there. This time they would celebrate. In fact, they celebrated every occasion and event with the high-class girls and some others from the foreign communities, in the club. On his way, he passed at the Post Office to telegram to his father to tell him about his success.

Refaat Pasha Abu Al-Hassan (Pasha is a title equivalent to Lord), was in his office when one of the servants brought the telegraph to him. He read it and threw it on his desk. He would be happier if his son was graduated from Faculty of Law or was an officer in the army. All ministers were lawyers. His son chose to be an accountant. Refaat Pasha always believed that influence brings money. He was a Member of Parliament. He wanted his son to take his parliamentary seat as a step to be a minister. He could not see what a bachelor of commerce might add to a man from an influential family. He read the post and revised other reports from his employees in the building that his father and uncle had built to run the family business, the cotton and other crops, the export operations of cotton and other real estate business. This building was not far from the palace in which the family lived. At five pm, the driver was ready to take the Pasha to the palace. From the car window, he saw the farmers returning home after the working day. Some were walking and others were riding donkeys. From the second floor veranda of the palace Eetemad, his wife and parental cousin saw the car coming. She asked her three daughters to go to their rooms and to dress for dinner. Refaat Pasha took the direction of the internal stair between the first and the second floor without a word to the servant that opened the door for him and took his handbag from the driver who stopped at the double iron gate of the palace. The servant put the handbag on the desk in the study room. Eetemad was standing at the last step of the stair to receive the Pasha.

Hello, Pasha,´ she said. She kissed him on the cheek.

He kissed her on the cheek and smiled but he did not say a word. He entered the bedroom and she followed him. She helped him to take off the suit and opened the door separating the bedroom from the adjacent bathroom. When he immersed himself in the tub, she chose a suit, a tie and a shirt for him to wear during the dinner. Then she took one of her dresses and started to wear it while he was having his shower. She made some fine touches to her make-up then she was ready to help him wear his suit. It took about one hour for them to be ready to have dinner with the daughters. They descended the stair to the ground floor where, twenty-two-year old Farida, sixteen-year old Fayza and five-year old Malak were in the study room waiting for their father. Fayza and Malak returned from Alexandria with the other driver about a quarter an hour before their father came. The farm was about thirty kilometers away from Alexandria, but the girls were used to riding the car everyday to go to school. They were studying in the French School, Notre Dame. Fayza the eldest daughter finished her study but she did not like to go to the university. Their brother Nashaat was graduated from Victoria College. It was the tradition of high-class families to send boys to English schools and girls to French schools. Malak ran at her father to show him a picture she drew in the school.

Madam said that I´m good at drawing and that I´ll be a good painter,´ she said.

He kissed her and said indifferently, ´drawing is a good hobby. You can do that and you may go to Fine Arts College to study there when you grow up.´

Over the dinner, he told them that Nashaat was graduated. He was indifferent and even unenthusiastic. His manner made Eetemad tense.

You still think it would be better if he became a lawyer or an officer,´ she said.

Of course, I don´t know how his accounting degree will help him. We hire accountants. After all he will be a politician to take my seat in the Parliament,´ he said.

In the future of course after a long life. Now he may see some of the family business under your supervision,´ she said.

Let´s phone him,´ Farida said. ´We may go to Cairo if he won´t come.´

Refaat dropped the knife and the fork nervously. She looked angrily at his daughter. ´How come he does not come? How come he forgets the annual memorial service of your grandfather, may God bless his soul?´ he threw the napkin on the table and left to the study room.

I want to have a word with you,´ Eetemad said to Farida. She left the dinner and the three daughters followed her.

In the girls´ room, Farida tried to defend herself but Eetemad was too angry. Eetemad finished her long lecture that brought tears to Farida´s eyes by saying, ´First you did a mistake that you thought that your brother might forget his grandpa. Second, you did a mistake for the memory of your grandpa who is my father and your father´s uncle. You have to apologize to your father. You own an apology to your brother as well. Now you wash your face, correct your make-up and I´ll be waiting for you down at the reception to go to your father.´

When Farida was descending on the stair that joined the ground floor to the bedrooms, her mother asked the Nubian butler to go to ask the Pasha if he was ready to receive them.

The Nubian man approached Eetemad and said politely, ´my master the Pasha invites you to his study room.´

The moment Eetemad and Farida entered the room the phone rang. The Pasha invited them to have a seat with a movement from his hand while he picked the mouthpiece. His face changed. They noticed that something serious happened and angered him.

How come you won´t come this week? Did you forget the annual memory of your grandpa,´ the Pasha shouted angrily.

Farida tried to hide her smiling face by her hands. Eetemad noticed that her daughter was about to laugh.

Go upstairs now. Dad is busy,´ Eetemad said.

Farida told Fayza about the Nashaat´s phone call and they burst into uncontrollable laughs.

I don´t see a cause for laughing,´ Eetemad entered the room. ´You have to behave yourselves better than that.´

But there is a cause for these laughs mom,´ Fayza said.

I think it is time to sleep now. Tomorrow we´ll have lunch at Mahmood Pasha El-Sisi and his wife Golnar. Your brother will be here at the evening tomorrow. When he comes I´ll give him a lesson,´ Eetemad said.

Next day, Roh Mahmood El-Sisi, were sitting with Farida and Fayza laughing at the memories of the secondary school when both Roh and Farida were in the same school in Alexandria. Roh was older than Farida but the two years difference did not affect their friendship. Golnar and Eetemad were whispering. In the study room, Refaat Pasha and Mahmood pasha were talking about what their wives had agreed. They came out of the room after they finalized the marriage projects of their sons and daughters.

Next Thursday will be a good day. It will be the engagement party of Nashaat and Roh and of Abd El-Aziz and Farida,´ Refaat said as if he was saying something not known to wives.

Both Farida and Roh received congratulations from their united families. Abd El-Aziz Mahmood El-Sisi was a captain in the Royal Guard. Mahmood pasha called his son who welcomed the idea.

Nashaat will come this evening and he will be most happy if Mahmood Pasha receives him afternoon tomorrow,´ Refaat said.

Of course he is welcome at anytime,´ Mahmood Pasha said.

That evening Nashaat came from Cairo. His sisters hugged and kissed him. His mother gave him the cold shoulder. When he approached her to give her a kiss, she retreated backwards.

What´s the problem mom?´ he asked anxiously.

You forgot the memory of my father. He played with you much when you were a kid. However, you forgot that. I cannot believe that you forgot your grandpa. He´d asked us to bring you to him to see you before he´d died. You were the last thing he saw. He was also your father´s paternal uncle. Your father will talk to you about that,´ she extended a hand to show him the way to the study room in a sarcastic gesture.

Have a pity on me mom. You go first and calm him then I´ll see him,´ he said.

Oh, yes mom, you go first,´ Fayza said.

After all we have to celebrate Nashaat´s graduation,´ Farida said. She and Fayza hugged their mom and kissed her to forgive their brother.

Nashaat reached his mom, embraced her, and said, ´you know that I loved my grandpa more than anything and I´ll never forget him.´

The Nubian butler came to Nashaat while he was still hugging his mother and said, ´Mr. Nashaat the Pasha invites you to his study.´

He must have heard your voice,´ Eetemad said to her son.

Mom, would you come with me please. Your presence will do wonders,´ Nashaat said.

But don´t say anything. You just listen to him,´ she said.

Agreed,´ he said.

When I call you, you should come at once,´ Refaat Pasha shouted at Nashaat who just finished his words to his mother.

Of course dad,´ Nashaat said and walked towards the study room where Refaat was standing at its opened door. On his way he glanced back to make sure that, his mother was following him.

How come you forget the memory of your grandpa,´ Refaat started in a loud voice.

I did not forget my grandpa. You know that I loved him too much,´ Nashaat said.

And how did you dare join the Wafd Party?´ Refaat shouted louder.

It was a surprise for Eetemad. She never thought that her son might join the rival party of Liberal Constitutional Party that Refaat Pasha was one of its pillars. (The Wafd Party means the Delegate Party – it was called the delegate party because its leaders had formed a delegate to negotiate independence with the British government. They formed the party later on and it was the most popular party during the royal era)

I think you know that our family men are Liberal Constitutional.´ She said involuntarily.

I believe in Wafd´s ideas more than those of other political parties,´ Nashaat said.

What are these ideas?´ Refaat Pasha said sarcastically. Then he added seriously, ´some students and workers rioting and talking in politics while they don´t know anything.´

Nahas Pasha is the leader of the nation. The Wafd is the party that represents people and it wins in any honest elections. Other parties win by forgery,´ Nashaat could not control his voice that was a pit higher than his normal when he was talking to his father. ´Other parties are ploys in the hands of the palace and the English Ambassador.´

Do you label me a ploy? Dare you?´ Refaat Pasha shouted. He was shocked.

Sorry dad. I did not mean it. But everybody should have the choice to do whatever he likes,´ Nashaat said.

Tomorrow your sister will go to Alexandria for the hairdresser. You go with them and you pass at the Wafd headquarter in Alexandria to resign. Then you go to the Liberal Constitutional headquarter where you file an application to join the party. Of course, Refaat Pasha´s son does not need a recommendation because he will be the MP of Alexandria later on. Thanks to God, that Mahmood Pasha did not mention your joining the Wafd. At afternoon, we´ll go to visit Mahmood family. I agreed with him that you and his daughter Roh will marry,´ Refaat said in a quiet decisive voice.

I´m not going to resign from the Wafd and I won´t marry Roh. I have my plans,´ Nashaat said.

What plans are you talking about? You will work here with me to supervise our properties. Our main job is to cultivate cotton and export it,´ Refaat said.

No dad, I´m thinking of building a spinning and textile factory. We have the money needed for the project,´ Nashaat said.

You refuse to obey me,´ Refaat said angrily in a quiet voice. Eetemad felt the storm that will soon blow.

Go to your room now, Nashaat,´ she said taking the hand of her son and pulled him towards the room door.

Nashaat resisted his mother and said to his father, ´no dad, it isn´t like that. I care about the family business like you. After all, the factory will be yours. But I have a dream and please help me to achieve it. I´m not ready for marriage and I want to give my dream a trial.´

Get out of this house,´ Refaat said decisively.

Eetemad fell on the nearest chair crying.

Refaat pointed with his index finger at the door and shouted, ´don´t ever come here again. I did a mistake when I chose Roh for you. She deserves a better man. Some one who is not crazy. Get out and I don´t want to see any of you.´

Nashaat did not believe that his father expelled from the family home. He stood standstill.

Get out,´ it was the loudest voice the family heard Refaat Pasha shout at someone. ´You are not my son.´

Nashaat left the palace while his mother and sisters were crying.

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