Page 14 - issue-25 - en

ELITE Vol.1 No.25, Nov. 2020

PAPER CASE

*By: Prof. Nevine Mossaad, FEPS Political Science Professor
translated by : clarinda sherif

In that paper case , Magdy had collected all her papers: her passport, the
Salwa pressed the electric glass button of the car window to
union ’ s card, the club ’ s one as well, all remaining trust receipts from
allow the Steam made from her breath and the breath of the
the value of the renewal of the apartment, her academic certificates, the
person sitting at her left to leak out. A smile dripping with
decisions of promotions, the letters she wrote him earlier, literally
sorrow hangs on the side of her lip as she describes Magdi as
everything. In the midst of life's troubles and also due to the lack of
“the one sitting to her left ”, although he could be described as:
experience she has, she has not noticed that without her papers she turns
"her husband ”. As the Glass slides down, she muttered in a low
into a woman with no memory nor identity. Magdy turned her into
voice: the time had come for the intersecting circles to detach,
something like a Bedouin in the Gulf countries and became her key, her
she took her seat back and relaxed.
only way to access work, Club, trade union, travel and life. He opens
her up for the transaction that pleases him, then returns her locked in the
Her disagreement with Magdy this morning was not the first of
nationalized holster and locks the cabinet door with the key. In the few
its kind. Even this one wasn ’t the most violent disagreement
hours of serenity in their fifteen-year relationship, she would sometimes
throughout their history together. His most violent disagreement
ask him: why do you keep my papers with you? And he said succinctly:
with her was when he insisted that she should quit her job and be to preserve them for you. She did not notice that his response implicitly
accused her of negligence and irresponsibility.
completely free , asking her to take care of the children, and
when he didn ’t let her buy a car because it was unjustified in his
2018-2020
opinion, and when he became so angry when she received a call Salwa has admitted to herself that this morning's situation she had been
from her colleague asking her about the predicament of her planning for long ago, and that she was confident when she asked
Magdy for her paper case that she struck a chord in their relationship
illness. He always disagrees with her on her own ground, but not
since she reclaimed the key from him to herself, and by herself. Like
once did she manage to take the fight to his land, his people and
most men from the East, Magdy could not have imagined his wife's
his connections, she hasn ’t even tried. And all the time they
infallibility being under her control. There is no specific explanation for
were contending at a middle point. Apparently, they weren ’t, she
the timing she chose to blow up her relationship with Magdy. “Why
was the one who was subservient to him. She works but with
now ” will forever be the question hanging over, asking herself whether
half an effort and half a future, she moves with him in his own
she will confront yesterday, today or tomorrow. all she needed was to
car and he goes with her to her consultations, she establishes her
gather her courage and be willing to handle the consequences of her
work relations, neighborliness and friendships on his liking. The
decisions: loneliness, people criticizing her actions, being responsible
curtain of petrified tears fell into her eyes, as she browsed fifteen
enough for herself for the first time and denying the Canaries with
pages of her age, obscuring from her sight the scenes of people whom she shares complaint and hope. this morning, she found herself
capable to accept such challenge, and willing to. Salwa pressed the
and cars, that she did not need to see it, but memorized it by
electric glass button again and renewed the air and felt less suffocated.
heart.
The car stopped at the door of the utility in which she works, and she
But after all, Salwa believed that morning's situation would
took it from her straws, opened the door of the car and rushed out, as
trigger a major crisis in her relationship with Magdy. He was
Magdy pulled her out of her arm in roughness, asking: What about the
waiting for her, holding the door of the elevator as usual when
paper folder? She reclaimed her left and responded in defiance with a
she locked the appartement ’s door, avoiding any eye contact
voice heard by the one sitting next to her: I will take care of it. He
between them, saying in artificial indifference: when we come
turned the ignition switch and drove off, but she waded into the dirty
back, I would like to get back my paper case, if u please. He left
water of the road and didn't fill up. I looked up to a dusty sign hanging
the door of the elevator and completely emptied to the
from one of the windows overlooking her institution that read: down
expression of surprise which brushed his face, Salwa went on to
wuth Hosni Mubarak, and she smiled. She joined her arms to embrace
answer a question he did not even ask her: I want to keep this
nothing and ran like a child in the direction of the institution.
case with me, is anything wrong with this? He pressed on the
elevator ’s button again, in excess nervousness and she went right
behind him letting no chance for any conversation.
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