The Call

I don't understand. Is it me? Have I not been clear about this? How many times do I have to repeat that I am not into politics? What is it about me or my writings that could rock "their" boat? I am simply a middle class Egyptian girl, who wants to see Egypt a better place. Whether I am talking about relationships and their mess, taboos and their backwardness, society and its hypocrisy, men and their mazes, women and their shortcomings, people and their ignorance, streets and their hazards, or laws and their utter lack of sense - I am talking about the same thing ... I am talking about Egypt.

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Hey you .. yes you!!!

Hey you ...
Yes you ...
My dear reader ...
Please do not get offended ...
Please forgive me for what I am about to say ...
I am writing this article because of you ...
I am mad at you ...
Sitting there flipping though the pages of this magazine ...
Why do I always see you defeated in my dreams?
Why do you always come to me on mute?
Why do you always move in slow motion?
I am so angry at you for watching in silence as the world goes by.


I dreamt that you were checked into a hospital and in my dream you had neither power to talk nor strength to walk. You could see, hear, and feel everything but you had no voice ... you could not say no to what they were going to do to you. On that bed you lay and there comes the pious doctor with his blade ... I could see you trying to resist ... trying to say that this procedure was against your will and beliefs ... you were trying to break free ... but yes you had no voice. In a minute of eternity, colored in shades of pain, tears, and silent screams, you were cut ... your womanhood was mutilated forever. May you rest in peace! Hey you ... yes you ... How have you supported incriminating the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) whereby the parents as well as the doctors should get punished?

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ALLERGIC TO THE F-WORD!

On MSN - One Friday morning

My friend: Are you afraid of f***ing?
Me: I can't f***
My friend: We all f***
Me: Not me
My friend: F***ing is only human
Me: Nop! F***ing is a human option but it is not inevitable
My friend: It could still happen
Me: I will not allow it to happen ... I am allergic to the F-word!!

(My friend logs out)

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HUH?

I am speechless.
My face is expressionless.
My eyes are wide open.
My mind is blank.
I am guilty of despair.
In my book despair is a deadly sin.
Facebook is to blame … I am still speechless!
Why? I will tell you why!

Because of my long history of writing about relationships, men, women, and society, because of my book, and because of my TV appearances, I have earned a place to be coveted in a lot of peoples’ hearts. People come to me for advice or to vent, and they know that I will never judge them no matter how ugly or horrible their story turns out to be. I needed to listen to their ailments to cure mine - But there was a price.

Willingly, I had to give up my privacy; my facebook account, my mobile number, my home phone, and at times my home itself. I cannot ignore a friend request from someone I did not know because I chose to be down to earth and accessible. A lot of people appreciated and respected my decision and ended up being my support group and online friends. Other people ended up being writing material.

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How Secure is Secure

Sunday 6 April - 7:45 PM - mom calls
Mom: Are you home?
Me: Yes
Mom: Why did you say this on OTV?
Me: Say what?
Mom: Your publisher was kidnapped ... in prison ... no second chances ... you are talking about politics!!!!!!!!
Me: Me? Politics? I talked about a man who was kidnapped under his building and his fiancée had no clue where he was.
Mom: This is just none of your business ... now I am worried about you.
Me: Don't worry ... I did not do anything wrong.
Mom: If they come and take you ... who should I call?
Me: (Laughter)

9:15 PM - mom calls
Mom: Are you home?
Me: Yes
Mom: Ok ... take care.

11:00 PM - mom calls
Mom: Are you home?
Me: (Annoyed) Yes!
Mom: Ok ... good night.

2:00 AM - mom calls
Mom: Are you home?
Me: (Shouting) Where do you think I will be?
Mom: (Crying) I have no clue!

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