top of page
Writer's pictureAniss Benarrioua

Grand Theft At Rue D'isly (From Sons of Algiers)



Mad, you must see me mad; your opinion is awash to me as long as I am crazed by love. I welcome this folly that you give to me with great estate. Thief? Rascal? I did what others did and what others had me do and we are all doomed, but I do not regret for one instant the coming of events of this most splendid night. You should have seen how carefully I proceeded and how I found love in the most dreadful of streets, during my most mourning of states and on the most propitious of nights. Play samartian to the fool, champion to the underdog. So to speak, I am a hubris acolyte of love.

It was a bleak night of October, somewhere before midnight. I had finally left my hovel to have some fresh air. A good moonlit ballade that will perhaps relieve me from my anguished state of mind. A casual stroll or a casual spree on shore suffices to unfold for a man the secrets of a whole continent, but generally he finds the secret not worth knowing. Therefore, I went out to rue d'isly. The street was ghastly and hollow. I could still hear some noises dimming in my head, a fiasco cacophony. Tables and chairs cracking, pedestarians who left their ghost upon the floor, the odora of roses and lilas that I could still smell and savour with every step that I took. Then I continued straight towards the monument of Emir Abdelkader, a great man that every living soul in this dull city would nod his head proudly towards his bravado and audaciousness. Perhaps me stepping towards such a great monument of glory will bring something new to my path something passionate and praiseworthy to my stroll. The gods do bear and will allow in kings the things, which they abhor in rascal routes.

While I walked slowly pacing with my old dirty shoes. Suddenly, I gazed a woman in a red dress from afar, out from a dull door that could never produce such a beauty. I knew every corner of this street and nothing of such magnificence had ever walked in here at night. She was averagely tall, with a small fringe, a worried yet an angelic face. She rushed into closing the door as if she closed it on some sort of brutish beast, or perhaps she was afraid. Yes, she must have been afraid, I know a fearsome face when I see one. Maybe I should talk to her, tell her that I am the chieftan of this domain and no harm would come to her if only she walked by my side and then I will have a chance to get closer to her and admire her smuglly.

I walked behind her; we were the sole duet on the street. When I rushed, she rushed with me and when I slowed my pacing, she slowed her's as well. We were waltzing under the moonlight in the shores. The waltz of the beauty and the troubadour. Then I was so much intruiged by her soul, I wanted to get close to her, so I took a shortcut, I skipped to another rue. To maneuver her path so that we may finally walk untied from any distance. And there she was, she turned as if she was searching for me. Hesitating but then no longer said I "Madam! Come closer and have no fear, I was solely walking and so lightly you brought clarity to my route. I had never thought to cross path with such a beauty praised with such an angelic face"

Promptly, with no response, she turned her cheek leaving her silence unbroken and went straight forward leaving me to doubt if she was continuing her path and appealing me to follow her to a more isolated place or was she simply afraid of me? I could not gamble with my destiny oncemore. If there is a slight chance that she is flattered or interested in discovering my poor soul , then I will not leave this chance as a mere souvenir of the past. Yes! I must follow her and choose my words carefully; Hope should not be a postponed disappointment only. We must architect our destiny, chase the forlorn, walk with me untied, so to speak, we will be the most firm lovers of love.

As I pursued her rapidly, she distanced herself willingly, yet it only gave me the courage to pursue her more and more. Suddenly, she grabbed her phone. One of the latest brands that I did not know, but seemingly an expensive one. Its price may be the double or triple of my poor salary. She was calling someone, Worries hadn't left her Angelic face, Was she reporting me to the police? For what, for admiring her and offering my manly protection? I cannot accept such ingratitude she must understand that I mean her no harm.

Therefore, I rushed to grab her phone but rapidly she put it in her purse, hesitating but then no longer with a force that came out of tenderness, I took her purse. As words slowly were about to leave my mouth to justify my rushed acts, she ran quickly, distantly, she outdistanced me, once again I am in the start of the story. Nevertheless, I had no desire in chasing her anymore, nor in reshaping my first dance, neither in writing the first words. She rejected my kindness that I have never shown to any mundane soul. Let me now see what I acquired from this unfortunate but perhaps fortunate stroll ; A phone, shining makeups, and bills she probably had to pay, a wallet, and an envelope. A well-decorated and perfumed envelope.

As I stood there searching in her purse a distant sound of steps was getting louder with each second, I took the envelop, hid it in my chest, inside my shirt. And as I turned to find out who dares to trouble me in my domain; it was a cop, dressed in black, how I loathed them. They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others. He probably saw this entire scene from afar and waited for me to grow calmer to maneuver me easily.

Then he wrathfully stuck me to the wall, handcuffed me, and took me to his car. Happily, driving me to the police station. This was not my first arrestation and it will not be my last. However this visitation of a bygone vexation is no demise, they can chain me and lock me for dead because tonight I will hear her voice through this letter. Let me now read you what fate brought to my eyes and mind:


Dear beloved,

I may not see you so read the sound, of the villes that wasn't vacant of any villanies, when you will be reading this letter when you have opened it in its time. I would have gone elsewhere, far away from this dull city. Fate will bound us together at the alter again, Wail no more. I will be thinking of you each night on the moonlit shore. Be patient and keep this letter as a vestige of our magical relationship that filled my life with pleasures that surely I would never encounter oncemore. Stay safe and be strong boy.

Elissar,


Now that you know of my chivalrous story, surely you would understand why I grew to be the most content. A solely raised boy that never knew of love encounters it for the first time in the most propitious of nights. I had never known love, only strings and arrows, kicks and punches, bruises and maims that tattooed my body. This letter was not made for me or perhaps it was. I cannot deny my heart such a pleasure, I chose to believe whatever will bring light to my dreadful story, and this terminates my dark yet splendid romantic tale.

23 views0 comments

Comments


Post: Blog2 Post
bottom of page